How to Register AKKPS Piglets

How to register AKKPS piglets, including litter notification, required details, and DNA notes.

For full AKKPS registration with breeding rights, the current workflow is: litter notification, permanent identification, parentage DNA verification through UC Davis, and then full-registration submission through the AKKPS Member Portal. AKKPS also offers Companion Animal and Animal for Harvest pedigrees without breeding rights, which have different DNA requirements. [1]

I do not think of registration as paperwork for paperwork's sake. For breeding stock, the value is traceability: the litter record, permanent identification, parentage result, pedigree, and ownership record should all point to the same animal. That record trail gives a future owner something verifiable to work from. The exact AKKPS steps below are the registry's current requirements, not rules I invented at BF Farm.

Registration documents the pig; it does not grade the pig. For structure, movement, underline, temperament, and breeding-stock selection, use our Kunekune breed standard and conformation guide.

Step 1: Submit the Litter Notification

Kunekune sow with piglets while a breeder checks the full litter before AKKPS notification

The breeder/owner of the AKKPS-registered sow starts by submitting the litter notification in the AKKPS Member Portal. AKKPS requires all live piglets in the litter to be notified and strongly encourages recording deceased or stillborn piglets as well so progeny records remain accurate. [2]

Step 2: Apply Permanent Identification

Kunekune piglet being scanned for permanent microchip identification

Before full registration, the pig needs an AKKPS-accepted permanent ID. AKKPS currently accepts a microchip, ear tag, or tattoo and requires registered pigs to be identified before leaving the breeder's farm. The identification number should also be used on the DNA submission. [3]

A permanent identifier must be recorded accurately and linked to the right animal. If terms such as microchip, pedigree, and herdbook are unfamiliar, the Kunekune anatomy and terminology glossary helps clarify what each record means.

Step 3: Submit Parentage DNA to UC Davis

Coarse hair samples being collected from a Kunekune for parentage DNA testing

Full AKKPS registration requires parentage verification through the UC Davis Veterinary Genetics Laboratory with AKKPS/KPS affiliation. AKKPS does not mail a DNA kit; the breeder submits hair with visible root bulbs in a clean envelope. [4]

UC Davis currently asks for roughly 20–40 coarse hairs with root follicles attached. Pull the hairs—do not cut them—and keep samples from different pigs separated to reduce contamination. [5]

Step 4: Receive the DNA Report

Breeder filing a received DNA report with the pig sample envelope nearby

UC Davis sends the parentage report to the person who ordered the test; AKKPS does not automatically receive it. Keep the report because the breeder uploads it during the full-registration submission. [4]

Step 5: Submit Full Registration in the AKKPS Member Portal

Breeder completing online registration with a permanent-ID scanner and pig records beside the computer

AKKPS's current help guide says the breeder uses the full-registration workflow to upload the DNA report, select the owner, enter the permanent ID method and number, and correct items such as parentage, color, wattle status, or sex status if needed. [1]

Portal procedures and registry rules can evolve. For broader context on what registration and subsequent transfers accomplish, see the registries and breeding programs guide while following the current AKKPS instructions for the actual application.

What Parentage DNA Does—and Does Not—Prove

Kunekune piglet receiving a health exam between two adult pigs, separating parentage from health assessment

AKKPS parentage verification compares the pig's DNA markers with the listed parents and can confirm parentage information. It is not a general genetic-health screening test, so registration should not be described as proof that a pig is free of hereditary disease. [6]

Parentage verification is valuable documentation, but it should not be advertised as a blanket promise about conformation or future performance. The registered breeding-stock guide explains the distinction between registration and selecting breeding-quality pigs.

Fees and Processing Times Can Change

Do not rely on an old article for a fixed DNA price, registration fee, or turnaround time. AKKPS and UC Davis update their procedures and charges. Check the current AKKPS help pages and UC Davis ordering page when you are ready to submit. [1] [4]

Keep Your Records

Organized Kunekune registration records with pig photos, DNA sample envelope, and microchip scanner

Save the litter notification, permanent-ID information, UC Davis report, and final pedigree/registration record. Accurate records make later ownership transfers, breeding decisions, and pedigree verification much easier.

A clear buyer record should match the same identification and parent information shown on the sale listing. The reading a piglet listing guide helps check those fields from the receiving owner's perspective.

Bottom Line

For breeding-stock registration, think in four checkpoints: litter notified → permanently identified → UC Davis parentage verified → full registration submitted by the breeder. Use the live AKKPS help guides whenever you register because the registry workflow can change. [1]

Sources & References

About the Author

Mark Bengtson has worked with the records that connect a litter, permanent identification, parentage, pedigree, and ownership. His experience explains why accurate records matter to a breeder and buyer; the registration workflow itself remains governed by the current AKKPS and UC Davis guidance cited above.