Why We Don’t Sell Unregistered KuneKunes
More and more, I see people selling unregistered KuneKunes or offering their “registered” herd at unregistered prices without papers. While it may be money-saving or help you “move pigs”, here are some points to consider and why we don’t sell unregistered KuneKunes.
Registered Stock
The amount of effort and time I put into my Registered KuneKune herd is more than many people are willing to give. I value them not just for their paperwork and pedigrees but for their health and their personalities. There are so many reasons to buy Registered KuneKunes, Caroline Malott summed it up on the AKKPS website very well. You can read her article here.
Appropriate Herd Management
Practicing appropriate herd management is important to us. If a pig is not “Registered Breeder” worthy it becomes a barrow or part of our meat herd. The only pigs that leave here as pets are small barrows. Other barrows are sold as companions to registered stock or kept as part of our meat herd.
It would not be fair to our customers or our farm to sell Unregistered stock that does not meet KuneKune standards. If the pig meets standards it’s registered and sold as such or kept as part of our herd.
Don’t Breed More Than You Can Handle
This should go without saying, but don’t breed more than you can handle. If you are worried about selling breeding stock you are in the wrong business. If you don’t have a use for the meat and lard, you are in the wrong business. If you raise KuneKunes or any breed of pig, there will be meat pigs. Breeding KuneKunes without use for them is causing overpopulation and is not sustainable.
Flooding the Market
Unfortunately, people have sold unregistered KuneKunes. They have gone onto farms that bred them to other KuneKunes or crossed them. These pigs may not have been healthy or breeding standard and the market is flooded with “KuneKunes” that are neither full nor healthy. You can go onto Facebook groups and auctions and see these pigs for a fraction of the price. Those who don’t know the value of a registered pig think they are getting a deal. The cycle continues.
Mistruths
There are so many mistruths about KuneKunes being spread. Some people say they don’t need feed, others say they don’t need a lot of space, mentioning them not rooting. So many things that just aren’t true.
KuneKunes are pigs. They do graze but they also need grains & minerals to grow properly. KuneKunes need room to run and graze. They also can root a little for the occasional acorn or grub. Also, while they are the smallest breed of domestic pig they can reach up to 400 lbs. These are all things you need to be aware of.
Mentorship
Something worth its weight in gold is mentorship from a breeder who knows KuneKunes. When you purchase Registered Stock from a REPUTABLE breeder you get just that. A mentor that will help you succeed and answer questions when possible. Having someone to talk to who is knowledgable is very important to raising healthy, quality pigs.
I Don’t Need the Papers
One statement I can’t stand. “How much for the pig? I don’t need the papers” Well, my pigs are the same price regardless. If a pig leaves my farm as a registered breeder it has papers. I will not sell it without its papers. We pride ourselves on breeding only registered KuneKunes and being very selective on who we choose to sell as breeders. Those pigs will leave here with papers.
Check the Herdbook
The AKKPS herdbook is PUBLIC! Check it and USE IT! Want to know about how a farm handles its breeding program? Look and see if they are litter notifying all of their piglets. How many are marked as meat pigs? How many are marked as deceased? Ask questions! The information is there for you to make an informed decision. You can view the AKKPS Herdbook here
You Get What You Pay For
The old saying is so true. While you may save a buck buying someone’s kunekunes off of Craigslist, you get what you pay for. Be prepared for sick, underweight, malnourished pigs with mites or disease. Pigs that are unsocialized and skittish are also not uncommon. I’ve heard it all from people who “didn’t know better”. They then find me and my pigs and can’t believe the difference. You get what you pay for.