Keeping pigs in New Zealand

Why keep pigs

Most lifestyle-block pigs are weaners bought at 6–8 weeks old and raised for the freezer. Buying in late spring means they are ready for killing in autumn. A porker takes about six months; a baconer about nine.

Kunekune are a small grazing breed, kept as pets and grass-keepers. Adults can hold condition on good pasture with little else, and extra feed quickly makes them fat. Commercial breeds such as Large White grow faster but get far less of their diet from grass and root up paddocks. Heritage breeds such as Tamworth and Saddleback are popular for free-range pork.

Space, shelter, and company

Pigs are social: keep at least two that get on well. Check your council’s rules before buying, because some areas ban pigs or limit numbers.

Pigs are escape artists. A single electric wire about 20 cm off the ground, in front of the main fence, controls most well-trained pigs. Rotate paddocks, or keep one area for rooting, to limit damage to pasture and the build-up of worms.

The law requires a dry lying area and ventilated shelter from heat and cold. A corrugated iron hut can get very hot in summer. Pigs barely sweat, so give them shade and a wallow: mud cools them better than water and helps prevent sunburn. Keep drinking water separate from the wallow.

Feeding and water

Growing pigs on pig pellets eat about 1 kg a day as weaners, rising to around 3 kg a day by 65 kg and 3.5 kg by 85 kg. Feed twice a day. Kunekune on pasture need only a top-up when grass is short: about 1–1.5 kg of pellets a day for an adult. Aim for a visible waistline and a belly well clear of the ground.

A pig drinks 1–10 litres of water a day, depending on its size and feed. Never let water run out: a pig that goes without and then drinks a lot can get fatal salt poisoning. If that happens, give small amounts every 30 minutes and call a vet. Check water every day, and twice a day in hot or very cold weather.

Don’t feed green or raw potatoes, unripe tomatoes, wild mushrooms, or apple and pear seeds.

Names for pigs

The weight terms are how pork pigs are bought, sold, and booked in for killing.

Sow

An adult female that has had one or more litters.

Gilt

A young female that has not had a litter yet.

Boar

An uncastrated male, usually over 9 months old.

Barrow

A castrated male. Mostly an American word. In New Zealand only a vet may castrate a pig.

Piglet or sucker

A young pig that has not been weaned.

Weaner

A weaned young pig, up to about 30 kg. This is what most people buy to raise.

Grower and finisher

A pig of 30 kg or more being raised for meat; a finisher is over about 70 kg.

Porker

A pig raised to about 50–60 kg liveweight for fresh pork, at around 6 months.

Cutter

A pig between porker and baconer weight.

Baconer

A pig raised to about 80–100 kg liveweight for bacon and ham, at around 9 months.

Hog

A general American word for a pig; rarely used on New Zealand farms.

On heat

Ready to mate. It comes round about every 21 days, and she stands still when pressed on the rump.

In pig

Pregnant. Pregnancy lasts about 114 days: three months, three weeks, and three days.

Farrowing

Giving birth. A litter is often around 10 piglets.

Runt

A small, poorly developed piglet in a litter.

Dry sow

A sow that is not producing milk.

Regular jobs

Health problems to watch for

• Heat stress: cool the pig with a damp towel, offer electrolytes, and call a vet if there is no improvement within 3–4 hours.
• Sunburn, especially in pale breeds. Shade and mud help.
• Salt poisoning after running out of water (see above).
• Worms, which stunt young pigs.
• Lice and mange. Lice are worse in winter, mange in summer.
• Obesity, especially in kunekune. It can cause lameness, bed sores, and fat blocking a pig’s eyes (“fat blindness”).
• Unusual illness or sudden deaths: call MPI’s exotic pest and disease hotline on 0800 80 99 66.

What it costs to raise a pig for pork

Remember you are raising at least two pigs. A baconer takes about nine months and 380–520 kg of feed, so budget roughly $950–$1,500 each. Pasture, milk, and garden surplus can cut the feed bill, as long as nothing contains meat. Worming, vet visits, fencing, shelter, water, and transport are extra.

A pet kunekune on good pasture may need little bought feed. One that needs 1–1.5 kg of pellets every day of the year would use $540–$1,070 of feed.

New Zealand rules

• Food scraps: it is illegal to feed pigs untreated meat, or any food that has been in contact with meat. That includes fish and all other animal products, but not milk or eggs. Food waste containing meat must be heated to 100°C for one hour, stirring often, or not fed at all. The rule protects New Zealand from foot and mouth disease and African swine fever. It applies to backyard pigs, and individuals can be fined up to $5,000. MPI consulted on tightening these rules in 2025, so check MPI’s current guidance.
• An Animal Status Declaration (ASD) is needed when pigs go to slaughter or move to a new owner, including pigs given away. NZ Pork sells ASD books.
• NAIT tagging covers cattle and deer, not pigs. MPI consulted in 2026 on better pig tracing, so this may change.
• Welfare rules: pigs must not be tethered, only a vet may castrate a pig (with pain relief), tail docking after seven days old is also vet-only, and nose wires are banned.
• Home kill: an MPI-listed homekill service provider can kill a pig you have cared for daily for at least 28 days. The meat is for your household and can’t be sold. MPI consulted on changes to the homekill rules in 2026, so check before booking.