Kune Kune Pigs - 'Wallow and Wade'

The Kune Kune pig comes from New Zealand. How they got there is a mystery as they are not indigenous to that country. They were kept by the Maoris for meat, living not in enclosures, but free to scavenge around the houses. This probably explains their love of humans and excellent temperament. In 1976 things were looking desperate for the Kunes, and very few were left, but thanks to Michael Willis and John Simister buying every Kune they could find, 18 in all, the New Zealand Kune Kune pig association was formed. They have done an excellent job and there are now over 1000 pigs in New Zealand.

Kune Kune pigs vary from 24" to 30" high and weigh between 140-220 lbs. They are covered in long hair, which can be straight, wavy or curly. There is a wide range of colours, from cream through gold, tan and brown to black.

They also come in a variety of spotty colours. An interesting feature is they have a pair of tassels under their chin called Piri Piri. They have a medium to short head with either prick or semi lop ears. Their body is best described as non-extreme, not long and lean like a commercial pig, or short and pot bellied like the Vietnamese variety.

Kunes have a steady temperament, and are extremely easy to handle. They are very gentle, and ideally suit the new pig keeper who may be intimidated by larger more boisterous pigs. Because of their small size they do not cut the land up as much as larger pigs.

Our Kune kune pigs were introduced into the collection in 2003, and have learnt many tricks since their arrival. You can stroke them, scratch them, brush them, and ask them to sit. Pigs are very intelligent, and make wonderful pets, with Kunes being at the top of my pig list as they do not destroy the ground. We all love them.