The core kit for a Kunekune pig
A Kunekune pig needs a stiff bristle brush as the workhorse tool, because its hair is coarse, fairly long for a pig, and traps straw, dried mud, and loose undercoat. Pair that stiff brush with a softer face brush for the cheeks, ears, and belly, where Kunekune skin is thinner and the pig will flinch if you scrub. Add a wide-tooth comb for shedding season, when clumps lift out in patches and a fine brush just skims over them.
A Kunekune also needs its own hoof kit even though it is not a horse. Keep a hoof pick to clear packed mud and small stones from around the cloven feet, and blunt-tipped hoof trimmers sized for pigs or goats to tidy overgrown edges between professional trims. Round out the box with clean towels, a spray bottle, and a small bucket, because most Kunekune grooming starts with wiping a muddy snout and wattles rather than with a brush.
Brushing a Kunekune without fighting the wallow habit
Brushing a Kunekune works best right after the pig has eaten and settled, not straight out of a fresh wallow when wet mud will smear instead of lifting. Work the stiff brush in the direction the long hair lies along the back and sides, using short strokes over the shoulders where the coat is thickest.
Kunekunes shed noticeably and their skin can look flaky when loose hair sits on it for weeks. A thorough brush-out lets you see the skin itself, so you can spot scratches from fencing, sunburn on pale patches, or crusty spots early. Keep sessions short and food-calm at first, scratching the belly spot most Kunekunes love, so the pig learns that the brush predicts a pleasant pause rather than a chase around the pen.
Feet, face, and the details a brush misses
Feet need a separate pass on a Kunekune because its weight makes overgrown hooves change how it walks on pasture. Lift each foot only when the pig is standing square and relaxed, pick out packed material, and check that both claws on a foot are wearing evenly. If an edge is long, cracked, or curling, or the pig resists weight on that foot, stop trimming experiments and book a veterinarian or experienced pig trimmer for that foot rather than cutting deeper yourself.
The face deserves its own tools on a Kunekune. Wipe around the eyes and the folds near the snout with a damp soft cloth, clear debris from the outer ear without probing inside, and dry the wattles after wallowing so mud does not cake there. A Kunekune that roots in wet ground will also need its tusks checked visually for sharp points rubbing the cheek, which is a job to flag for a vet visit, not to file at home.
Storing and rotating the Kunekune kit
Store the Kunekune kit in a lidded tote inside the feed area, not loose in the pen where brushes pick up manure and lose their bite. Rinse mud from bristles after use, let the brushes dry upright, and replace a stiff brush once its bristles splay flat, because a worn brush polishes dirt into the coat instead of lifting it.
Rotate who grooms the Kunekune if several people share pig chores, and note which side was brushed, whether a foot was picked out, and anything odd seen on the skin. That written handover stops one person assuming another already checked a sore-looking patch behind the ear. Recording each Kunekune brush-out and hoof pick as an assigned duty in KinsLe through Care Teams, with the finisher marking it complete by timestamp, keeps the pig's coat and feet from depending on memory.