7 Signs of KuneKune Pregnancy
Wondering if your kunekune is pregnant? Not sure of the due date? Here are 7 signs of kunekune pregnancy to look for in your pig.
All the kunekune groups and mentor groups are full of one question. Is my pig pregnant? When is she due? There are several signs to look for to see if your gilt or sow is bred.
One of the first things to document is when your sow was with a boar. KuneKunes are pregnant for 3 months, 3 weeks, and 3 days or 116 days. Kunekune pregnancy is 2 days longer than other pigs. Knowing your animals’ cycles and mating dates is essential to keeping track of your litters.
See our available piglets and upcoming litters here.
Missed Heat
You should be monitoring and documenting your sow/gilt heats. They typically come into heat every 21 days. The first sign of pregnancy is a missed heat. If they don’t go into heat again after breeding, chances are they are pregnant.
Behavior Changes
Some gilts/sows are more hormonal than others. Some will be calmer or more irritated when pregnant. When looking for signs of pregnancy, knowing your animals comes in handy. Most sows have a shift in behavior during pregnancy.
Size
Physical changes can begin early in pregnancy depending on the size of the gilt/sow and the size of the litter. You can notice a rounding of the belly and noticeable growth. Some pigs will get a more significant increase in size than others, while some carry pregnancy better. By about halfway, two months in, you should see some changes in physical size.
Teat Development
Teat development occurs toward the end of pregnancy, typically in the last month or less. The teats will become more prominent, darken in color, and the sow’s bag will fill with milk. The teats should fill the closer she is to her due date and become firm. Some sows can even drip milk 24-48 hours before delivery in anticipation of the baby’s arrival.
Vulvar Changes
Vulvar changes happen a couple of weeks before delivery up until the day of delivery. The sow will experience swelling and loosening of the muscles in their backend. You may even notice that their tail is looser as well. All of this loosening allows for easier delivery of the piglets.
Energy Levels
Energy levels fluctuate in pigs like they do in people. Typically in the last month of pregnancy, you will notice sows resting more. They will take more naps and tend to relax, recharging for the impending delivery. Twenty-four hours or less before delivery, they get a surge and will begin nesting for labor.
Movement
During the last month of pregnancy, you should be able to feel the piglets move and kick. While rubbing your pig’s belly, place your hand on its abdomen. You should be able to feel movement, hiccups, kicks, etc.
Confirmation
While these are all great tools and things to look for, ultrasound is the only way to confirm pregnancy in a Kunekune 100%. Most vets have a veterinary ultrasound machine and are happy to make an appointment to help you diagnose pregnancy.
