A holiday care plan for a Kunekune pig covers measured grazing, constant water, a usable wallow, dry shelter, strong low fencing, and a named person checking this sociable pig in person every day. Kunekunes are grazing pigs rather than fast-growing meat breeds, so the plan protects pasture access and routine while firmly limiting extra food.
Feeding and grazing for a Kunekune on holiday cover
Feeding comes first for a Kunekune because this breed was selected to thrive on grass and puts on weight readily. Write down the exact pasture area open each day, how rotation between paddocks works, and the measured amount of pig feed offered, if any, with the scoop or container it is measured in. State plainly that kitchen scraps, party leftovers, and well-meaning extra handfuls are not allowed, however friendly the pig seems at the gate. Note where hay goes in wet weather when grazing turns to mud, and ask the sitter to watch body condition rather than appetite, since a Kunekune will happily eat far beyond need. List any vegetables the pig is used to and forbid new foods introduced while you are away.
Water, wallow, shelter, and skin for a Kunekune
Water and comfort need their own section for a Kunekune because pigs cannot sweat effectively and rely on shade and wet skin to cool down. Specify the trough to be emptied, scrubbed, and refilled, and where the hose or tap is. Keep the wallow topped up so the pig can coat skin in mud, which also helps against sunburn on pale or patchy skin. Describe the shelter: a low, draught-free hut or barn corner with deep dry straw the pig can burrow into at night. Ask for a daily look over ears, belly, and legs for cuts, bites, or sore patches, and note the pig's normal resting spots so a sitter spots a change in habit quickly.
Fencing, company, and handling a Kunekune while you travel
Fencing and company keep a Kunekune settled while you travel, because this is a social, intelligent pig who notices an empty routine. Walk the sitter around the boundary before you leave and show which gates latch, where electric wire runs if you use it, and what to do if a panel is pushed or dug under. Kunekunes root less destructively than many pigs but will still test a weak corner, especially if bored. If the pig lives with a companion pig or other livestock, write down who must stay together and who is fed separately. Give handling notes honestly: how this pig likes to be approached, whether a bucket reliably brings her in, and any spot she dislikes being touched.
Health watch-outs and return handover for a Kunekune
Health watch-outs for a Kunekune are about appetite, movement, and breathing in an animal who stays quiet when unwell. Ask the sitter to report a pig who skips grazing, limps, scratches constantly, breathes noisily, or stays in the shelter when she would normally be out. Leave your vet's number, the number of a pig-experienced neighbour, and permission for urgent care to start before you can be reached. Note hooves: overgrown or cracked feet should be photographed and reported, not trimmed by an untrained visitor. Add a return handover line asking what was eaten, any fence repairs, and anything odd noticed, so small changes are not lost. When the plan lives in KinsLe through Care Pass, your sitter works from the Kunekune's actual routine instead of memory or guesswork at the gate.