Use this breed profile on the Kunekune pig and learn why many folks consider this particular breed as a pet rather than livestock.
Kunekune Pig
- Type: Pork (though too small to be considered modern meat)
- Origin: New Zealand
- Color: Black, black and white, white, gold, tan, and brown
While most Americans consider Kunekunes pet pigs, the breed is indeed a first-class porker. Introduced to New Zealand in the early 1800s by nineteenth-century whalers and traders, this little pig was raised by the Maori people for meat. The word kunekune in Maori means “fat and round.” However, by the 1980s, only about fifty purebred Kunekunes remained in New Zealand. Wildlife park owners Michael Willis and John Simister initiated a conservation program. This in turn led to additional recovery efforts. The breed no longer faces extinction, with breed societies in New Zealand, Britain, and the North America.
The Kunekune is said to root less than other breeds. Pigs are hardy, good-natured, peerless foragers that take up little space, making them ideal for raising grass-fed pork by families that prefer small, succulent cuts of tasty meat.
Learn about other breeds featured in Homegrown Pork:
Breed Profile: Hereford Hog
Breed Profile: Tamworth Hog
Reprinted with permission from Homegrown Pork: Humane, Healthful Techniques for Raising a Pig for Food by Sue Weaver and published by Storey Publishing, 2013.
