KuneKune: pronounced “coo-nee coo-nee” are a small breed of domestic pig originally from New Zealand. The name means ‘fat and round’ in the Maori language. Once almost extinct, breeders exported pigs to the UK and started a conservancy. In New Zealand, too, others gathered remaining pigs to preserve them. If we are serious about raising and preserving this breed, the terminology appropriate to pigs and kunekunes needs to be used to avoid confusion:

Boar: an adult intact male pig, used for breeding (NOT spelled ‘bore’)

Boarling: a intact male piglet not yet adult

Sow: an adult female pig that has had at least one litter of piglets

Gilt: a female pig of any age until she has her first litter of piglets (not spelled ‘guilt!’)

Piglet or Shoat: newborn or unweaned or a young pig under 6 months ol

Farrow: the term used for a sow giving birth to piglets, used to describe birthing areas as well (farrowing stall)

Barrow: a castrated male pig of any age

Castrate: to neuter a male pig by physical or chemical means

Spay: a surgical procedure to neuter a female pig

Wattles, tassels, piri piri: all terms for the fleshy appendages that hang from the lower jaw on most kunekune pigs. It is part of the breed standard and description. (Not spelled ‘waddle’). A pig may have 2 wattles, one or even zero. ‘Piri piri’ is the Maori term. 

Coat Color: please use current color names found here:

https://americankunekunepigsociety.org/kunekune-color-chart/

Boar armor: a layer of fatty connective tissue that mature boars grow over their shoulder area which is protective during dominance fighting

Boar taint: is the offensive odor or taste that can be evident during the cooking or eating of pork or pork products derived from non-castrated male pigs once they reach puberty.

REGISTRY TERMINOLOGY

AKKPS: American Kunekune Pig Society. An American kunekune registry.

AKPR: American Kunekune Pig Registry. An American kunekune registry. Now called IKHR. Was AKBA. 

IKHR: International Kunekune Hog Registry. An international registry based in Canada. Was AKPR. 

BKKPS: British Kunekune Pig Society.

NZKKA: New Zealand Kunekune Association

Breed Standard: devised by breed associations or registries, and are written to reflect the use or purpose of the species and breed of the animal. Breed standards help define the ideal animal of a breed and provide goals for breeders in improving stock. In essence a breed standard is a blueprint for an animal fit for the function for which it was bred. It may outline faults and deficiencies which may result in inability to register.

Permanent Identification: required for registration in registries. Acceptable types for Kunekunes —microchips, ear tags, tattoo

DNA test: required for registration. Verifies parentage only! Compares the DNA on file for both parents to verify the offspring came from those parents.

Call name: a name selected by the breeder or buyer; a name the animal can be called for short.

Identification number: the number located on the tag, microchip or the tattoo that identifies a specific animal. If the tag or microchip are ever removed or stop working, a new identification can be applied and the registry notified to update the herdbook:

Herdbook: the listing of all KuneKunes registered in the AKKPS registry

Full registration: a pig is listed in the herd book of the AKKPS with breeding rights

Companion animal registration: a kunekune certificate provided for an offspring of registered parents that does not have breeding rights (formerly known as ‘pet’)

Animal for harvest registration: a kunekune certificate provided for an offspring of registered parents destined for a meat herd (also known as a meat certificate)

UCDavis: University of  California at Davis. The university that oversees/owns the genetic testing lab (VGL) where DNA is sent to verify parentage for registration. 

VGL: Veterinary Genetic Laboratory. Where DNA certification for AKKPS  registration is completed.

Bylaws: rules adopted by an organization chiefly for the government of its members and the regulation of its affairs.

Code of ethics: a set of guidelines that defines ethical principles and values that individuals or organizations must abide by. It is important because it ensures that individuals act with integrity, professionalism, and respect for all members involved.

Poll: is used to show the popular opinion by members on a certain matter, and can be used to help the Board of Directors know the majority opinion and help them decide on next steps. 

Vote: a formal expression of opinion or choice made by an individual or body of individuals, especially in an election or when needed to determine the choice of the voter

Board of Directors: in the AKKPS, the BOD is a group of volunteers elected by membership vote who represent the interests of the registry members through governance, accountability, and strategic direction. 

Members: the people who belong to the AKKPS registry upon paying a membership fee

COI: Coefficient of Inbreeding-the degree of inbreeding. To put your result into perspective:

0% = a pig with two apparently unrelated parents (based on all available pedigree information)

12.5% = the genetic equivalent of a pig produced from a grandfather to granddaughter mating, or the mating of a half-brother/sister

25% = the genetic equivalent of a pig produced from a father to daughter mating, or the mating of full-brother/sister

Linebreeding: the selective breeding of animals for a desired feature by mating them within a closely related line.

Inbreeding: the mating of individuals or organisms that are closely related through common ancestry

Registered name: the name assigned to a pig by the AKKPS during the registration process. It’s a combination of the breeder’s farm name or prefix, the bloodline name (boar line for a boarling and sow line for a gilt), a number assigned by the registry, and sometimes a call name. Example: Apple Stand Kunekunes (ASK) Trish 22–Dixie. 

Call name: a name selected by the breeder or buyer; a name the animal can be called for short.

Identification number: the number located on the tag, microchip or the tattoo that identifies a specific animal. If the tag or microchip are ever removed or stop working, a new identification can be applied and the registry notified to update the herdbook:

Full registration: a pig is listed in the herd book of the AKKPS with breeding rights

Companion animal registration: a kunekune certificate provided for an offspring of registered parents that does not have breeding rights (formerly known as ‘pet’)

Animal for harvest registration: a kunekune certificate provided for an offspring of registered parents destined for a meat herd (also known as a meat certificate)

Transfer of ownership: the process that occurs when a pig is sold to another individual. Currently there are two methods to transfer ownership of a pig in the herd book. See the website for details. 

Dual registration: a pig may be registered in more than one kunekune registry if it meets the qualifications of each registry. 

Breeder: the owner of the sow at time of farrowing 

Pure British: a designation given to certain pigs that have only British import lines in the pedigree. Noted on registration certificate. 

Pure New Zealand: a designation given to certain pigs tgat have only NZ import lines in its pedigree. Noted on registration certificate. 

Litter Notification: the first step in the registration process for the AKKPS registry. The registry is notified of a litter born by providing certain information. 

Pending Registration: a listing in the herd book where a litter notified pig has been assigned a pending number waiting on final registration after DNA testing. Number followed by a ‘P’

My VGL: the area where you register and log in to your account at the genetics lab to enter DNA info, to receive your results, and make corrections. 

DNA Case #: listed on your registration, this is the number assigned to a specific piglet after DNA testing is complete. Each pig has its own unique case number. 

Bloodline: the particular parentage from which a pig derives. There are 25 specific lines that have been imported into the US. 

PIG ANATOMY TERMINOLOGY 

Hock: the back leg knee joint.

Loin: the muscles on either side of the spine which produces pork tenderloins.

Jowl: the underside of a pig’s neck/jaw

Pastern: the bone that connects the hoof and leg joints.

Rump: the area on a pig’s back just above it’s tail.

Snout: a pig’s nose.

Stifle: the “knee” joint in the hind leg.

Weak pasterns: faulty leg structure which give too much flex in the pastern area. Often these pigs walk on their dew claws. Most landrace pig breeds allow more flex in pasterns than commercial breeds, and pigs do lower some as they age, but excessive angulation leads to stress in the joints. Weak pasterns can lead to arthritis and difficulty walking.

Dew claw: the small appendages just above the hoof on the posterior side

Tusk: The canine teeth of pigs. Each pig has 4 tusks, two on bottom and two on top. These are not rooted as normal teeth but are instead attached to the jaw bone. Made of ivory, tusks cannot be removed safely, but can be trimmed as needed

Splay legged: front legs which are in at the knees, out at the toes

Pigeon toed: front legs which are out at the knees, in at the toes

Cow hocked: An animal is cow-hocked when its hock is set inward, resulting in a splayed look in the back legs. This can result in the uneven wearing of hooves, which can end up in permanent lameness, and can prove to be a very serious condition.

Splayed toes: a fault where the toes of the hooves are spread apart too far. This leads to overgrown hooves and lameness.

Goose rumped: a defect in the conformation of a pig in which the hind quarters have an excessive slant downward and backward from the top of the rump and the tail is set low.

Runt: a pig born smaller, often much smaller, than its siblings.

Teats: part of the sow mammary system that the piglets suckle to obtain milk

Even teats: same number of teats on each side of belly, on boars too! Not 8 on one side and 6 on another. And ‘evenly spaced’ means that they are lined in rows one across from another with no missing teats

Inverted teats: teats that are not hooked into the mammary system and do not produce milk (think innies vs outies)

Blind teats: again, not hooked into the mammary system and do not produce milk

Teat necrosis: a teat is damaged from an environmental or physical factor and becomes useless

Scrotal hernia: an inherited issue (usually from the boar) where intestinal tissue squeezes thru the inguinal ring into the scrotum of a male pig or piglet. If the pig is not castrated and the issue addressed, it could lead to death of the pig later in life. There are also naval hernias..which also usually require vet intervention.

Conformation: the desirable and/or undesirable skeletal and muscular structures of a pig. It covers all of the important areas of a pig’s structure, from the legs, the spine (or top-line) and the hind quarters to the neck and head. Confirmation is compared to a breed standard. (Not ‘confirmation’)

Herdbook, Registry: official list of animals within a specific breed where certain criteria are met for registration.

Prolapse: A condition where the vaginal or rectal tissues slip outside of the body. This is an emergency situation that requires immediate veterinary care. 

BREEDING TERMINOLOGY 

Sire: male parent

Dam: female parent

Litter: a group of piglets born to a single sow

Wean: transition from mother’s milk to eating solid food

Weanling: a piglet which is not dependent on sow’s milk any more

Offspring: an animal’s young..in this case piglets

Cross foster: moving pigs from one nursing sow to another

Co Farrow / Co Mother: two or more sows raise their litters together

Cull: to remove an animal from the herd

Parity or Progeny: the number of litters a sow has had

Estrus: The state of being in heat, in a female pig

Colostrum: First milk produced by the sow with each litter of piglets. Very valuable nutrients providing immunity to piglets for the first several weeks.

Creep feeder: an area where piglets can go, but not the sow, where food is provided

MEDICAL TERMINOLOGY 

Cryptorchid: is where one or both testicles have not descended normally into the scrotum. Usually inherited. A serious defect.

Ridgling: cryptorchid, a male with one or both testes undescended

Scours: diarrhea

Diamond Skin disease: Caused by Erysipelothrix rhusiopathiae. Bacteria causing high fevers, abortions and swollen joints. (Erysipelas)

African Swine Fever: a deadly disease in pigs found in many countries across the globe, but not yet in the US. There is no vaccine.

Leptospirosis: Bacteria causing abortions and stillborns; also a zoonotic concern.

Greasy Pig Disease: Skin disease caused by Staphylococcus hyicus.

Ringworm: A fungal infection on the skin causing circular lesions. This infection can be spread to people or other pets. 

Dippity Pig: Dippity Pig Syndrome is an acute, painful skin condition that occurs along the back in healthy young pigs. AKA Bleeding Back Syndrome or Erythema Multiforme.

Water Deprivation: aka Salt poisoning occurs due to limited water causing a sodium imbalance in the pig. Can also be caused by ingestion of too much salt.

Dystocia: The abnormal birth of a piglet, or a difficult labor for a female pig.

Atresia ani: this is a birth defect where a piglet is born without an anus 

Cleft palate: a birth defect in a piglet where the roof of the mouth is deformed and the piglet cannot nurse

Euthanasia: the humane dispatch of a living animal due to injury, disease, or defect

Mange: a health condition where mites burrow under the pig’s skin and cause hair loss, reddening, and infection

Zoonoses: a disease which can be transmitted to humans from animals

ANIMAL FOR HARVEST TERMINOLOGY

Bone: this describes the diameter of the bone in the legs, jaw and width of head. Good bone is necessary to properly carry body weight

Lard: rendered pork fat

Lard pig: a breed of swine known to produce more lard; pigs that are fattier

Wallow: a water filled hole or container where pigs can lay to cool off in hot weather

Hanging weight or dressed weight: the weight of a pig carcass after it has been gutted and prepped for butchering

Harvest: to butcher a pig for meat 

MISC TERMINOLOGY 

Blowing Coat: A seasonal change in coat where pigs shed their hair before growing in a new coat of hair

Frothing: Foaming at the mouth. Pigs do this in response to food or sexual arousal. Froth contains pheromones. 

Marking territory: a boar marks territory by rubbing froth he produces from his mouth on objects in his pasture or pen. It is scent marking. 

Quarantine: To separate or restrict movement of pigs in order to prevent the spread of potential disease or to allow recovery from illness or medical procedures

Biosecurity: the set of practical measures taken to prevent entrance of infection into a pig farm and control the spread of infection within that farm. 

Sorting board: AKA Pig Board. A solid board used to move pigs from one area to another. Also used to protect oneself against the advances of aggressive pigs.  

CVI: Certificate of Veterinary Inspection. Paperwork done by a veterinarian certifying the health of an animal before transport. Each state has specific laws regarding animal transport into or out of the state.