.png.3b3332cc2256ad0edbc2fe9404feeef0.png)
IsaanAussie
-
Posts
3,596 -
Joined
-
Last visited
Posts posted by IsaanAussie
-
-
Anyone had any luck finding black soldier flies? Worms are going well.
If anyone travels near Wat Phi Rong Wua in southern Suphan Buri, visit the wat. Not only does it have the largest sitting bronze buddha in the world, it also has fish ponds absolutely covered in the magic small leaf duckweed. I used to live near the Wat and wish I had scooped up a load before we left, always meant to but never did. Next time down to BKK I will stop in and grab some though.
Isaan Aussie.
-
Cow manure and rice straw would seem to be the way here. Seem to remember a house made with bamboo structure, thatched or reed roof and adobe walls here some time ago. Try a web search. Attached is a picture of what I would make in that style.
Isaan Aussie
-
Taking OOTAI's post one paragraph at a time
I reckon you sit the ungrateful little bitches down and individually (I reckon you've probably given them names?) or collectively give them a stern talking to. You need to tell them that you have gone to a lot of trouble and expense building a new house for them and that if they so much as create any trouble, then they will follow their brothers to siberia. All young (gilts) Isaan girls know that the ultimate goal is to get the farang to build them a new house for them and their sisters.
Close OOTAI, I actually load the bacon slicer and sausage mincer into the push cart and parade it up and down the centre aisle. No need to say a thing.
Seriously, I don't think there are too many people out there who would be able to offer you an informed opinion on this as most of us would be looking to you for an answer. You seem to have taken over the mantle as the resident expert on this forum since maisefarmer's demise (does anyone know why he doesn't post anymore?). You seem to me to be someone who has done a lot of research into the details needed to make a success of your projects and as a result are a wealth of knowledge which has assited me and I'm sure alot of others here.
Well read describes me pretty accurately. I can not claim to have the hands on experience of many of the members of this forum. The only mantle I know of is over the fireplace, I think I get much more out of the forum than I contribute. But I sure enjoy getting my hands dirty giving what I see as good ideas a crack. but I make more mistakes than that famous Indian cricketer, Copt-one Inda-naz.
As for your current problem I would never have even considered this an issue during my short time working with pigs, however it seems that their welfare (mental) plays a significant part in their overall performance. So my suggestion is to pick one course of action and implement it, taking note of the outcomes and then with the next lot of gilts try the alternative and then you may finally have your answer. Given that at some time your "girls" are going to get out of synch with each other (return) then it may become very complicated to manage. If I understand your post correctly you plan to "slip" a whole group of sows if one returns to keep them together and subsitiute a group of gilts to keep the production program on track. If this correct then and you leave the late farrower in the pen and hold the others back to catch up to her then that would mean feeding the waiting sows for no return. At some point I think a decision between production and animal mental welfare will need to be made. I am sure that like kids they will sort themselves out before any major damage is done if you just throw them in the deep end.
I agree with the mental health side completely and add the need to maximise the productive throughput as the second objective, I do not see a need to decide between the two. Keeping them in Family groups seems to minimise confrontations, segregated feeding lowers it again.
On the returns issue, the backup gilts will supply fill-in occupation of the farrowing crates. If two sows in a group miss more than one cycle then after that second cycle the gilts would take over and the group of sows meet they maker. Of course there are regrouping options that can be looked at as well. The best laid plans of mice and men.....
cheers and keep posting I enjoy reading your thoughts and info
My pleasure.
Isaan Aussie
-
My pleasure, good luck.
-
Ok, I am looking for some opinions on a pending decision I have to make.
I have a litter of 10 pigs now at 80 Kgs. Four barrows are destined for the freezer. The six gilts will join the breeding herd, in fact be the first in the new sty. Each sow in the old sty is separately housed. The new sty has five gestation pens measuring 3 metres wide and 5 metres deep. Four for sows and one for gilts. At the front of each of the pens are four individual feeding stalls with feeder and drinking bowl which can be closed to form a gestation crate if needed. There are two communal drinkers at the back of the pen in the dunging area. The dunging area is 1.5 metres and the pens are separated by a gate over that length.
My ultimate goal is to have four groups of four sows with a reserve of four gilts. The sows will be run on a 35 and 42 day batch cycle program with the gilts being breed as well to fill any returns by the sows. Surplus gilts will be sold pregnant on not, sows as a group will be culled after the fifth parity. My logic is to maintain a high level of first parity gilts and to minimise the effect of returns. Since I only have four sows in a group the breeding success rate drops by 25% for each return. Returned sows will remain in their gestation pen when the others farrow. More than one return per group allows the decision to replace the whole group of sows after farrowing with the replacement gilts.
So here is the question; Do I keep them together until after their first season or split them into two groups of three in seperate gestation pens to start training now?
Options are I could keep the back gate open and let the six select which pen/group they prefer. Or I could house them in a finishing pen until they are older.
What do you more experienced pig farmers think?
Isaanaussie
Oh come on guys, someone must have a tip, advice or even an opinion?
-
For anyone who isn't busy enough, come on over to my place and I'll fix that for you. Always a cold beer in thr fridge at the end of the day.
This topic fascinates me. Why now ask how to stay busy in New York, London, anywhere?
IA
-
Ok, I am looking for some opinions on a pending decision I have to make.
I have a litter of 10 pigs now at 80 Kgs. Four barrows are destined for the freezer. The six gilts will join the breeding herd, in fact be the first in the new sty. Each sow in the old sty is separately housed. The new sty has five gestation pens measuring 3 metres wide and 5 metres deep. Four for sows and one for gilts. At the front of each of the pens are four individual feeding stalls with feeder and drinking bowl which can be closed to form a gestation crate if needed. There are two communal drinkers at the back of the pen in the dunging area. The dunging area is 1.5 metres and the pens are separated by a gate over that length.
My ultimate goal is to have four groups of four sows with a reserve of four gilts. The sows will be run on a 35 and 42 day batch cycle program with the gilts being breed as well to fill any returns by the sows. Surplus gilts will be sold pregnant on not, sows as a group will be culled after the fifth parity. My logic is to maintain a high level of first parity gilts and to minimise the effect of returns. Since I only have four sows in a group the breeding success rate drops by 25% for each return. Returned sows will remain in their gestation pen when the others farrow. More than one return per group allows the decision to replace the whole group of sows after farrowing with the replacement gilts.
So here is the question; Do I keep them together until after their first season or split them into two groups of three in seperate gestation pens to start training now?
Options are I could keep the back gate open and let the six select which pen/group they prefer. Or I could house them in a finishing pen until they are older.
What do you more experienced pig farmers think?
Isaanaussie
-
......
Pigs, like Thais, need to live in heirachical groups to live reasonably happy lives. I've raised pigs both ways and I have no doubt whatsoever which is better: group living in stable family groups cannot be beat. Would be interested to hear any dissenting voices to that view.
Charlie,
No dissention from me, family groups are the way to go.
I am amused by the reference to the similarity to Thais, how true. Like pigs the occasional swabbles between family members, are violent but short lived and only over a few rounds. Let me ask you a question, do pigs build up long term resentment and bottle up emotions like Thais? I certainly hope not!
-
Try a PM to members who are into chicken farming. IMHO concrete rings would not be appropriate for bulk storage as air circulation and mould issues will be a problem. Big Dutchman in Thailand supply all that stuff I believe, at a price no doubt, try their website for information. Most areas have a variety of sheetmetal workshops you will need to spend some shoe leather to find one near you.
As for delivery of bulk materials, it will be a balance between usage rate and storage length, against minimum order quantities. So work out how much feed you will use over the length of time it can be stored. For example, I use less than 2 ton of pig feed a month, at a maximum it can be stored of 3 months from production. Since distribution and dealer storage could use up to a month of that, my safe minimum order quantity would be under 4 ton. I buy weekly in bags carefully noting the use by dates.
There have been many posts about the quality of both bulk feed components and feed, again in IMHO, be wary of buying a large quantity of feed of unknown quality. It may well contain a high proportion of "sweepings". Feed costs will be your largest expense, it is definitely a topic you need to concentrate on during your planning.
Isaanaussie
-
Granted, there seem to be more unknowns then knowns, but if it was easy, where would we come in?
ETC
ETC,
The answer is simple. Since we farang farmers all grow money trees, we should supply the fruits of our labour.
I'm no chemist but hydrogen sulphide and water would seem to be the corrosion source, both present in raw Biogas. Scrubbers, triple stage compression and all that stuff are beyond me.
The Thai government sponsered a program of building biodigesters in rural communities some time ago. From all reports most are now abandoned as technical support was not available nor was funding for general maintenance, or the labour available to do the "dirty" work.
I wish you luck but I would advise caution on any investment for community benefit if promises of assistance are given. Something for nothing will always be welcomed, as long as the cost remains the same and the effort is zero.
My pig septic system has a soakaway drainage system that locals have said will pollute the drinking water. That may be so, but the point is all those same people have sewage collection pits next to their houses and within 30 metres of their bore holes. Those pits have no base so the water can soak away. Strange how selective the thinking process can be.
Isaanaussie
-
I too am very keen on this technology and have the methane source in potential abundance. But I must say the devil is in the details, and issues such as storage and distribution, corrosion and contaminates are bad enough, but the danger aspects in this carefree society terrify me.
In my case everyone in the family and the village were very keen when I proposed to build a biodigester. But try and find a candidate to remove the scum blanket, or to mix the slurry prior to loading, not so keen. Most Thais treat pig manure the same way, with a hose, and from a distance.
So, geat idea but few people prepared to muck in.
-
not more cheddar!!! love it if someone could make some GOOD cheeses
Here, here. Even a tasty cheddar, but please no more soap bars.
Dave, next time you are travelling up the mountain from Sariburi to PakChong you will see some very large diary enterprises. Having stopped at most, I am not aware of any that sell let alone make cheese, maybe thats worth a try for a cheesemaker?
IA
IA
Having read many of your other posts, in different forums, I see that you look for and desire to develop your own hog feed. After reading this thread I am reminded of what is left over after making cheese. I'm sure you are familiar with "Whey" , as it is used extensively in the United states as hog feed. The whey is mixed with table, or restaurant scraps etc.., and boiled and fed as slop for the hogs. We wasted nothing on the farm and the hogs loved it and would fight to get their share, and they packed on the weight.
Just my thoughts!
etc (Jim)
Thanks Jim, yes it has occurred to me but I have no source here, beef cattle only.
-
I have an interesting question for anyone who has a biodigester. Have you ever tried using EM in the digester? If so, does it effect the gas output?
I process pig waste water in septic tanks. I recently pumped out the sediment of a tank and after a week or two realised that I had forgotten to dose the tank with EM to control any smell that may occur. When I did I noticed that the sludge blanket on the surface was quite crusty. Yesterday I looked and the sludge was alive with gas bubbles.
Secondly, ETC, I have noticed a large difference in bottled gas prices here in Isaan. Almost twice what we paid around Bangkok. We dont use enough gas to make the investment worthwhile but you may well find that the returns from gas sales outside the large cities could provide a steady income.
Isaanaussie
-
I understand the pace thing when you put it in that perspective. I am retired also but I work pretty hard most days. And yet, Thailand does offer a life free of most of the hassles of my home country. Hard work or not, it is a much more relaxed lifestyle. Your distinction isn't trivial.
I build furniture as well. But I use steel and Smartwood. Like you, I can't retire and just stop and sit around the house and I can't live in the bars.
Good luck with your future.
I think compared to a fast city life, farming is a slower paced life, as I have experienced both in my 67 years on this planet. Farm life is unquestionably a hard working life, but the personal, community and family rewards have no equal in my books. When given a choice, I will always choose farming or ranching and the old Ford truck. Granted; when you break it down into dollars and cents, farming may not be the smartest choice, but it will always be the right choice for me.
Extremely well said to both gentlemen.
I have lived most of my life in the fast lane with senior positions. Whilst it wasnt always 7 days a week as now with farming, the hours were just as long and the mental exhaustion more telling than being physically tired at the end of each day. I havent been as fit and alive for many years.
Now like ETC, I would love to improve the returns but I suppose that will improve as things settle down into more productive phase. I just need to get to an integrated income as well as farm. Its getting closer.
Isaanaussie
-
you're meaning to say that you're adding chicken manure with other ingredients to produce feed for pigs !?!!!
Am I doing it at the moment? No. Is it being done? Yes.
IA
I would be interested in how that works out for you, as I have some plans in that area myself. I'm not planning
on raising hogs, but the high nitrogen fertilizer can have many uses. Finding ways to make cheaper feed is
always high on my Gain Knowledge List, as it directly effects the bottom line.
Jim
Jim,
I probably still have the data somewhere but basically the chicken manure is used to produce silage. I am making compost, lots of compost by combining pig manure and chopped rice straw. Pretty easy and quick as the C::N ratio is about right when the proportions produce a dryish well blended mix. Its great stuff and plantings in it jump out of the ground, I also use it as worm bedding and am about to start growing mushrooms in it. In ther later stages of composting I often get flushes of mushrooms just from spawn in the straw and the soil. Note, I wouldnt eat the ones that grow at the moment.
Isaanaussie
-
I live upcountry and have built all my own gates and pens. Steel here is easy to get and at close to London metal exchange prices. So if you have a design you can estimate the steel price. Labour for welding is in the normal range here which you can check for each province on the internet. The issue is galvenising, firstly difficult to find outside Bangkok, secondly quality is normally not good. Galvenised steel structures are usually made from the limited range of galvenised tubing available and the welded areas are painted. In my case I chose to use local black iron and then prime with automotive underbody primer and spray paint. Most large gates here are made from black tubing and then painted or if you want more corrosion protection then its stainless steel.
Your other option to exclude cattle would be to put in a cattle grill crossing in the gateway and no gate. This can be made with a ditch with a series of timbers or steel pipes, check the net for designs.
If I can help further PM me.
Isaanaussie
-
About a month ago one of my gilts had an rectal prolapse that was repaired by a team of local vets. Well the day before yesterday it was time for her to check out of the single room and back into communal living with her siblings.
There was a lot of interest and a bit of pushing and shoving during that afternoon but basically I was pleased with the reintroduction. Yesterday morning a neighbour told the wife that there had been a bit of boxing in the sty overnight and I wondered what I would encounter when I went over after breakfast.
Well here was the gilt nearly floating around the rafters with fully inflated ears, man had she been beaten up. Bruised from backside to breakfast but not a single drop of blood anywhere. She was exhausted and laying on the floor with the rest apologising profusely by licking her ballooned ears.
In keeping with the topic, and recognising that "modern" standards call for group housing, I pose the following question. Does anyone know "a better way" to put an estranged pig, or new member into an existing group in an open pen without causing a boxing tournament? Or is it our lot in life to be the morning after cut man?
Isaanaussie
Good question. The locals here reccommend squirting all the pigs with see sip (white whisky / 40%). The thinking behind it is that it masks the individual smell of each pigs thereby giving the introduced piglet time to re-establish itself within the group heirachy without being overtly singled out. A western remedy I've read about is to squirt the pigs with washing up liquid mixed with water, though I doubt whether this is as effective a means of masking individual pig smell. I've not tried either remedy so can't vouch for their effectiveness.
I've had little success reintroducing growers to a group. The aggravation they give to the reintroduced pig is pretty shocking (I've tried it twice with one pig and that was enough for me; we were lucky to get the pig out alive both times) and I've therefore tended to keep seperated pigs apart if they have been removed from the family group. With my older pigs I've had few problems. We had a pair of sisters seperated for over 4 months (against my wishes at the time), but when put back together again (after both had given birth and weaned their piglets), we had absolutely no problem. They were as happy as punch and there was no posturing or fighting whatsoever.
Understand and have been through that. IMHO whiskey here has one destination, into the mindless internals of the "your helper" who no doubt volunteered the ministration. 100% BS. My prolapse pig had recovered and was reintroduced to her siblings. She got a real hiding over two or three days and then was the subject of sympathy from the rest, a few baht from me and some jabs fron the vet. Now back to where she belongs with her sisters.
Sorry for my aggressive response but I have had more than I can stand about the healing powers of that 40% mind destroying filth. Stick with the soap.
Isaanaussie
-
Hi IA,
What i did 3 years ago was buy a timer for the borehole pump, it was a bout 2.300bht, then a 2.300thousand litre clay thai round water tank with a 2in outlet for 900bht, then a vane type water pump for 3000bht, [2hp] and an electric float valve [commonly known as a Luk Loy] for 500bht,
The reason for this was to irragate at nights, so the hot sun didnt vapourize the water so quick, so, i would set the timer, the bore pump would start, when the tank is filled, the booster pump would start,and empty it obiviously quicker than the bore pump could fill it,
The system works well, in your case, IA, i would put the delivery pipe into the top of the 1st tank, and join all 4 tanks together at the bottom with 2in pipe so they fill evenly, put an electric float control in the last 1 to cut the motor, if the motor is stopped, with a tank top fill, it only has the waterpressure in the delivery pipe to contend with,
Just an idea, you might want to clean out the sediment in the tanks sometimes, so drain valves in each tank and by pass piping might be the way to go?
Cheers, Lickey,
Hi Lickey,
Very close to my concept. I will run one of four main outlet feeds from each tank using 1.5" piping. These will feed the drinkers on four circuits. I will connect the tanks together using the drain outlets with each tank isolated by a valve. That way I can fill only those tanks required at the time or can balance tanks to match usage. A cleanout branch and a feed to a pressurised line for tap water will run off this circuit as well. So the float switch will be in the primary tank not the final one.
-
I need advice on float switches or valves available here for installation in my raised water tanks. I have a piston pump located about 20 metres from the tanks. There are four 1000 litre Eco plastic tanks in a group. I intend to plumb them together so I can fill all tanks from one which is fed by the pump.
Back to pump control, the real issue. My thought is to use two electric float valves to govern on/off power to the pump rather than using a mechanical float. I have fitted a pressure control switch to the pump but would rather not have the plumbing from the pump to the tanks pressurised all the time.
All thoughts welcome.
Isaanaussie
-
Hi guys, I am an electrician by trade. Waters edge seems to be very knowedgable in this field. Can someone explain to me why nobody talks about raising a water tank about 2 stories or what ever height is good to supply enough water pressure. It eliminates pipe leaks on the suction side of the pump and the pump only works when the water level drops in the tank. It is still a functioning system here in NYC, USA. as it has been for a very long time. Keep the tank near the supply well and run feed lines out to where you need. I a planing to live in Thailand in about 5 yrs and am planning to do this on my land. Is this not the way to go? What am I missing?
IMHO, this is a different issue. I have 4000 litres of water storage above my pig sty to supply drinking water for the pigs. As you say this is an effective system. But the usage the OP is talking about is volume not pressure. Flooding 15 Rai will require much more water. From memory the numbers are 400 litres per minute for 5 or 6 hours or over 100,000 litres. A very big tank indeed.
-
TBWG and Chuckd,
Thanks for the supportive comments. I agree entirely, stay out of it as its not my problem. However on this occasion the woman happens to be my sister in law and try as we can we are constantly being dragged into the middle. Very unpleasant situation. Other villagers expect us to intercede on one side or the other depending on which point of the triangle they are aligned to. The BIB has spread rumours and money around to get people to lodge complaints against us.
If I was a submariner I would definitely be in periscope down mode right now. Despite the rubbish being thrown at us, now is not the time to make a lot of noise and my largest challenge is to keep the wife on the same course. Jai yen yen my dear.
Isaanaussie
-
Is there a correlation between the price of oil and rubber?
Regards.
Yes... Oil price up / rubber price up - simple. I work in the O & G industry.... Watch the alternative energy stuff....
Vested interest,, employment, votes, government. What makes the world go around? Sorry but more than 20 years in the auto industry teaches me that ideals are different from reality.
-
Guys,
Think futures, think TOYOTA. IMHO the current push is to support BOI objectives and corporate TMC plans to export passenger vehicles. Now China is huge but India awaits. Yes, there is a risk. As is always said here, up to you. Get your volume up to individual or group significance and enjoy the boom is my advice.
So what do I know? Well I first arrived here as the Australian SEA Regional Automotive Trade Commissioner some 11 years ago and still have a few friends in the industry. There is some serious investment at stake here.
IA
-
All too often I read about failed relationships between farangs and their Thai partners. Well right now in my little village I am watching a marriage between two Thais fall apart. It isn't pleasant for anyone here as all seem involved one way or another. Everyone is talking about fact and fiction, mostly the latter with all sorts of inflated gossip adding fuel to the fire. Typically Thai the conversations are based on relaying third party information. Why can't these people talk to each other face to face?
Basically the woman has been having an affair with a man from a neighbouring village. The husband found out and started beating her and drinking heavily. The third party is a member of the BIB (stationed elsewhere in Thailand) and as the situation has flared publicly started arriving at the womans house very visibly carrying his service pistol.
Apparently the woman has accepted a large payment from the BIB and has spent a considerable amount of it. The husband is a typical son in law here and basically owns nothing, nor does his family. They have two teenage and one younger child. The wife wishes to keep both relationships going. The husband is not happy but has nowhere else to go. The BIB wants either the woman or the money back.
Result, explosive situation.
Who said life in a rural Thai village was dull?
Isaanaussie
Building A Structure With Hemp
in Farming in Thailand Forum
Posted
BB,
It is common practice here to use strips of bambo inlieu of rebar or mesh in concrete. Perhaps that could be used for your shed roof. You could anchor the strips to the framework as well. Easy enough to form to usual shapes as well.
It is my understanding that the bags are filled with earth. Since the dirt around me sets like concrete when dry it would yield a giant adobe brick with the bag being along for the ride, mixing the soil with some straw would add a bit of strength. Equally you could drive bamboo spears down through the bags to hold everything together.
Isaan Aussie