Breeding Kune Kune Pigs

Gilts should not be mated until they are 12 months old so that they have grown sufficiently.

Sows have a 21-day heat cycle and a gestation period of 112 to 116 days,

i.e. approx. 3 months 3 weeks and 3 days.

One week before planned mating feed both sow and boar well to encourage sperm and egg production but after mating cut sows ration right down for 24 hours to encourage the eggs to settle in.

During pregnancy feed the sow normally until about 3 weeks before farrowing, Gradually increase her rations but do not get her too fat

The sows will quite happily farrow out of doors in their arcs even in winter. However it is a little awkward to attend to them.

If she farrows indoors then she should be moved outside within a day or so.

If you keep her indoors the piglets must be given a supply of iron. This can be of an intramuscular injection of 1ml of Gleptosil or a 2ml feed of Coloron 2000 Baby Piglet Booster.

A few turf's brought in from the field will supplement the iron intake. Failure to provide sufficient iron will produce a heart flutter and eventual chronic anaemia.

The piglets will start eating solid foods after 3-4 weeks. If the sow is fed moist food, i.e. pig mash, they will start eating bits that she drops on the ground. Gradually make food available to them so that by the age of 8 weeks they are eating sufficient solid food that they can be weaned. Clean drinking water should always be available. A feed of diluted milk can be given for a short while after weaning. Dried Sow's milk and Nesquik Banana flavour and water, or even cows milk with Nesquik administered in a babies bottle works very well for a piglet who is not getting its fair share!!.

Any boars that you think are not suitable for breeding from should be castrated at approx. 6 weeks old; it is easier and cheaper at this age. If you have been unable to sell them as pets then they will produce good pork at 12 months old.