In the beginning your Kunekune journey, there is a lot of information to learn and some decisions that you will need to make. One of the first decisions you need to make is what registry to be a part of, International Kunekune Hog Regsitery (IKHR, formerly AKPR) or American Kunekune Pig Society (AKKPS). In this blog post, you will find a brief overview of IKHR and AKKPS as well as key differences and similarities of IKHR vs AKKPS to help you decide which registry is right for your Kunekune breeding program.
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International Kunekune Hog Registry (IKHR) History
The International Kunekune Hog Registry (IKHR) website states, “Formally known as the American Kunekune Breeder’s Association and the American Kunekune Pig Registry. The American Kunekune Breeders Association was the first registry for heritage breed swine to require DNA testing for proof of parentage found anywhere in the world. Now known as the International Kunekune Hog Registry, the stewardship of the Kunekune hog breed and the integrity of the Registry remain our highest priorities.
The main aim of the International Kunekune Hog Registry is to ensure the conservation and preservation of the Kunekune Hog by:
- Establishment of the Foundation Herd Book Internationally
- Maintaining a registry of purebred Kunekune Hogs.
- Authoring the Official Breed Standard
- Encouraging the breeding and improvement of the Kunekune Hog for pasture, pork, and progeny.
- Providing expert advice on the breeding, keeping, and marketing of Kunekune Hogs.
- Promoting Kunekune Hogs through exhibition, publication and research.”
To learn more about IKHR, visit their website, here.
American kunekune pig society (AKKPS) Mission & Objectives
As stated on the American Kunekune Pig Society (AKKPS) website, the mission of AKKPS is, “… to encourage a spirit of collaboration amongst breeders, to promote and improve the KuneKune breed of swine through ownership, breeding, exhibition and education, and to protect and preserve the breed and the breed standard by maintaining a permanent and ongoing record of their lineage.”
According to the AKKPS website, AKKPS’s objectives are as follows:
- A continuously updated record of registrations and pedigrees of purebred Kunekune pigs.
- A comprehensive source for information on all phases of Kunekune care.
- A quarterly e-newsletter, including articles contributed by members.
- A current and comprehensive list of all registered breeders who are actively breeding & registering with AKKPS.
- A governing body of elected and/or volunteer members with authority to sanction shows and exhibitions.
To learn more about AKKPS, visit their website, here.
differences- ikhr vs akkps
Now that you have read a little about the two registries, let’s take a look at a side by side comparison of differences between IKHR and AKKPS. Please note, if you are reading this after June 2022, things may be different and please do your own research before making a final decision.
IKHR
AKKPS
- $40 annual membership fee (January-December) regardless of sign up date
- Run by a group of volunteers
- Free litter notifications
- No cost for registrations
- Free transfers
- Free dual registration
- International registry
- Only pigs with 2 wattles can be registered
- Ear tags serve as only form of identification
- DNA can be submitted through UC Davis or Neogen
- Can dual register AKKPS only if the pig has two wattles and the parents are already registered with IKHR
- Has certified Kunekune pork option for Kunekune pork producers
- Offers sanctioned program for Kunekune hog preservation through utilization- International Kunekune Pork Producers
- $25 annual membership fee (1 year period from time of sign up)
- Ran by Board of Directors
- $15 cost for member litter notifications
- $12 cost for member registrations
- $10 cost for member transfers
- $18 cost for dual registration
- American only registry
- Ability to register pigs with 0, 1, or 2 wattles
- Can use microchips or ear tags as form of identification
- DNA must be submitted through UC Davis
- Easy to dual register pigs that are already registered with IKHR
- Pet registration option
- Must solely litter notify and register with AKKPS to be included on Breeder’s list
- Assigned Director for your region that is dedicated to providing customer service, assistance, answering questions and helping you.
- Monthly e-newsletters
- Access to a private members only discussion group on Facebook and the private AKKPS For Sale page on Facebook
- Ability to advertise pigs for sale in AKKPS Herd Book
similarities- ikhr vs akKpS
- Both IKHR and AKKPS have access to a member’s only area
- Online Herdbook access- IKHR and AKKPS. This allows you to search animals and/or breeders.
- Regardless of which registry you choose, you will have the ability to run trial breedings and COI (Coefficient of Inbreeding)
- Both IKHR and AKKPS offer sanctioned shows
IKHR OR AKKPS? how to decide which registry is best for your program?
Finally, now that we have compared the key differences of IKHR vs AKKPS as well as the similarities between them, it is time to decide which registry is the best for your breeding program. The key factor to use when making this decision is determining the goal of your breeding program. Will your program focus on pork production? Are you looking to sell registered Kunekunes for a wide variety of purposes? For example, if you are focusing on raising Kunekunes primarily for pork production, then IKHR may be the best option for you. On the other hand, if you want to sell registered Kunekunes despite the numbers of wattles, AKKPS may be the registry for you. In conclusion, choosing a registry is a personal decision and there are many factors that go into making that decision.
are you interested in purchasing with ikhr kunekunes?
To see the Kunekunes we currently have available for sale, visit our for sale page (here).
More Blog Posts on Kunekunes:
additional kunekune resources we recommend:
- Small-scale Outdoor Pig Breeding by Wendy Scudamore
- Happy Pigs Taste Better by Alice Percy
- Corva Bella Farm is an experienced Kunekune breeder with lots of information on their website and Facebook
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