FarAwayBen

In my view the advantage of cp or betagro sows is that you get a prrs free sow. Prrs is a big problem in thailand and is transmitted from the sow to the piglets but does not always show up in the sow. In my village a sickness suspected to be prrs wiped out 70% of the piglets last year. Unless you have access to a lab you can't check sows yourselves and most vets can't.

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revar,

Thanks for that advice. It sounds very important to know, and brings something to mind that my wife was told "not to worry about." Our sow has an issue with flaking skin, like dandruff or psoriasis, pretty much everywhere she has hair. She was born and raised in less than optimal conditions without electricity or running water by my wife's closest childhood friend. She had this issue when we bought her, but we didn't know better at the time, but i'm wondering if it's a staph infection. She also had a great deal of mosquito bites then as well, which have since cleared up since I keep a yellow light on at night, and keep her sty clean of waste and free of standing water.

My concern is that we have gotten more bad advice and I don't want her to pass this condition on to any piglets, or even worse, new sows I intend to put in adjacent sties. I can provide photos, if necessary. We still have yet to find a reliable vet who is not a competing local pig farmer.

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I found that betagrow does have at least some English on their site: http://www.betagrofeed.com/products.php?lang=en

I see the Balance 956 gestation feed on there, and will be attempting to locate it today in the city. Revar, I assume the green label Betagrow "original" feed you were talking about is what you use for fattening up the pigs. I see they have lactation pellet/mash BG 306-307, which I assume is fed to the sow postpartum, but there was no mention of a gestation feed. I'm wondering if BG 306 is actually a misprint and is really Gestation feed, like the 956, with 307 being the lactation feed like the Balance 957.

All these numbers are finally starting to make sense. I do need to brush up on my Thai, in the long run, for this to work out. It's very frustrating being clueless in the feed store and when we talk to other farmers. Are you guys fluent?

Ben

As a question back what grade is the feed that you are giving her? Is it a gestation feed mix?

Finally remember a small pile of calciom carbonate in her pen will help with the calcium depletion from the bran. Its cheap get a small abg and offer it to her. My bet is she will be into as much as you will give her. Lots doesnt hurt.

IA,

This is a good question. I've been clueless in the feed shops and left this decision up to my wife, until now (thanks to you). The sack the feed came in has been since mixed in with a great deal of sacks, so I can't ID it for you, but we are on our 2nd brand, and lately just buying by the kilo, "testing them out" per my wife's choice. But, tomorrow we go to purchase some Betagrow green per yours and revar's recommendation, so that will give us a fresh playing field. Today, she just reached 24 days from the last mating. Are you saying that with Betagrow green we don't need to mix it with bran? I might be at odds to read the label, but I can read a little bit, so we'll have to see. I'm guessing my wife can gather this info from the seller, but I'd like to find out for myself, since I'm the guy doing the feeding.

I will also look into the calcium carbonate supplement tomorrow as well. We have some exploring to do in the city. I am only aware of one feed store there (vs the 5 or more here in the Amphur) and he is CP exclusive, from what I recall. He also runs a small CP farm that we checked out, but I don't think he is under contract. He has about 6 sow's, all breeding. He does not have boars, and does all breeding via artificial insemination ordered from CP. All pigs are tagged.

Any advice on getting a mother from him? Would artificial insemination be my only option, or could I cross breed? (and what breed are CP pigs anyways!? vs the normal white/pink floppy ear (and what's that called?). I had thought about raising a few CP boars to compete with the insemination competition in this Amphur, but my wife said people don't want a different breed inseminating their sows. Confused... Our main pig farmer in the amphur has about 10 boars, and two trucks that can accomodate 2 boars each. We've seen him, and his wife, out on the road. He claimed that each of his boars bred twice a day at 400 THB a pop. They really seem to do a lot of travelling, if this is accurate.

Sorry for so many questions. I am a novice, to be sure. But quite enthusiastic. I'd been leaving much up to my wife since I knew the conditions and advice overseas (internet) were rarely relevant in Thailand, but meeting you guys here on this thread has changed all that.

revar, stand by! I'll be in touch with you soon! I want to run a few ideas by my wife first, and head to the city tomorrow and take yet another look around. I might have better information then.

Ben

When we take our rice, with the husk on, to the local village mill, the powder byproduct is what, bran? or chaff? or a mix of both? (7 baht per kilo) Anyways, this is what i'm referring to when i currently refer to ricebran. Is this accurate?

I had previously been confused that the straw (stalks) from my rice, chopped up, was chaff (which it is, apparently) but it sounds like the husks from my rice are considered this also. All the discussion of bran lately has me wondering, and realizing why this is actually a good thing to mix with feed. (before I thought it was just to trick the pig into thinking she had a full stomach, while the feed provided the vitamins and minerals she needed).

wow. my head is spinning. so much to know! I think i need to get this information organized. I've been sort of playing it by ear up until this point and that isn't cutting. I don't know how much of what I've read here the past 24hours has been told to my wife (several hour long conversations with many details I know little of) but what I HAVE read is extremely eye opening, but will take some time to process.

I appreciate all the feedback so far. Sounds like a lot of good, solid experience talking. Let me process this.

In the meantime, I'm thinking we need something "on the side" to produce some short term returns, so I might be switching gears for a bit.

With that in mind..

Just one question, probably to revar, I've noticed 3 new pig feed shops in the past year in our Amphur, which is fairly small. We have a few others who sell a variety of feed, but these 3 new ones seem to "specialize" in individual brands, which makes me think they are subcontracting out with a major feed provider (not unlike people who start 7-11's are really subcontracting with CP). Any thoughts on this? Does it sound like the market here is becoming saturated? It sounds like you sell only Betagrow. Do you have a contract with them? or do you just buy it wholesale in the jangwat city, and then resell in a remote location? We are "relatively" remote here in that anyone without a pickup, and with pigs, has to do business in the amphur. I live 5 kilos away in a Tambon and am thinking of selling feed as part of setting up a shop. We are 40 clicks from the city.

Also, how long before feed is unusable, and what are the optimal storage conditions?

Thanks again.. (i'm going to be on the lookout for Betagrow green next trip to the city, probably tomorrow)

More later on the bran mix question. Right now, per general instruction (and specific instruction from the man with the boar), we are feeding our pregnant sow 2 bowls of ricebran mixed with a half bowl of feed.

Ben

IA,

Thanks for all the great info. Am definitely going to look into Betagrow.

What are your thoughts about breeding CP mothers without a contract and ordering artificial insemination? Is it easy to sell CPF pigs if you aren't selling them back to CP? Is there a significant price difference from the standard going rates?

I've read a few posts elsewhere warning against getting involved with CP.

I was a bit confused by your answer to my question about using the husk bran to cut my pig feed with. You mentioned cardboard, but my wife and I assumed you were joking! And the other option you mentioned, at 17 THB per kilo, you said was too expensive for pigs, so I"m confused about what the best thing to cut the feed with is. My wife sounds determined to keep using the 7THB per kilo husks that come straight from the machine when the rice is husked and sacked, ready for sale/eating. I've noticed our husk "powder" seems to have a lot of broken small rice particles mixed in with it. Any clarification on this point would be appreciated.

Thanks again! am enjoying reading along, even though a lot of this stuff seems much further along in my learning curve than where I am at the moment.

Ben

Good advice. Thanks, IA.. I just brought up the site and saw the Isaan prices at 57/k (she hasn't been in to look yet, maybe tomorrow).. How much would you say a weened baby piglet weighs? I was under the impression the piglets sold at a flat rate, and not per kilo. Also, my wife informs me that "breeder mothers" sell for more money than a pig being sold for slaughter. This sounds like a line to me as well. Anyways, I did the math and it sounds like a 14k piglet would match what she was "told" is the current sell price. but we are discussing, thanks to the help of Google Translate, what the word competitive means, and how what she's heard isn't necessarily accurate.

I see what you mean about balancing out and not relying on only one income stream. If the recent reduction in prices by Yingluck is true (the gas prices, anyways, would indicate it) then it sounds like good business strategy to do as you guys are doing.

You mentioned feed selling for 400+ baht a bag for a breeding mother. This is well under the price we've gotten feed for locally (i'll be getting feed in the city from now on). What brand/grade feed are you talking about? Also, what do you cut it with as a stomach filler, and how much per kilo? We have been using rice husk powder that we get at 7baht per kilo.

Thanks again,

Ben

IA & revar,

Really good info into the realites of this situation we are getting into. I do like revar's advice on providing better quality/service and additional service (such as a feed shop). Most of the farmers in this area seem to cut as many corners as possible and don't really have their heart in it, in that it's just something they do on the side. There is one exception to this, and it seems like his big business is studding. But what you guys made me realize was that we have to take their "assistance" with a grain of salt. My wife has a tendency to overtrust, and it sounds like the pig game is not the place for that, so I have to reign her in a bit, I think. I suspect all the friendliness we've encountered, which I translated as just good hearted nature, may actually have other motives than to help us along. (Sales sales)..

You guys gave a lot of info to soak up. The real challenging part is discussing these matters with my wife. Also, she has a hot heart so I am going to have to remind her that this is going to take time.

I will read through this thread for more info, in the meantime, and come back later with more questions! And thanks for the tips on pricing. I have a feeling my wife isn't getting the real scoop on that either. It all sounds suspicious to me, in regards to locally obtained info.

I am subscribed and will be following along. Thanks IA for starting this up!

Ben

Am just getting into the game and we have our first sow who just passed estrus without swelling, so we are told she is pregnant (3rd time's a charm).. My wife spends a lot of time with local pig farmers, getting all the info, but tells me very little, and my Isaan isn't quite good enough to pick up anything useful. Any tips for starting out would be gladly received. Most places I'd looked in the past online, regarding farang with pigs, was very discouraging with a lot of negativity and naysayers, but i see this thread may be different. Our plan was to wean piglets and sell at the local price of 1200 BHT (these are not CPF).. but we just found out that price has dropped to 800 BHT, which was discouraging, but indicates we may need to change our game. Any advice would be welcome. Should we go CP? (I'm not interested in a contract, just the breed.)

My wife mentioned that some feed providers double as buyers. They deliver feed (we don't need a delivery service) and pick up the piglets. I have no info on this other than what she tells me, which is very little, and she's been a sucker for a "too good to be true" deal or two in the past. So I'm concerned this is more of the same.

Am happy to find this thread. Haven't been on Thaivisa for years, but am looking forward to participating here. I enjoy the positivity.

I have a LOT to learn. But I am determined to make this work and will adjust as necessary.

Ben

Decided 83,000 baht was a poor use of my money on a questionable bike. There's probably a reason you don't see too many KLX's around. Probably because of the low 10 bhp

Got this old Yamaha 2-stroker (120cc) instead for 7300THB, bhp unknown, but it's a rocket on the dirt and fun to work on...

Still holding out to see if anyone has owned a 125 and what their experiences with it are.. might try a different Thai forum. As it stands, am generally discouraged from getting the 125 and not considering a 140. Am also again thinking about getting something used and/or built. Too bad though. that KLX 125 is a beautiful bike

I am pretty sure the KLX140L is a different class of bike as compared to the KLX125. It is purely an off road bike without any lights or indicators. You will need those for road going bikes.

Here in Malaysia, we have the KLX150 which is registrable for road use. It sells for just under 100,000baht otr. The KLX140 cannot be registered and cost 150,000baht. You can ride it anywhere without any bike licence BUT not on gazetted public roads. The components in the 140 are different and shares more similarities with the KX motocross range of bikes.

Thanks for the info. That's good to know about the 140.. Definitely would like something I can register, just to keep my options open. Although a registration is probably something I'll rarely need around here. A great deal of the bikes in this village are off the grid, but you never know where I'll end up.

Thats a UK publication and the bike costs nearly double what it costs over here. Where are you even going to ride something like that in the UK?

Has the OP thought about the KLX140L.

I have a KLX250 and even that's a bit sluggish but the recent snorkel and exhaust has really pepped it up.

Spare parts cost peanuts on the Kawasakis as they are made here.

I asked about the 140 yesterday. I don't think the dealer had a clue. Unfortunately it's not a proper Kawasaki shop. He quoted 150k which is more like the price of the KLX 250 so I suspect he was just saving face and throwing out a number. Might call around on that. Even 83k is way above my initial bike budget, but justifiable (am not considering a Chinese bike, and especially not a Platinum).

Good to know the exhaust made a difference on the 250 but sad to hear that even at 250cc's it was still sluggish.. the D-Tracker I saw at the shop had 5k on it and was in for an oil change. Had a new exhaust on, probably for the same reason, though noisy bikes here seem to be somewhat of a status symbol as well, so can't really speak if that mod made a difference power wise. Thanks for the info on parts. And it sounds like the 250 won't exactly leave me behind, though still way out of my target price range.

Any personal experience with the KLX 140 would also be welcome. I have a feeling the pricing on that is a bit closer to what the 125 is than the dealer quoted, though not sure about the size or anything else, for that matter. Will have to look into it, assuming it can be ordered.

Thanks. that was the primary negative review I came across in my google searches that got my attention. If it hadn't been for that I probably wouldn't have even ended up on Thai Visa looking for more personalized experience. They (from a western use perspective) definitely gave the bike a poor grade.

I wonder what their opinion of a Honda Sonic would have been.

This might help...

MCN KLX 125 review

Have been through a couple threads here on the Kawasaki KLX 125 and been through google... seen mixed reviews, but a couple fairly negative ones which were hard to ignore. However, a lot of the firsthand experience stuff I've seen is fairly positive, however it's from overseas where the bike is pretty much sold as a starter bike for kids.

I am very much considering one, but don't want to waste my money. I used to have a Honda Sonic (bought in 2006) that was small, but comfortable enough. I read the Sonic clocked 12.5 hp while the KLX 125 is only 10hp. However I used that sonic for trips to the city (40 clicks) where that was an issue, and was not put back by it, and now I have a truck so the open road isn't a concern. My use for the KLX will be touring through rice paddy trails in all seasons (so it's gotta be good in mud as well). I also may take it along for the ride in the back of the truck for a visit or two to some more mountainous regions, such as Chiang Mai. But it's primary use will be here in central Isaan where there are no hills. I am 6'4 at 190 lbs and have read a few people say that is much too big for this bike, but the Sonic's small size wasn't an issue for me on local trips. I went to a dealer in Yasothan the other day and sat on a KLX 125 and a D-tracker and both were sufficiently high enough for me, yet not too tall for the wife and seemed adequate for bringing along my small son as a passenger. I didn't give it a test run, yet, which was probably a mistake. Will definitely do so before I purchase, but just a little trip around the block won't really tell me a lot.

Am concerned the 250 version is a bit too much bike for my wife's use and possibly too dangerous to bring my son along on, not to mention it is nearly twice the cost. Originally I'd been planning on buying something small and modified for 20k or often much less, but I don't trust the Thai's when it comes to vehicle history, so am very reluctant to enter into that situation.

So, in general, I've seen negative reviews from 3rd parties who don't seem to have owned a KLX, and positive reviews from owners. But in Thailand bikes are a different story than they are overseas, so I'd like to get some local farang opinion that would be a bit closer to the experience I'm planning for rather than going based on standards set in a different biking climate.

After everything I've read and seen, I am not concerned about size, but moreso about power. If it's as sluggish as my wife's Honda Wave (purchased in 2007) which is a piece of junk now in my opinion, and which I refuse to drive if I can avoid it, then I will probably give the KLX a pass (though I have to admit we've done nothing special for the Wave other than change the oil). But if you have a KLX and have modified it for more power, let me know what you did and what that set you back. Would like to hear your experiences with this bike, with or without mods.

As sure as you seem inclined to believe that Roi Et is the spot, you'd do well to head to the city there and book a room at the 99 Hotel on the lakeside (Ask a TukTuk). Right next door are 2 western restaurants, open most of the time. The spouses there might be able to lend you some assistance. Hang around a couple of days. Roi Et is a small town, but it's a good sized province.

Just did the trip today at 5:15pm. A huge rush of traffic was coming out of the airport (closing time?) past the Rachawadee as we left the parking lot. We got caught up in this on the way into town. Took 7 minutes to get to Route 2. About 5 minutes later we were at Central Plaza. If City Center is where the Gov't buildings and the big lake are, I imagine that's another 5 to 10 minutes away without traffic and depending how you hit the lights. Though my experience is limited to 3 trips so far, this seems to be a pretty easy town to get around in.

Consider the Rachawadee resort. A little different but very pleasant. You can use the 'Search' facility on this forum

I've checked out their home page.

Looks like a very good deal on what they have to offer;

just wonder how far it is from the city center.

no more than 5 minutes if you're driving

You'd do well to get to the centre of KK from Rachawadee resort in 5 minutes unless you're thinking of going at 4 in the morning in a fast car. You'll be 5 minutes at Mitaprab Road lights.

I must have gotten lucky. it could have been 10 minutes before I reached my destination, but had no trouble reaching the Route 2/Route 12 intersection on any of my trips into town. It's only a few kilometers, inside the ring road

Consider the Rachawadee resort. A little different but very pleasant. You can use the 'Search' facility on this forum

I've checked out their home page.

Looks like a very good deal on what they have to offer;

just wonder how far it is from the city center.

no more than 5 minutes if you're driving

I just consulted my wife on this matter and she said "tell him take her go Slim Up Center. Slim Up Center number one for make you skinning. All super star go Slim Up Center."

I believe the place is in Bangkok. What it involves, we can only guess.

here's the spot: http://www.bangkokresidents.com/lifecenter.html

the TV told her it only takes a few days so I'm guessing surgery and/or vacuum

Rachawadee Hotel & Resort. Same prices as piman garden. Delux room has 2 beds which is good if you have a kid. Swimming pool. Rabbits roaming free. It's right by the entrance to the airport. Good restaurant with poolside service

http://www.rachawadeehotel.com

Find a new girl who doesn't have tattoos if that's your preference.

This thread is getting absurd, does anybody choose a partner based on weight, height, tattoos, nationality, whatever?

Pitiful.

Yes, we do.

Not all of us have to 'settle for the breadcrumbs'.

thank God for Thailand

Find a new girl who doesn't have tattoos if that's your preference.

This thread is getting absurd, does anybody choose a partner based on weight, height, tattoos, nationality, whatever?

Pitiful.

A woman chooses a partner based on success, power and those kinds of things. A man chooses a partner based on beauty. This can't be news to you. I don't, of course because I am an enlightened new wave kind of guy!

agreed. it's up to every person to decide what they can and can't live with. For some people that decision is more petty than for others. I sure wouldn't have married a 70 year old heroin addict. Regardless, the real problem here doesn't seem to be the tattoos, it seems to be a cultural disconnect.

Just a follow up for others searching for the same.

Nasa Vegas was perfect. It's right around Ramkamhaeng Soi 2 at the train tracks, just off the Motorway. The service was superior, particularly at the rate of 690 Baht per night and there's a Family Mart right across the train tracks. The room was a bit small, but clean, and the movie channels made up for it.

The location is great because of the quick accessibility to the Motorway, from which you can easily get anywhere you need to go without getting bogged down trying to find an on ramp.

Thanks for the great recommendations. For now, though, Nasa Vegas is where we head for when we go to the City.

Find a new girl who doesn't have tattoos if that's your preference. As far as looking for respect, remember, the culture is different here, a lot of behavior will come off as disrespectful to a westerner when in fact it's perfectly normal. Lying, for example.

And please, never ever call your Thai girlfriend/wife a prostitute. Plenty of jealous relatives in her hometown have already done that just for being with you so it's a sensitive matter, and it's not an easy thing for her to overcome.

The bottom line is that Thaksin got results, despite local corruption. That's all that really matters in the end. He was effective. If he had a higher agenda, which he apparently did, it's unimportant to the average farmer because he improved the quality of living out here. All the poor care about are the tangible manifestations of his policies to help the poor. But you are correct. Local elected officials make it very difficult to effect change in the provinces. A good example are all the half completed roads which remain that way for years because the government funding "ran out" while the local Phuu Yai Baan's mia noi gets a nice new home or a pickup. Somehow, Thaksin found a way around this. I don't pretend to know his methods, I just know that they worked and suspect that lifestyle improvement is at the core of his popularity. Not the 500 baht people might have received to vote for one guy instead of someone else, though that goes a long way too because people out here are generally quite uninformed.

Whatever the Reds are up to in Bangkok, I don't know. I just know that the government that won the majority of the vote was ousted out of power and replaced by what we have today. It seems like the people with the most sway in Thailand aren't really interested in democracy. If they were, they'd work harder to find ways to win elections rather than staging a coup every time a government is popularly elected. Figuring out how to effectively help the poor would accomplish that. I don't care what color shirt they wear, just get results. Thaksin figured out how to do that and thus proved it was possible, why can't anyone else?

Thaksin was merely the first. He paved the way for reforms, but he got carried away with his new-found power, and was proven to have his sights on a higher position than PM. That was why he had to go, and can't be allowed in again. If so, you'll see a corporate dictatorship in action, and he won't hide behind a "war on drugs" campaign to kill his opposition this time.

He was very clever in his manipulation of the desperation of the poor, but I believe that all other leaders now are forced to include the issue of poverty reduction in Issan as part of their policies. Abhisit was making his way towards it, (while trying to get the country back on its feet), which is one of the reasons that this conflict had to be created. Thaksin can't afford to have Abhisit, (or anyone else for that matter), be seen to help the poor, or his image crumbles. If the people saw that someone will help them with concrete assistance, but won't become an authoritarian overlord, they would choose that person over Thaksin. He can't come back.

Another sad thing is that neither side would win if elections are called now. There is too much division and blood on both sides, so Thailand will continue to have weak, secondary governments. If Abhisit had been given his whole term in peace, he would have changed Thailand for the better. Thaksin couldn't allow this, sadly.

I agree. The proper way to go is to wait for the next elections, not force a new government, like as you said, that would be weak in ineffective. If Abhisit is as good as you say, it's too bad he wasn't elected. The opinions I've heard among the poor seem to be that he is ineffective and decidedly "un-Thai". But if he could have gotten things done sooner, I would have supported him all the way. I am opposed to any attempts to force a government out of power as long as scheduled elections can guarantee that the people will have a chance to choose for themselves. So unfortunately for Abhisit, he did not come to power with the consent of the population. This is unfortunate for Thailand is well if Abhisit really had the interests of the majority poor in mind. The way the governments have been toppling in Thailand since 2006, however, leaves little confidence that an election will guarantee much of anything.