A southwest Calgary family is awaiting word from Guinness World Records to find out if their potbellied pet is the oldest pig in the world.
Dan and Jude King bought Ernestine from a farm in 1991 when she was just three months old.
“She was ten or fifteen pounds,” said Dan.
The breeder told the Kings that the life expectancy for potbellied pigs is about 12 years old.
Ernestine celebrated her 23rd birthday last Wednesday.
“We googled it probably three, four months ago and found out that she’s actually the oldest pig in the world and so we just recently sent the packages, all the paperwork, into Guinness World Records and we’ll probably wait about four to six weeks to find out but we think she’s the oldest pig in the world,” said Dan.
The Kings say the secret to her longevity is a good diet and lots of love.
“We feed her rabbit pellet, apple and the odd raspberries, strawberries, grapes and drinks water and that’s about it. I feed her twice a day and as you can see by her physique she keeps in pretty good shape,” said Dan.
Once in a while she even gets a French fry, which are her favourite treat.
The Kings say Ernestine doesn’t get sick a lot but she can get a little cranky.
“She doesn’t really like anything,” said Jude. “And she’ll let you know.”
“She turned out to be really good, she’s just a bit cranky,” said Dan.
Ernestine has the run of the King’s Canyon Meadows back yard and has learned a few tricks over the years, like opening the screen door.
“Not so good at closing the door, she was born in a barn,” said Jude.
The family say the recognition will be well deserved and they are eager to hear the results from Guinness.
“Well it will be great for Ern,” said Dan “Quite an accomplishment that she’s the oldest pig, Vietnamese pot belly pig in the world. She has stood the test of time for sure,”
“And we thought we were nuts when we got her so at least now it will be in the book, “said Jude.
The current record was set by a potbellied pig from Baton Rouge, Louisiana that lived to be 21 years and 166 days old.
