When selecting a new gilt or sow for breeding or when evaluating a litter of piglets, it is very important to inspect the teat line. In general, a kunekune sow or gilt should have at least 10 evenly spaced teats, to accommodate their litter sizes. Sows and gilts with an uneven number (i.e. 6 teats on one side and 7 on the other) are also acceptable to some breeders and breeding programs, as long as the teats are evenly spaced. Teat lines where the difference between lines is greater than 1, such as 5 teats on one side and 7 on the other are generally not used by breeders. A large emphasis is placed on teat spacing because when piglets are born, they will generally each select a teat that they will always nurse from until weaning. In smaller litters they may nurse from two adjacent teats. If teats are unevenly spaced where some teats might be too close together, piglets will struggle to fit next to each other to nurse as they grow. Besides teats being evenly spaced, you want them to be parallel and close to the midline. If teats are placed too far from the midline, when a sow lies down to nurse, some piglets may not have access to the teats on the bottom. Other issues you should look out for are blind and inverted teats. These issues can sometimes be difficult to spot on piglets, especially to the untrained eye. Teat lines are also important to look at on your breeding boars as well because they will of course have genetic influence on their offspring’s teat lines.

Teat lines are very important and should always be taken in to consideration. Kunekunes tend to have smaller litters compared to commercial breeds but they have been known to have litters of 10-17 piglets! Above are some examples of optimal teat lines and of issues to be on the lookout for. The fourth image shows a teat line that it far away from the midline. This sow's piglets may have issues getting to the bottom teats when she lays down to nurse. There is also an extra teat that may or may not be functional.

References: Storey’s Guide to Raising Pigs by Kelly Klober, Small-scale Outdoor Pig Breeding by Wendy Scudamore