[SallyintNorth]

I weaned them on Saturday and today they've been moved to the (rather grandly named) orchard.  I took the opportunity to run them through the lamb weigh crate and they registered as 20.5 kgs (smallest gilt) to 23 kgs (largest boar.)

I don't think they're fat - just right, I'd say.  They're eating 10lbs feed a day between the 5 of them, plus a bit of hay / haylage and a few apples and so on.

I've sold two boars, they'll be leaving next week.  Next weekend I'll put the three keepers back with mum - but I've got some barbed wiring to do first... 

BH has farmed all his life and says he's never seen anything grow like these piglets.  So ... should I stick to the Saddleback for her next litter, or try something different?  (I will try OSB if Deerpark's boar is now working, but I am assuming they still can't supply OSB semen.)

[robert waddell]

what is mother

[Fowgill Farm]

Sally sounds like you and meg have done a grand job with these piglets, they sound like they're having the time of their lives.
As for next time if a formula works why change, but if you can breed 'pure' its good to do so.
bestes mandy 

[Barrett]

Well done Sally they are going to be little porkers, and of course well done to Meg for going such a great job, it feels like yesterday we were all on tender hooks waiting for her give birth were has the time gone.  Mine are due new years eve (no falling down sauce for me) keeping all things crossed that it works out this time, my last sow died after 2 days of giving birth, my youngest son is worried that Porscha is going to die as well am keeping the vet on speed dial, we have had her since she was 8 weeks so very attached to her and of course this is Bob's first litter to so they are going to be very special little GOS piglets

[SallyintNorth]

what is mother

Hi Robert, she's Meg, my OSB.  Sally x

[robert waddell]

sometimes with a x you get more vigour    with only 5 to feed there is no fighting for a nipple and your weights are good for the age as long as they continue with the growth

[SallyintNorth]

sometimes with a x you get more vigour    with only 5 to feed there is no fighting for a nipple and your weights are good for the age as long as they continue with the growth

Thanks robert.  That's pretty much what we thought.  She's had loads of milk, but whether she'd have twice as much if she had 10 piglets, (or three times for 15, gawd help us all!  ) I don't yet know.

I'll keep track on their weights and keep you posted. It's good to know how what you're doing compares to a norm. 

[HappyHippy]

All sounds great Sally, happy family ! 
Deerpark don't have OSB yet (as of 10.30 this morning  ) I'd be tempted to try a Tamworth cross to see how they go (but it might just be a ginger thing  )
Our Kunes grow like the clappers too, 15-20Kg at 6 weeks, even with a litter of 9 - not bad going for a 'wee' pig   

[robert waddell]

now not wanting to kick off an argie bargie  mines better than yours and all that tosh         but and it is a big BUT   i am more than convinced that some rouge breeding has got into them kunes  (in general ) they the kks played on the fact they had small litters   (4 with 6 being a very big litter )now be jezzus they are having 10 plus and every bit as big as normal pigs something has happened since i had them 

[HappyHippy]

now not wanting to kick off an argie bargie  mines better than yours and all that tosh         but and it is a big BUT   i am more than convinced that some rouge breeding has got into them kunes  (in general ) they the kks played on the fact they had small litters   (4 with 6 being a very big litter )now be jezzus they are having 10 plus and every bit as big as normal pigs something has happened since i had them 

Having only had them for a couple of years I don't have copies of old herd book stuff to check back & compare, the one's I have are the only ones I can really comment on  and they've certainly not been bred with anything other than a KK since coming here. But who's to say there's not been someone who's crossed them at some point, but the same is true of all breeds of pigs - anyone could choose to out-breed for hybrid vigour and tell porkies about it, but what's the point ? 
Mine are all significantly smaller than any other pig breed of a similar age that I have here, but they aren't 'small' pigs, not in the dreaded 'micro' sense  Looking at the litters page on the BKKPS website - it would appear that the litter size has increased across the whole of the UK, not just Scotland - but this could possibly be attributed to a careful breeding programme and an increased awareness of how the KK's needs differ from that of standard pigs - with the optimum conditions needed for raising & breeding met, the litter size is starting to grow as a result. Or it could be cross breeding ? Without detailed DNA analysis of the whole UK herd I doubt there's any way to know for sure 

Anyway - stop trying to start an arguement you !     
Let Sally get back to enjoying her successful AI breeding 

[HappyHippy]

Our Kunes grow like the clappers too, 15-20Kg at 6 weeks, even with a litter of 9 - not bad going for a 'wee' pig   

Just to clarify - this wasn't an attempt at one up-manship or "mine's better that yours" (but I think Sally knows already that's not the kind of person I am  ) it was to illustrate that all piglets (given the right attention by mum) grow really quick, really quickly indeed 
Karen 

[Barrett]

I purchased a litter of 10 back in the summer KK X GOS and they are like little barrels if you took the head and legs off they would look like rugby balls, though some are now getting a good size not sure if would have them again being GOS fan I like the big floppy breeds.

[SallyintNorth]

Our Kunes grow like the clappers too, 15-20Kg at 6 weeks, even with a litter of 9 - not bad going for a 'wee' pig   

Just to clarify - this wasn't an attempt at one up-manship or "mine's better that yours" (but I think Sally knows already that's not the kind of person I am  ) it was to illustrate that all piglets (given the right attention by mum) grow really quick, really quickly indeed 
Karen   

Aye, I knew that Karen    And I shall look at KKs with renewed respect henceforth! 

[SallyintNorth]

Deerpark don't have OSB yet (as of 10.30 this morning  ) I'd be tempted to try a Tamworth cross to see how they go (but it might just be a ginger thing  )

Interesting idea... what would be the strengths and any downsides of a Tammy cross?   Oh, and do you know do Deerpark have Tamworth semen?

[princesspiggy]

yes they do, wev used the successfully.