Quality KuneKunes Since 2013

[email protected]

[email protected]

434.316.9120 landline

434.660.5154 cell

Located In Lynchburg, Virginia

 my help. I am available to you 24/7/365 via phone, text, PM or email. I encourage farm visits for clients that are close enough to drive to Red Roof KuneKunes. For those that are not close I will provide FaceTime calls and videos to help you. I have clients that I am still in contact with years after their pig went home. I have gotten up multiple times in the middle of the night to reassure clients during farrowing. I want to mentor and help clients learn the right way!

Red Roof KuneKunes operates on 6 acres of land and currently has a herd of 6 boars and 16 gilts/sows. Several pigs in our herd were bred and born here in order to improve the KuneKune. We have 4 heated farrowing areas, 6 boar paddocks, a sow/gilt field and 3 weaning areas. In addition, we have cameras in all of our farrowing areas to keep a close eye on sows and piglets as well electric for lights, fans and heat lamps.

All KuneKunes from Red Rood KuneKunes are registered animals through AKKPS which includes DNA verification and a microchip or ear tag. All pigs are dewormed and vaccinated. I do not sell any unregistered pigs. All piglets are weaned prior to leaving Red Roof KuneKunes.

I sell pigs all across the United States. Shipping is very safe and relatively inexpensive. Please do not let your location stop you from contacting me. I have several ground shippers that ship all over the USA and I will also fly piglets if weather permits.

THE TAKE HOME FORM / CONTRACT / RECEIPT

By: Caroline Malott

Red Roof KuneKunes

When I first started breeding, it did not take me long to realize the importance of record keeping - not only for myself but also for my clients. I came up with the idea of a form that all information would be kept on for each individual piglet - both breeding piglets and pet piglets.

It took me many different drafts of my “Take Home Form” to get it to where I was satisfied - I am currently on my 4th revision! There are still changes that I am making for the next time the forms are printed. The forms are carbon paper - one for me and one for my buyer. This “Take Home Form” also serves as my contract for both new piglets and pigs that are being transferred. This form has all the pertinent information needed for me, the seller to register the pigs. The form gives buyers the information they will need for feed, shots, heat lamps, to run COI’s etc. When a litter is born, I start a new form for each piglet. If I have a piglet that passes away I mark the form accordingly. As each piglet sell and has a depositor, I email this form filled out and continue to add to the form until the pig goes home with the original client portion of the form.

I can not tell you how many times this form has truly saved me time and helped me be as organized as possible. I use this form to keep all of my vaccination and DNA records so it is super easy to know which piglet has had what and when. I attach one of the labels that comes with each microchip to this form - this is very useful in identifying piglets easily when you have piglets that look similar. When I register or transfer the pig, this form has everything that I need to do the registration papers correctly and it definitely saves a lot of time having everything in one place and on one piece of paper. I have also used this form with existing clients to run COI’s with currently owned piglets to new ones I have for sale.

I hope that sharing this form will help other buyers with ideas for their own form if they choose to create a “Take Home Form.”

Pictured below are the farrowing quarters at Red Roof KuneKunes. Inside this barn there are 3 farrowing stalls each with its own outdoor paddock. In addition this building has 2 weaning stalls and an outside paddock to go along with each. The feed room and office is also inside this building. The adult pigs have a separate barn as well as sleeping huts in each of their paddocks.

A REGISTERED KUNEKUNE BREEDERS RESPONSIBLITIES - MANDATORY AND BY CHOICE

By: Caroline Malott

When I first began breeding KuneKunes I was fortunate enough to have a truly great mentor. Six plus years later we are great friends and often bounce issues, ideas and questions off of each other. Without a mentor I would have been lost when I first started breeding KuneKunes. This is the reason I am writing this article in hopes that others will have the experience that I have had from the start. I quickly learned my breeder went above and beyond her required responsibilities and offered a lot of extra help which was a bonus that I never expected! No book or internet chat room can replace the personal knowledge that comes from someone with experience - especially when it is a one on one conversation.​

A breeder is more than someone who sells you a cute piglet! There are many responsibilities that are required of them by the registry to get you a registered KuneKune pig. There are other responsibilities which are not required by the registry but many breeders including myself require it of themselves.

A good first step for someone looking to purchase a KuneKune is to join the registry. There is a lot of great information as well as access to the herd book and a COI feature that is offered. The COI (Coefficient of Inbreeding) feature allows you to run a trial breeding for the two pigs that you choose. Your breeder can help you learn to work this herd book feature or run the breeding for you. You do not have to be a current KuneKune owner to join!  

When looking for a piglet look within and outside of your area for a reputable breeder. Look at both the breeders list and the membership list to verify that the breeder is a current member. If you choose a breeder that is not close to you there are a lot of transportation options if you can not personally pick your piglet up - ground shipping and air. The breeder should be more than happy to help you set up transportation within their schedule. Purchasing your KuneKune is a big investment - close and/or cheap will not necessarily get you the piglet that you will be happy with long term! Communicate with the breeders that you are considering. Ask lots and lots of questions. Ask for pictures and videos of both the piglet you are considering and also of the parents. Ask to see the parents pedigrees. If a breeder is not willing to spend time talking and emailing with you move on to another breeder. The breeder you choose is going to be the key to succeeding with your KuneKunes when you are first getting started! Remember you are trusting them to register your pig for you as well as take care of it properly.

Another great step before purchasing a pig is to set up a farm visit to personally visit KuneKunes if you have never been around them in person. Even if this involves travel it is well worth not only meeting KuneKunes in person but seeing a farms set up for them. You will be very surprised by the number of questions you will have during this visit and how many ideas you come up with for your own farm!

Okay so lets talk about the minimum required of a breeder to register a piglet.

• The breeder must own pigs that are fully registered (not pet registered) within the same registry.
• The breeder must own the sow at the time of farrowing. The breeder is not required to own the boar of the litter.
• Only the breeder/owner of the sow at the time of farrowing can register the piglets.
• The breeder must first do a litter notification either on line or via mail. Once this has been submitted the registrar will return the submission with assigned names and numbers which will be used during the rest of the registration process.
• The breeder pulls hairs and submits them to UC Davis for DNA Parent verification.
• The breeder must microchip/tattoo/ear tag the piglets.
• The final step once all of the above is done is to register the piglets to the new owner.

Wow! Those are quite a few steps and a lot of organized dedication to get a piglet registered but that is the required responsibility of a breeder! All of this should be done is a very timely manner. I try to have papers mailed to my clients with in a month of pig delivery!

In the case of transferring a pig the current owner must transfer the pig on line or via mail or there is the option of the owner filling out the transfer form found on the AKKPS website and attaching the original registration pedigree and the new owner can submit via regular mail.

So those are the minimum / basic requirements of a breeder to sell a registered piglet but what about all of the other services and responsibilities that go along with selling a piglet but are not necessarily a requirement but the choice of the breeder.

A reputable breeder should help you with pedigrees and choosing pigs that will compliment each other and your program. The breeder should ask you questions about your goals - not assume their goals are your goals. This piglet purchase is about what you want to accomplish within your herd. The breeder should listen to you and offer helpful solutions and suggestions. The breeder may or may not use the COI feature of the herd book but should explain to you that this is an optional feature. There are many different farm goals such as breeding for meat animals, breeding for breeding/show stock, breeding for grazing animals/pets, etc. The breeder should be knowledgable of the different lines of KuneKunes as well as the breed standards. They should be able to explain to you how to read a pedigree and what each portion of it means.    

Once you have picked a breeder and then in turn picked a piglet make sure that you get a contract. Contracts are very important to make sure agreements are extremely clear. The excitement of getting a new pig can make it easy to forget pertinent information and a contract will contain that information for both you and the breeder to refer back to. My contract is multi purpose. I call it the Take Home Form. This form contains all of the information needed - the clients information, the sale price, the deposit amount and method, the parents information, the piglets information, shot record, feed information, notes from the client, and transportation information. The form is started as soon as the deposit is placed on the pig and is constantly updated until the piglet goes home. I email a copy of this form with in 24 hours of receiving a deposit. It is a great reference for the breeder and gives the client reassurance on their purchase.

A reputable breeder should be more than willing to help you after the piglets go to your home if you choose to take advantage of this help. They should check in with you periodically to make sure everything is going smoothly and ask if you need any questions answered. During these conversations the breeder should verify that you have received your registration papers. The breeder should be available to answer questions when it is time to breed your pigs if that is part of your plan. They should be willing to help you walk through the registration process for the first time if help is needed. 

Not every breeder has the same practices and not all breeders have the same amount of time to devote to clients. Make sure that when you pick a breeder you are picking one that works for you! There are a lot of great breeders and finding the one that clicks with you will be your most valuable tool in being successful with your KuneKunes. I hope that this article will help new KuneKune owners find a reputable, dependable breeder and I also hope this will help current breeders with new and fresh ideas for their clients.

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