Condition and Weight on a Grazing Pig
A routine Kunekune wellness check usually begins with body condition, the central topic for a breed that grazes like a sheep and gains like a pig. The vet assesses fat cover over the ribs, back, and jowls by hand, discusses your pig's weight trend, and looks honestly at whether this round, short-legged New Zealand breed is in lean grazing shape or quietly expanding.
Skin and coat are examined in the same pass: the vet parts the often long, varied coat to check the skin beneath for dryness, flaking, rub marks from fencing, or patches the pig has been scratching. The piri piri, the little tassels or wattles hanging from many Kunekune jaws, are looked at for cuts or swelling, since they catch on rough ground and fencing as the pig grazes nose-down for hours.
Eyes, Ears, Teeth, Heart, and Lungs
A Kunekune wellness check includes eyes and ears, with particular attention to vision. Fat can gather above the eyes of an overweight Kunekune and narrow the eyelids, so the vet checks that your pig can see comfortably, alongside looking for discharge, irritation, or ears that smell or carry debris.
Teeth are examined for wear, and in boars the tusks are assessed for length and angle. The vet listens to heart and lungs, notes breathing at rest, and feels along the belly and legs for lumps or tenderness. For a breed kept largely outdoors, questions about shelter, mud management, and dry lying areas normally weave through this part of the visit.
Hooves and Movement on Small Feet
Hooves are a serious item in a Kunekune wellness check because the breed's considerable weight sits on notably small feet. The vet checks each hoof for overgrowth, flaring, cracks, and the skin between the toes, then watches your pig walk on a firm surface. A Kunekune should stroll with an easy, unhurried stride; shortening steps, rocking back, or reluctance to come to the gate are all observations the vet will pursue.
You will be asked how much hard standing the pig has, how muddy the winter paddock gets, and whether hooves are trimmed between vet visits. Because Kunekunes spend so long grazing on pasture, ground conditions shape their feet across the year, and a wellness check is the moment to plan trimming and paddock rotation before soreness appears.
A Feed Review Built Around Grass
The feeding conversation in a Kunekune wellness check looks different from most pig reviews. This breed was developed to thrive largely on grass and forage, so the vet will ask what grazing is available across the seasons, what supplementary pig feed is given and in what quantity, and how much fruit, bread, or household extras arrive over the fence.
Preventive care is covered in general terms: parasite management suited to outdoor grazing pigs, and which vaccinations are sensible for your herd size, location, and contact with other pigs. Companionship is discussed as well, since Kunekunes are deeply social, and a lone or bullied pig's appetite and behaviour both shift in ways a vet wants to hear about.
Watching a Kunekune Between Wellness Checks
Between visits, note your Kunekune's grazing enthusiasm, how easily he rises and walks to greet you, hoof growth, and whether his eyes stay fully open and interested. A monthly hands-on condition check, run the same way each time, helps you feel change early. Contact the vet between checks if sight seems impaired by fat folds, if lameness appears, if appetite drops, or if skin sores spread despite dry bedding.
This placid breed rarely complains loudly, so your records carry much of the story. Keeping each Kunekune examination, weight note, and hoof plan in KinsLe's Pet Passport gives any vet a clear, portable history of a pig whose health is mostly quiet, steady management.