KuneKunes are a rare, heritage breed of grazing
pigs that were near the brink of extinction in New Zealand in 1970’s. The history of this amazing breed intrigues
me and is what first captured my attention.
KuneKunes were originally kept by the Maori tribes as meat pigs. They were free ranging pigs that preferred to
stay close to tribal homes. Some say
this is where they originally got their love of humans from.
Two wildlife park owners set out
to save this delightful breed from extinction and were very successful. Now KuneKunes are located in New Zealand, the
United Kingdom and the population in the United States is now near 1000. KuneKunes are now finding their way into the
hearts, homes and farms across the USA.
KuneKunes are great for first
time, small scale farming operations either as a start up farming opportunity
or to add more diversity to an existing farm.
My husband, originally a New Jersey boy, and I are first time farmers
ourselves. We wanted to share this
passion with other first time farmers.
What makes KuneKunes
so special? :
- They are a rare,
multi- purpose pig
- Friendly, docile
demeanor
- Easy to handle
for first time owners
- Low maintenance
- Do not get
aggressive
- Do not tend to
root like other breeds
- Do not test
fencing like other breeds
- Have a short
upturned snout for grazing
- Can fatten on
grazing alone
- Extremely easy
to train due to great intelligence
KuneKunes are a true
multi- purpose pig that is used for:
- Sustainable
farming - high end, organic pork
- Companion
animals
- Petting Zoos
- Therapy animals
- Cleaning up
fruit orchards
- Cleaning up
gardens
- Clearing out
woods
- Pets
In our next post we will explore more about the kunekune pigs. For more information please visit us at www.virginiakunekunes.com
