12/08/2025
LONG POST - PLEASE READ TO THE END❤️
We’ve struggled to find the right words for this post, but it’s important to share, we are heartbroken.
On the evening of December 2nd, our longtime pit pumping company arrived to clean both of our pits. Reid prepared the gestation barn (where all the bred females are at) as he always does by opening both doors, the ceiling vents, both exhaust fans, and running the big cattle fan to move air through the alley way. He helped the crew get things set up, when they started and things were good, he went down to the shop for 30ish minutes to do some other work. He then went up to the barn to check on things.
Everything seemed normal until he looked into the barn and saw the females sitting oddly. He stepped inside, something he now wishes he hadn’t, to try to get a few up. When they didn’t move he knew something was not right. He immediately felt chest pain and dizziness, it hit him what was happening. He ran. His quick reaction is the reason we are not facing an even more devastating outcome. The crew stopped agitating the pit right away.
In the end, we lost over half of our bred females and others, that are still alive are still not right. After researching and consulting, the outlook for those bred females that did survived isn’t promising either. The thought of not selling showpigs for the first time in over 20+ years is a very hard pill for us both to swallow. 💔
We wanted our customers, who truly feel like family, to hear this directly from us. This week has been incredibly difficult as we try to figure out what comes next, but we are deeply grateful that Reid is safe and the pit pumping crew is safe. Animals can be replaced, but our loved ones cannot.
Thank you for your understanding, your support, and the kindness so many of you have shown us over the years. We wish all of you a very Merry Christmas and a blessed New Year.
— Reid & Shelly Wildung
