Saavy Siblings Grow 4-H Pigs

by Rita-Lyn Sanders, Director of Marketing and Communication

GRAND JUNCTION, COLO. - (April 8, 2024)  Momma Wiggy was ready. The black sow lay on the straw inside the farrowing hut near the warm red glow of a hanging lamp. Swollen with piglets, she barely fit through the door of the shelter. Still, she wasn’t alone. On this chilly day in early December, the Bieser family of Mesa, Colorado, squatted on their haunches and, one by one, squeezed through the plastic slats covering the door to comfort Momma Wiggy.

Tucked into the small space, the Bieser siblings caressed the rough skin of the pig. Ludvik “Louie” Bieser and his sister, Remington Bieser, both members of the Plateau Valley Extreme 4-H Club, were as expectant as the sow they cared for. Louie, a fifth grader, and Remington, a third grader, would each pick a piglet from the litter to show, market, and auction at the Mesa County Fair in July. They had invested their own money to get Momma Wiggy inseminated, cared for her throughout the nearly four-month pregnancy, and wanted to raise their hogs from birth to ultimately sell and turn a profit at the fair. It’s all part of their business plan.

The Bieser siblings have participated in 4-H activities for several years. They’ve bottle-fed calves and purchased piglets to nurture and then market at the fair. Last year, GVP bid on and purchased Louie’s pig during the Junior Livestock Sale. Participating in the sale is one of the ways that Grand Valley Power demonstrates its commitment to the cooperative principle Concern for Community and supports its young members. For the Bieser siblings, raising 4-H animals has given them the opportunity to take responsibility, care for animals, and plan for and execute a business plan. “It teaches them responsibilities,” said Joseph Bieser, Louie and Remington’s dad. “It teaches them how to manage their money and how to be successful. It isn’t just choosing a pig and going out there and selling it. There’s a lot more.”

That December day at the Bieser farm, Momma Wiggy gave birth to 11 piglets. One of them, Wilbert, needed to be pulled. Still, the assist didn’t seem to phase the piglet. Remington, who owns Momma Wiggy, chose her pig first and picked Wilbert for his stride, bone structure and the way he holds himself. Louie, who chose second, selected a female he has yet to name.

Since the birth of their piglets, the Bieser siblings have participated in many of the pig-rearing steps that they previously missed out on by purchasing their pig a few weeks old from a 4-H breeder. Besides giving the piglets an iron shot to boost their immunity at birth, the brother and sister have seen how to castrate the animals, clip their teeth, and ear notch them for showing. They’ve watered and fed them every day with a nutritious mix of grains and protein to keep them on target to hit their market weight. Pretty soon, as the weather begins to warm and the spring thaw turns the frozen ground into a slick brown goo, Louie and Remington will be working their pigs every day, driving them with a pig bat, keeping their heads up, and encouraging them to remain calm despite distractions.

Come July, when their pigs are fully grown, Louie and Remington hope all their work will pay off in the Junior Livestock Sale at the Mesa County Fair. As a nameless pig roots around Louie’s muddied muck boots, he ponders the inevitable day that he and his pig will part ways. “I haven’t gotten sad yet,” he said. “I’m used to knowing that’s how it works. It’s business.”