[HappyHippy]

We have a barren Kunekune gilt here, Rora, she was from our first ever litter of Kunes and Rebecca's 'pet', she showed her a couple of years ago (winning champion Kunekune too  ) Beautiful pig, fantastic temper, great confirmation and just about the 'perfect' Kunekune in my very biased opinion 

But when we first put her to the boar she broke out the field (must not have liked the look of him  ) into the neighbouring one that contained a pig-hating stallion  (we didn't know at the time he didn't like pigs or would have used another field  ) She got stomped on, but quickly made it out the field and showed no external signs of injury or pain, however we've never been able to get her from service to farrowing most probably as a result of this 

She cycles, has a season, gets mated, misses the next season (sometimes 2) then, all of a sudden she's back in season. We even had (what appeared to be) colostrum from her at one point and wondered about a phantom pregnancy ? Anyway, we resigned ourselves to this and gave Rebecca (9) the choice of keeping her or choosing another piglet as a replacement show/breeding pig, she decided that she'd like to eat Rora  and get another piglet.

So that was all decided and fine (very grown up attitude for a nine year old my daughter has  ) but now I'm having a wobble about it 
Rora is in the shed, in the pen right next door to Adelaide (her mum) with her piglets. Yesterday one of Adelaide's piglets had managed to squeeze under the rail into Rora's pen  and she was lying cuddled up to it and appeared to be trying to nurse it. She saw me and looked up at me and I swear the look in her eyes was just one of "please don't take it away"  Obviously I had too, the piglet was only 2 days old and Rora didn't have milk for it, but it really made me very sad 

Now I don't know what to do  Should I just get a grip and send her off as Rebecca wants ? Should I keep her as a surrogate to look after newly weaned litters and amuse the boar when he's not got company ? Or should I look for a 'pet' home for her ? Aaaarrgh ! Don't know what to do for the best !
Pigs eh ? Never a dull moment 
Karen x

[Blinkers]

Pet, pet, pet, pet
 

[sabrina]

If she was mine, I would keep her. But I am soft. If she can keep the boar happy and help with little pigglets but only you can decided.

[Bionic]

I would talk to Rebecca again, explaining the situation and see what she says. If she still decided to let her go then I think thats what you should do. If she is undecided then definitely keep as a pet.
We are mostly all softies here.

[Hassle]

its a great story but you have to decide if you want a pet or if a nicer pig with piglets and everything is around the corner 

[Fowgill Farm]

I can only say one name.........Delia.........completely useless barren gilt, lived to be 7. but was a great pal, useful for putting with boar when no females to be served and i loved her loads miss her now even though Clover is fast morphing into her
I think i'm with Bionic Sally on this one.
mandy

[kja]

here if she had started off as a pet that would be fine but had she started off as a breeding / show pig she would be sausages sorry that just me practical where breeding stock comes into play but a big softie when the name pet gets put into play.

we had a gilt that went to the boar showed signs of being in pig but did not farrow or come back in season nice as she was she had to go to the big freezer.

[Berkshire Boy]

Now from a mans point of view as you are all softy women. Keep,keep if she looked at me like that I couldn't do the dirty deed.

[P6te]

I'm with BB ... keep her .... as you said she can be company for a boar when you don't have any ladies in need of his services!  A little KK isn't going to cost much after all. 

[colliewoman]

You can't eat anything that can 'talk' to you. You never know when you might need a surrogate mum for orphan piggers, to teach em how to be pigs. Always handy to have a friend for the boar too.......

[HappyHippy]

A little KK isn't going to cost much after all. 

That's what I was kinda thinking 

Thanks folks    I'm normally good at keeping pet and pork apart (in an emotional sense  ) and we've sent off gilts who'd been destined for breeding before, just struggling with this one 
Will try for a decent sleep tonight and discuss with the family again tomorrow 

[ZaktheLad]

Another vote for the "keep" from me! 

[P6te]

Hi Karen .... we need a photograph of Rora! 

[Daisys Mum]

 
KEEP KEEP KEEP 

[HappyHippy]

Here's Rora 

One of her being shown as a youngster and one from last summer out in the field - she grabs mouthfulls of food and runs of to hide and eat it