The Accidental Smallholder Forum
Livestock => Pigs => Topic started by: ChyPacas on February 07, 2013, 04:44:14 pm
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Hi,
Friends of ours left the country and we inherited their 3 kunes, 2 girls and a castrated male (ginger, lowenna and blue). They are 17 months old and very sweet having been hand reared. Having had them for 2 months we have seen we just don't have enough land for them. They need more space.
The girls would be lovely to breed from. I would be very happy for someone with a county holding number and the registration number for keeping pigs from animal health to have them for free and their house (not the best state but serviceable). You would need to collect them yourself and also to be registered to transport pigs.
https://www.gov.uk/animal-identification-movement-and-tracing-regulations#registering-your-pigs-sheep-and-goats (https://www.gov.uk/animal-identification-movement-and-tracing-regulations#registering-your-pigs-sheep-and-goats)
If anyone is interested I can post photos. I am only posting here for the moment as I want them to go to people who will care for them properly and is set up to have them.
Many thanks,
Steph
ps we are west of Penzance Cornwall so it is a long way from most places (http://www.accidentalsmallholder.net/forum/Smileys/default/smiley.gif)
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Hi assume these have gone by now, but if not let me know, we near Helson and looking for Kunes!
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I know this may be a bizarre question but, can kune kune pigs be used in the food industry or would they be just petting animals. I am new to pigs (got 3 GOS weaners at the beginning of May for fattening up organically and selling the meats).
I apologise for my naivety :)
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Hi David :wave:
Yes, definitely - they need a bit more time - 9-12 months, but need much less feed & cause less land damage than "big pigs" (as they are proportionately smaller - NOT because they don't root -THEY DO). The meat is really sweet & they can make quite decent size joints, chops etc. as well as sausages :thumbsup:
Husbandry is similar to that of traditional breeds too - need lots of room (to build up muscle = meat) & no overfeeding. They are a great pig for a beginner - very docile & amenable, incredibly hardy - just make sure you don't get too attached ;)
We always raise 3 or 4 a year for friends & family use :yum: & about half of my piglet customers are buying to raise for the freezer too.
:love: :pig: :love:
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Hi Beewyched,
And thanks for clearing that up :)
May get some in the future but concentrating on my first GOS weaners and most likely get more GOS.
My eldest wants some "Ginger pigs, ginger like me", Tamworths ain't for the beginner but, again, in the future. No matter what, my son is to raise them all organically, which was spurred on by the increase in feed costs and reductions of organic pigs keepers/breeders etc (according to the guy at the feed company)
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hint
you can get some really nice ginger kunes, way easier to care for than Tammies...
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HTH David, GOS are lovely pigs - IME most breeds with floppy ears are more docile.
:love: :pig: :love:
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David how does raising pigs organically reduce feed costs.
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It doesn't reduce costs but can be produced for the same as force rated that you find in supermarkets, better quality meat flavours? That's my thoughts though, lol
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Hi Beewyched,
And thanks for clearing that up :)
May get some in the future but concentrating on my first GOS weaners and most likely get more GOS.
My eldest wants some "Ginger pigs, ginger like me", Tamworths ain't for the beginner but, again, in the future. No matter what, my son is to raise them all organically, which was spurred on by the increase in feed costs and reductions of organic pigs keepers/breeders etc (according to the guy at the feed company)
David, don't be put off - Tamworths are absolutely brilliant for beginners. They were my first breed. I tried all sorts afterwards, but kept coming back to Tamworths. I sell them to first-timers all year round, and they all come back for more. There's your proof.
The breed's reputation has been wrongly tarnished by the "Tamworth Two" escapade - and, incidentally, the TT were half Tamworth, half wild boar. Having said that, what pigs wouldn't have gone on the run if given the chance to escape from the abattoir?
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I'm not put off by reputation of the Tamworth breed but would like to gain more experience of pigs in general, so that any of the breeds that I get in future, will be looked after properly and safely for theirs and public safety. I read about different breeds long before I got my GOS pigs and they seemed the most apt with having 2 little girls (when I have them stay with me, everyone wants protect their young ones), edging by way of cautionary thought process, lol, thought processes don't happen often for me :) ha ha
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I love the variety of pigs that I can, rear we have had osb, saddleback, pietrains, middle whites and they have all been fantastic making the most delicious pork. Well we have not actually had the middle white pork yet it is still running about. :D Have a hankering after some Tammies next time or maybe some gos. :thinking: :pig: . It really is dependant on what is available reasonably locally.
If I was only rearing them for ourselves I would try kune kune as I would not need the quantity that I need now. I also think that it would be more economical.
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If I was only rearing them for ourselves I would try kune kune as I would not need the quantity that I need now. I also think that it would be more economical.
They are more economical to rear (and super friendly, easy to manage, don't churn the ground half as much as big pigs do) but they do need plenty of grass and space to graze, to supplement their 1 pound of pig nuts - a third to half an acre as a minimum, but ideally more.
We've found that by a year old, most of ours are around 85Kg liveweight - so you do get the same amount of meat from them. It just takes a wee bit longer for them to get there. Give them a go sometime Anne, you might find you become a Kunekune convert ;)
Karen :wave: