Written by AKKPS Member Caroline Malott of Red Roof KuneKunes

Photo provided by AKKPS Member Cyndi Berry of KuneKune Preserve

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PLEASE NOTE THIS ARTICLE IS THE OPINION OF THE AUTHER.

 

Has the North American KuneKune “look” changed from the original NZ imports?

In my opinion, yes — and the change is real, measurable, and largely explained by two factors:

• herd management & nutrition
• culling practices

 

1. HERD MANAGEMENT & NUTRITION

Traditional New Zealand KuneKunes were managed as a low-input pig. They lived primarily on the land, with limited supplementation, minimal intervention, and were selected for thriftiness and survival under those conditions.

In the US and Canada, management is very different:

• 16–18% balanced swine rations
• 2–3 pounds of feed per day
• Added minerals, routine deworming, vaccination protocols
• A much more hands-on, production-style approach

Over generations, this kind of management changes phenotype. Increased nutrition and intervention affect frame size, muscling, body composition, and overall type. Even without intentional selection for size, animals that perform best under higher-input systems are the ones that thrive and get retained.

 

2. CULLING PRACTICES

In North America, KuneKunes are heavily culled for meat. That creates directional selection whether it’s acknowledged or not.

Animals that:

• Grow faster
• Finish heavier
• Yield more useable meat

are more likely to be kept and bred, while smaller, slower, or more traditional animals are often culled. Over time, this naturally shifts the population away from the original low-input, pasture-based type.

This contrasts with the historical role of KuneKunes in New Zealand, where they were maintained largely as a conservation breed with minimal production-driven culling.

 

3. BREED STANDARD CONSIDERATIONS

The AKKPS, by membership vote, adopted the BKKPS breed standard. While this provides a unified framework, the standard leaves significant room for interpretation.

When applied strictly, many original New Zealand imports would not meet portions of the adopted standard. This raises an important point: the standard increasingly reflects the evolved look of the breed outside New Zealand, rather than the phenotype of the original imports.

In effect, animals closest to the original population can be viewed as “off-standard,” while later-developed types define the standard itself.

 

IN CONCLUSION

The change in the North American KuneKune “look” did not happen by accident. It is the result of:

• Higher-input herd management
• Consistent nutritional supplementation
• Production-driven culling
• Small founder populations and closed gene pools

None of this is inherently right or wrong — but it’s important to acknowledge that the modern North American KuneKune represents a different selection path than the original New Zealand imports.