Boars
Bel Canto Farm retains only the strongest boars to use in our breeding program. They must score at the top of the Kunekune breed standard for confirmation and personality traits. We require our boars to have exceptionally strong bone, wide shoulders, straight top-line, outstanding leg set and tracking, nice macho head with a broad snout, nice ear set, good eyes and curly tail. They must have the sweet, docile personality that makes the Kunekune a joy to have on the farm.
CJF Ru 5 (Bilbo Baggins)
Lineage
Registration #
Date of Birth
Color
Ru x Tapeka
AKPR 916837
AKKPS 11754
03/18/2020
Ginger/Black Tri
Bilbo is a stunning foundation boar with an exceptionally sweet personality. He has a robust build and long body. He fills in a perfect rectangle. Breadth and depth that carries from his head to his tail. Mighty but gentle.
Bel Canto Farm Ru 16 (Mowgli)
Lineage
Registration #
Date of Birth
Color
Ru x Sally
AKKPS 27142
06/22/2022
Ginger/Black Tri
I have to admit that Mowgli is my favorite. I love his solid frame, dense bone structure and the excellent line he carries throughout his body. He has such a handsome head and to top it off the sweetest personality. He looks a lot like his sire, Bilbo. Mowgli's overall confirmation quality is evident when you see him moving through the fields. LOVE, LOVE Mowgli and will use him across every sow to strengthen the next generation of Bel Canto Kunekunes.
Bel Canto Farm Tonganui 26 (Gilligan)
Lineage
Registration #
Date of Birth
Color
Tonganui x Aria Giana
AKKPS 26181
05/20/2022
Brown/White
Gilligan is our 5th generation Tonganui and descends from our very first Kunekune, Babe. The Tonganui line is one of the oldest in the US and we are thrilled to bring Gilly up into the ranks of our foundation boars. His dam, Vivian, is our sweetest sow with excellent confirmation traits. He has a lovely frame with fluid movement. Underbelly boasts 12 evenly spaced teats. A fine boar to carry on the tradition.
PKK Te Whangi 8 (Wrangler)
Lineage
Registration #
Date of Birth
Color
Te Whangi x Tapeka
AKKPS 23010
05/12/2020
Ginger/Black Tri
Wrangler brings our original Te Whangi lineage back to Bel Canto Farm. He is big and bold. Built like a tank and low to the ground. He has phenomenal width from head to tail and should bring a solid bone and density to his offspring.
BCF Whakanui 4 (Manfred)
Lineage
Registration #
Date of Birth
Color
Whakanui x Rona
AKPR 13315
AKKPS 11671
07/05/2019
Black/White
Manfred has made his mark in Bel Canto's herd. He is a strong foundation boar who passes on good conformation and overall size and growth. His head is gorgeous with two large wattles and deep jowl and a nice length and depth to his frame. Excellent hip, shoulder, leg and foot placement assures fluid movement and longevity in the breeding herd. He is very successful in breeding, catching most females with one breeding trial. Goes right to work, but is still gentle with the ladies. An easy keeper overall.
BCF Whakanui 10 (Cosmo)
Lineage
Registration #
Date of Birth
Color
Whakanui x Wilsons Gina
AKKPS 20592
07/12/2021
Black/White
Cosmo is a looker. There are some pigs that just stand out in the field and he is one of them. Large, well-put together, and fluid movement. A very handsome head on his solid frame and strong legs and feet. Cosmo always catches my attention and I am excited to be using him in our breeding program. His sire, Manfred, has produced outstanding offspring and we are sure Cosmo will take it a notch higher.
Sows
The sows in our breeding program are given the same scrutiny as the boars. We choose sows that carry strong traits in confirmation, personality, mothering abilities, ease of care, health and litter success rate. Sow lines include: Aria Giana, Jenny, Kereopa, Sally, Tarutaru, Wilsons Gina.
CJF Aria Giana 16 (Vivian)
Lineage
Registration #
Date of Birth
Color
Aria Giana x Ru
AKPR 16856
AKKPS 23224
03/23/2020
Black/White
Vivian is such a sweet natured sow. She's more compact in stature than some of our sows but what lovely confirmation. Her litters have had exceptional quality, with a high percentage of breeding quality piglets being produced. Easy birther and an excellent dam to her offspring.
Highland Farm Kereopa 4 (Hello Dolly)
Lineage
Registration #
Date of Birth
Color
Bel Canto Far Kereopa x Tuahuru
AKKPS 40632
09/23/2023
White/Black
There is a great story behind 'Hello Dolly'. Hello Dolly's grandmother, named 'Dolly', was a part of our foundation herd many years back. During her first labor she had difficulty and was unable to nurse her offspring. At the same time our friends at Highland Farm had a sow who birthed stillborns. This was the perfect scenario for fostering. Highlands Farm sow was able to nurse Dolly's litter of 6 until weaning. As a thank you for their help we gave Highland Farm a gilt from the litter. They named her 'Lillie'. We lost Dolly after that and also lost her Kereopa lineage as well.. But, it doesn't end there. Lillie had her first litter at Highland Farm in 2023 and the owner, Kathy Brennan, contacted me. Among the litter was a beautiful white and black gilt and Kathy wanted us to have her. So, our Kereopa line is back at Bel Canto Farm and 'Hello Dolly' is here as her grandmothers representative. We are looking forward to having her offspring running in the fields of Bel Canto. Thank You Kathy Brennan of Highland Farms for making this possible!
BCF Sally 4 (Beatrice)
Lineage
Registration #
Date of Birth
Color
Sally x Mahia Love
AKPR 14654
AKKPS 11756
09/09/2019
Ginger/Black
Beatrice was born out of an accidental breeding. Boy are we glad that breeding took place and we decided to retain her. She is deep, rich ginger. Her confirmation is very sound. Nice level back, great length, super sweet kunekune head, nice width and depth and roundness wanted in a kunekune. Beatrice throws beautiful offspring with any male we match her wtih. We are very happy with Bea and her mothering instincts.
Bel Canto Farm Tarutaru 5 (Priscilla)
Lineage
Registration #
Date of Birth
Color
Tarutaru x Ru
AKKPS 38029
08/09/2023
Tri (Belted)
Priscilla has one of the most beautiful heads for a Kunekune. Her overall form is just about perfect and her tri color is lovely. She is a solid gilt with excellent structure and movement. She is a 3rd generation Tarutaru for Bel Canto Farm and is the result of generations of breeding up for quality. I am thrilled with the results we have achieved with Priscilla and look forward to her years of service in our foundation herd.
Bel Canto Farm Wilsons Gina 31 (Scarlett)
Lineage
Registration #
Date of Birth
Color
Wilsons Gina x Ru
AKKPS 32974
03/10/2023
Black/White
Our Scarlett is one special gal. She descends from our strong Wilsons Gina line of sows dating back to 2012. After tragically loosing her dam and grandmother in the same year Scarlett has become the one and only remaining Wilsons Gina on our farm. We have high hopes that she will begin her breeding career where Sassy and Stella left off - outstanding offspring and excellent breeding qualities.