# Piglets - AGH x KuneKune question



## Realtree2429 (Feb 4, 2017)

A few months back, I asked about our KuneKune boar and if he was old enough to actually breed. Thank you to everyone that answered and for those of you that are wondering, he was very capable of breeding at his young age! Only 4 months old.....we were told he wouldn't be fertile until 12 months......

It appears that both of our AGH gilts are pregnant and the first one looks to be due pretty soon!!! She has the "I'm so over this, I'm just going to lay in the hay and eat" Look. And I don't like to call to comment on weight with anyone....but boy is that girl HUGE!!!!! 

This will be our first time with piglets and here's my questions:

1. About castration - We were just planning on cutting the boars ourselves, but then I got reading about KuneKune's have something different about them and that the cut/pull/cut method may not work.....they are more prone to hernias? I had never read that before and I'm hoping that someone here can chime in and help. I'm hoping that since they will be 50% KuneKune and 50% AGH, then it will be different and easier (what is ever easy?). 

2. Cutting the needle teeth. Do people still do that? Again, the more I read, the more I am hearing that majority of people do not cut the needle teeth in piglets now. 

Our 2 gilts are outside and while their area isn't a huge area...they do have a pretty large pen outside with lots of space. I believe it's about 6 cattle corral panels long and wide with an additional covered "house". So they are not overly crowded. 

With our goats, I had spent months researching kidding, care, etc. So I'm starting to feel like such a slacker on getting ready for piglets ;(


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## JK_Farms (Nov 12, 2016)

I know nothing about pigs but I'm excited to see your piglets when they are born!!!!


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## Realtree2429 (Feb 4, 2017)

Thanks! Piglets are the cutest things ever! I'm really excited about these ones.... I'm really hoping that the short snout and wattles come through. Our Boar has both


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## JK_Farms (Nov 12, 2016)

Could you post pictures of the lucky soon to be parents?


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## Realtree2429 (Feb 4, 2017)

Here's Mamma!










Here's Daddy! Upside down, in all is glory......darn it!


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## Realtree2429 (Feb 4, 2017)

Oh, they posted correctly! It showed that they would be upside down. Yay!


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## JK_Farms (Nov 12, 2016)

Wow they're adorable! I've never seen a pig have wattles but they are so cute on him!!!


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## Suzanne_Tyler (Jul 19, 2014)

Good luck! I will be following along 

Here's a good thread on farrowing:
http://www.thegoatspot.net/forum/f223/almost-time-farrowing-181545/


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## Realtree2429 (Feb 4, 2017)

Suzanne_Tyler said:


> Good luck! I will be following along
> 
> Here's a good thread on farrowing:
> http://www.thegoatspot.net/forum/f223/almost-time-farrowing-181545/


Thank you! That was very helpful 

The thing with these pigs is that there isn't too many detailed answers to farrowing. Most are commercial hogs or feeders.....

I did talk to the breeder we got Big Jake from and she said she doesn't clip needle teeth and castrating is preference. Being done around 2-4 weeks.

But if we are raising the boys for the freezer, many leave intact for growth factor.....

I love these pigs, so very docile and friendly. I was in their pen today and Buttercup fell to her side for belly scratches (picture giant pregnant pig) and fell asleep while I scratched her ears and chin.

Big Kate is getting HUGE. No signs of a milk bar yet. ...










Here's Buttercup going to sleep....


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## Realtree2429 (Feb 4, 2017)

So, Big Kate is still pregnant....but I have no idea how she is keeping her babies in!!!! Her hind end is so very swollen, and her belly is dragging the ground.

I think it has to be "soon" though....she has been moving a bit slower today and it's the coolest day that we have had in over a week (just made it through a bad heat spell).










I would be miserable if I were her, but she's still the sweet pig....just bigger and slower.


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## Suzanne_Tyler (Jul 19, 2014)

Oh, wow. I wonder how many she's got in there.


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## ksalvagno (Oct 6, 2009)

Good luck!


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## Realtree2429 (Feb 4, 2017)

Suzanne_Tyler said:


> Oh, wow. I wonder how many she's got in there.


A month ago I thought she would have around 6....now I'm really not sure!!! I'm getting kinda scared that she will have a bakers dozen or so!!!!

Still nothing today, just not moving too much and eating, eating, eating. No signs of making a nest or anything.

But I am finding that I am checking on her several times a day.

It has to be soon!!!!!


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## JK_Farms (Nov 12, 2016)

I can't wait to see her piglets!!!

Sent from my QTASUN1 using Goat Forum mobile app


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## Realtree2429 (Feb 4, 2017)

Still no piglets today. My husband thought she was going into labor yesterday evening. But she wasn't.....definitely moving less and slower today. She will walk about 10 feet and just lays down where she ends up. And also looks as though her milkbar is filling.

I feel so bad for her!!!!!


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## JK_Farms (Nov 12, 2016)

Poor girl! I bet she is ready for them now

jkgoatfarm.weebly.com 
instagram- jk_farms


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## Suzanne_Tyler (Jul 19, 2014)

How is she doing?


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## Realtree2429 (Feb 4, 2017)

She is quite literally just getting bigger and bigger! I had absolutely no idea how big a pregnant pig could get! I have been saying she has to be close for about 6 weeks now. But really.....SHE HAS TO BE CLOSE! Her milk bar is getting bigger and bigger and is starting to hit the ground. And her vulva is swelling up.

We have put her in the boar's pen and put him in with our other gilt. That way she has her own "privacy" and is left alone when/if she ever decides to give these piglets up.

I have started calling her April the Pig. Instead of the giraffe.....


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## Realtree2429 (Feb 4, 2017)

SHE FINALLY HAD THEM!!!!!!

Yes, that was over the top 

Yesterday evening, she had 6 piglets (3 boys, 3 girls) and we got to be there to watch and video the birth.....so much easier than goats!!!! 3 of them are black, 3 of them are brown/black stripes (which my husband says will change) and 4 of them have wattles and they all have the shorter nose like the kunekune.





































So far, two of them are smaller than the others, but are so feisty and are doing really well!


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## Realtree2429 (Feb 4, 2017)

Sorry, for the multiple picture of the same photo....gotta love smartphones!


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## New-goat-mom (May 21, 2017)

Oh dear! Now I remember why I love pigs so much! What precious babies!


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## ksalvagno (Oct 6, 2009)

Way too cute!


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## Goat_Scout (Mar 23, 2017)

They are adorable! We had pigs once... we raised them for the freezer though. I wish we could have gotten a breeding pair. Now it's too late - our goats are taking over! 

Congratulations on your new litter!


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## Suzanne_Tyler (Jul 19, 2014)

Yay!!!!!! :7up: They are so cute!!


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## Realtree2429 (Feb 4, 2017)

I just can't stop watching the piglets! They're so much fun!

We will be raising three of them for our freezer, maybe raising one for a family member and then selling two. These two breeds do great on hay, pasture and just a small amount of grains...that's why we choose them. Plus, you cannot beat their personalities! 

We still have one more pregnant gilt, but now that we know how big they can get and the signs pre-giving birth, it will be a while still.

Next up on my "things to learn", since we got some boys, looks like I will be learning to castrate in a few weeks  Boo!!!!!!

I will get more pictures soon!!!!


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## capracreek (Apr 5, 2016)

Congratulations they are so cute!


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## JK_Farms (Nov 12, 2016)

Congrats they're gorgeous

jkgoatfarm.weebly.com 
instagram- jk_farms


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## fivemoremiles (Jan 19, 2010)

I use the twist them off castration method. I use two forceps I clamp one on the cord low away from the tactical. the other forceps is clamped on the cord near the testical . I then twist the testical off by spinning the forceps near the testical. it is really fast you just put your finger in the handle and spin it.


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## Summersun (Apr 24, 2014)

I just learned the same lesson you did. Except my 2 mini potbellies just had babies by a 3 1/2 month old (when he bred them). Lol one only had a single and lost it. The other had 7 and lost one. Lol


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## Realtree2429 (Feb 4, 2017)

UPDATE - As it turns out, castrating is really not that difficult! Although, full disclosure, I really didn't do anything except clean the piglets with iodine before and after the castration  And we did give penicillin shots (my job) simply because the first litter with the Joint Ill responded so well with it and there was ZERO repeat of joint ill in the second litter!!!!! Thanks to us learning to dip the cords in iodine immediately after the cord breaks. Which interestingly enough can take a few minutes after birth!

And the two from the first litter have completely healed from Joint Ill with no repercussions....yay!!!! I was afraid that they were going to be very runted from it and their lack of being able to move well for a few weeks, but they have totally caught up with the others and one would never know they were so sick.


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## Summersun (Apr 24, 2014)

I would love to see new pictures of both litters lol


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## Realtree2429 (Feb 4, 2017)




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## Suzanne_Tyler (Jul 19, 2014)

They are so cute!!!


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## Summersun (Apr 24, 2014)

They are adorable. Love the chipmunk color. Lol


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## GaGoats2017 (Sep 5, 2017)

I don't know how I missed this thread 

I LOVE AGH AND KUNE KUNE!!! And pigs in general! I read the whole thread, even though it's a little old, I am so happy for you!

Thank you for sharing the info and pictures.  I can't wait until I can get some of my own one day.


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## GaGoats2017 (Sep 5, 2017)

@Realtree2429

I am picking up some 10 week old AGH gilts Saturday. I am so excited! But I have no idea what I have gotten myself into.

How much do you feed yours? I heard it is easy to over feed them, and they shouldn't get much. A cup or two each daily along with grazing?

Do you feed a pig mineral?


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## Realtree2429 (Feb 4, 2017)

You will love them! At least we just love ours  

You're correct, they really don't require too much grains. At that age, I believe that we were giving ours around 1/2 of grains a day, plus hay. We don't have a pasture for ours 

We also do add minerals in their feed (a pinch at each feeding). We have used Redmond's goat minerals (because we had it here and the picky goats wouldn't touch it!). The pigs ate it right up and are doing great!


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