[Luckyescape]

In a few days I will be collecting a new rescue pig and the current owner is unsure of his breeding. He's a 3year old what looks like saddle back possibly Kune Kune mix.

He has wattles as you can see on first photograph but is saddleback marked and larger then the usual kune Kune.  3rd photo was him as a piglet.

[arobwk]

Interesting conundrum, but why is it important to you ??

[Luckyescape]

Oh it's not important at all but interested to see what others would say to the breeding.

[harmony]

The wattles are obviously from the kune kune as we have no other breeds with wattles here as far as I am aware. The colouring would make you think Saddleback but I would go with Hampshire.

[HappyHippy]

When originally imported to the UK, Kunekune were bigger than many of them are now. Over the years some breeders have selectively bred smaller pigs with the pet/show market in mind, while some breeders have bred them larger and keeping them to more of a 'meat type' (that's what we bred) there is a photo in one of the Kunekune newsletters of the original import pigs and one of them was marked like a saddleback... They come in a huge range of colours/markings. When they're without pedigree papers it's just best guess as to what mix he could possibly be... As long as he's happy and healthy that's the main thing. I'd probably suggest feeding him like a Kunekune (limited hard feeding and plenty of grazing) and monitor his condition and behaviour before deciding whether to up the feed a bit - it's not easy to try and get weight off them 

[harmony]

Photo's can be deceiving but judging against the gate in the background he is a big pig. Feed him like a Kune and I think you will have one hungry pig on your hands. He certainly is a cross and and you can't assume because he has wattles that one half of him was a pure kune either. His head and ears looks like very much like a Hampshire.  Some of the "micro pig" breeders used a real mixture of breeds in their breeding programmes.


In America Hampshire pigs come in a wide variety of colours whereas here for registration they are all black and white but I have seen different colours in a litter. I have have also seen pure black Saddlebacks.


It is harder to get fat off a growing pig because they are at a stage when they best convert food. Feed an adult pig the correct amount with turnout they shouldn't get too fat.

[arobwk]

In passing:  I never knew there was a Hampshire pig so I went off to compare with a Saddleback.  So apart from the ears, pretty much the same then with much variation on the saddle in both breeds.  Much like the Papillon breed of dogs - perky ears and floppy ears in the same breed.  Q to TAS' piggy experts: I'd be interested to know whether Hampshires sometimes throw piglets with flopped ears and whether Saddlebacks sometimes end up with upstanding ears (?)

[harmony]

[member=152775]arobwk[/member] the Hampshire is a modern breed and the Saddleback a traditional. So, the HP is a faster growing, leaner pig with very big hams. Often referred to as the lean rind pig and used as a terminal sire on some units.


The SB technically has semi forward/semi pricked ears not full ears that cover the face like the Old Spot or Lop.


The Hampshire I believe originated from Saddleback stock taken to America and improved. There are not many breeders in this country compared to other breeds. I haven't seen anything but pricked ears on HP's. Nor have I seen true pricked ears on a SB although with all pigs who have semi or fully forward ears litters can have more upright ears to begin with.


I have seen other colours rather than black and white in HP litters but not often. They always tend to have a very well defined band whereas SB's can have extremely narrow bands and the breed standard says the band can be as small as just a few white hairs meeting over the shoulder.


I certainly think the SB is much hardier as an outdoor pig compared to the HP.