A RARE breed of pig that faced extinction in New Zealand in the 1970s is booming again —  thanks to proud parents Smirnoff and Agatha.

Smirnoff is the only registered Kune Kune stud in Devon. The proud father and mate Agatha  welcomed a litter of nine into the world at a smallholding.

This is the first time  that Richard Chard, of Hele, near Cullompton,  has attempted breeding the animals after he acquired the pair, and Agatha’s sister Miss Marple, as 18-week-old piglets a year ago.

The name Kune Kune    — pronounced ‘cooney-cooney’ — originates from a Maori term meaning ‘fat and round’.

Kune Kune are not  the normal, pink, bacon-producing variety of pig most people are familiar with. Their shaggy coats come in an array of colours and they have  tassels called ‘piri’ which hang under their chins.

Maoris took them to New Zealand from Polynesia and the pigs’ small size meant they were easy to transport by boat.  Whalers and sealhunters  often took them  to sea as they were a good source of meat on long voyages.

During the 1970s, the Maoris stopped using them for meat. In the 1980s, interest in the  Kune Kune rose again when two British wildlife park owners attempted to buy every Kune Kune  on New Zealand.

Mr Chard said: “They could only track down 18 pigs but these formed the basis of a Kune Kune comeback.

“As they only existed in New Zealand it was important to have a population in another country in case of disease in their homeland. In 1992, a small group was bought over to the UK. The breed is now enjoying great popularity across the country.

“Their small size, docile character, ease to train and love of human contact make them a joy to own and, unlike most commercial and traditional pigs, Kune Kunes can make good pets and can be trained in agility and behaviour in a similar way to dogs.”

Mr Chard said kunes have a steady temperament and are easy to handle. They are gentle and ideally suit  new pig-keepers who may be intimidated by  larger, more boisterous pig varieties.

He said: “They are getting more popular but, according to a pedigree register, there are only 39 stud boars left in the UK and Smirnoff is the only one registered in Devon.”

Mr Chard is delighted with the new arrivals who will stay with their mother until they are about eight weeks old, at which point they will then be ready to be re-homed.

He said he lost one runt from the litter but added that nine was a “good score”.

Anyone  willing to offer a home to one of the Kune Kune piglets should  contact  Mr Chard on 07890 070179 for more details.

The piglets costs around £85 each, depending on colour, sex and other criteria.

Conditions on keeping pigs, as well as other livestock, need to be met before taking them on.