IsaanAussie

MF,

I have a few "scrubby" beef cattle so the threads are of interest, but of course pigs are my main deal and I doubt they will tolerate those diets. As with most animal diets you get all the stats you want on CP, DM, etc .. % and Kg calculations of rations, and in the case of pigs, lysine.

I have 2 concerns, firstly, feed cost obviously crucial in pig farming, and secondly, FCR and DWG (feed conversion and daily gain) factors that affect the growing/finishing rates are vitally important to profitability.

Currently I am buying grower rations at 13 baht per kg and finishers at 10 baht. Whilst the cost of feed is now lower than a few months ago, I still need to reduce it further as the farm gate price for pork is coming down as well. Last check was 54 baht per kilogram and I anticipate that it will drop to the high/mid 40's within the next 12 months. If correct then there is not a lot left for vets, power etc.. if the feed conversion ratio is much over 3. Obviously protein plays a large part in the game.

In summary I am building to a high quality, 16 sow breeding herd, farrow to finish operation. The target being annual sales of 300 pigs. Hopefully a limited supply of smoked hams and bacons and gourmet sausages will eventuate as well as live pig sales.

Thanks for the response and the references on cattle, I have re-read them and will keep them for future reference.

Issanaussie

Sounds good Aussie, I've got a loan in AU$, so I'll be sending as much cash back over the coming months. It's ridiculously low! Then I'll look forward to a strengthening US$ and making some money before the crash really hits.

Hi Smithson,

I spoke to an Aussie friend who is working over here on an incredibly high contract wage. I mentioned your early payback scheme to him and he said he had max-ed out three credit cards doing much the same thing and had made 400,000 baht in a week. He failed to see the difference between lowering debt and raising it on the promise of a quick buck....

I had a quick look at equipment prices in Australia, thinking to spend AUD in OZ and then send the stuff up here, but it doesnt seem to be worth the effort at the moment.

My apoligies I/A,off to africa in 3 weeks to earn some real money.Been working for thai wages last year and half so time to go get ahead.Be back in about 3 months.There must be some farangs here with experience looking for a bit of work or thais becoming redundant in the manufacturing industry in bangkok.

Theoretically labour should be abundant for this years harvest keeping harvesting costs down although i wont hold my breath.

Good luck in Africa, guess I'll have to puddle on alone. Actually with current situation you may well be back before I get around to it.....

As a regular contributer to Lickeys Farming Humour thread, I think the greater part of this subject should be migrated to the humour column. I have not laughed so hard in ages. Who's on First, What's on Second....

Actually, doubt the worms give a sh_t anyway.

My question is, has anyone produced pelletised organic fertiliser? If so, where did you get the pelleting equipment? Is it an axial extruder or a drum type?

M/F,

Does variety make a difference to protien levels in maize?

What would be an average protein level?

Thanks farmerjo

MF,

Good question FJ, for me I need the highest level I can get. Reason being soybean meal is expensive and I intend to substitute other crops to supply the pig rations. So my explicit question is which particular "current" maize variety should I plant for feed use?

Subsidiary question, rats have had a large helping out of some sample crops recently, how do you control them?

Isaanaussie

PS. Biodigester site is still available for both consultant and builder FJ, got it organised yet?

Isaan; If you are wanting pig feed would a small grain crop ,(barley etc) be more drought resistence and still furnish good quality food for the porkers? I am not telling you how to run your business, just that I am looking for alternate feed crops which do not require irrigation, thus labor etc.

Slapout,

I will look at anything. The issue is not only getting the dietary balance right, I am also looking at crops that have some local market potential and local experience. Soybean meal is the mainstay for protein normally but expensive to buy. Oil yield is useful.....my head hurts....

I'm curious .... where does your interest in maize production (in Thailand specifically) stem from?

MF

MF,

Can I jump in here? My interest is in producing Pig feed. I would like advice on what I can expect from a crop in Sisaket after the rice harvest. Yes dry season maize. What cultivar, water requirements, fertiliser and soil prep. Appreciate any help.

Isaanaussie

Hi,

In the process of building a house now and just got the Mrs to call TOT about phone and internet. Apparently they have a 1 or 2 Meg service via "modem" not satellite and it costs 490 - 590 Baht respectively with about a 5 day wait for installation. Has anyone got either of these services and what are you experiences?

Hopeful of Si Songkram.

Hi Ranger,

I currently have the TOT 1MB service in Suphan Buri, at about 20Km from the nearest TOT depot. Service is reasonable when it works. I have had periods of up to a month with neither telephone or internet, the reason was the line had been stolen.

That brings my to my point re-Isaan. We are moving soon to Sisaket, between the city and KhuKan. So I went to TOT to ask what they could provide out in the sticks. No problem can do either 1 or 2MB at the same rental fee, but you have to pay for the cable from the nearest substation or closest existing site at 15 baht per metre. In my case 2.6KM, or 39,000baht. The real stopper is the risk of the cable being stolen is yours.

So even if money grew on trees and I could afford new cable every once in a while, it has to be ordered from Bangkok and there is always a backlog of orders.

Have not checked GPRS and EDGE options (new ones available I believe). 3G projects on hold for all providers.

Isaanaussie

I think you're right about the grass. The bio diesel looked fairly simple, but not simple enough for me to understand! It was made from stainless steel, if that's any help. They were using old cooking oil (among other things) to get the fuel.

There is a website with heaps of info in Thai, you can find it here here

If you check the site and find anything interesting, pls post.

Very simple. Mix methanol and caustic soda together without either gasing yourself on blowing yourself up. Mix that with your oil and stir and stir and stir. Let it seperate into raw biodiesel and glycerin. Wash the biodiesel and bingo. Tip it in the tank and off you go, leave the missus do the dishes, seperate out the excess methanol and find a use for the glycerin. I am told you can use in composting and there is a growing market for it if you have the volume. Cost is the issue now, diesel is cheaper.....

However there are other alternatives. Raw vegetable oil and kerosene or diesel 50-50 blend good for tractors, or pure veg oil with a conversion kit which will run my Ford Ranger 4x4 for about UK 1,000. These viable if you grow your own oil seeds.

Isaanaussie

Smithson,

Thanks for sharing the photos there are some great ideas in amongst them.

Besides the pics below, there were also sections making bio diesel, wood vinegar, charcoal and composting. A lot of ppl scoff at the idea suffiency economy idea, however I think considering the economic crisis and environmental problems, it has a lot of merit.

Rush back this instance and get photos of the bio diesel gear. There were a few sets of gear made and distributed in villages some time ago after the Taksin demonstration unit in Chiang Mai succeeded.

A special type of grass grows in clumps on the side of the pond, it has really long roots that go deep into the pond, helping to remove nutrients trapped there.

I think this is vetiver grass. I have a manual on this stuff, very useful to stop erosion and making a great hedgerow. Because of the root depth it will survive fire and overgrazing.

The picture below shows a press for making bricks from mud. In the background you can see a machine that makes the dirt really fine so it is suitable for this type of mud brick.

The dirt grider is a hammer mill, never seen one used for this before. If anyone knows a company making good ones here let me know. I need one for feed production.

Definitely on the must visit list. Thank again for the effort.

Isaanaussie

Hi Fume Heads,

I thought there may be a few of your interested in the volume of vehicles (pickups) going to Australia. Hope you find the attached interesting. PM me with any questions, I usually ldangle by the farming thread.

Thai_Export_of_Pickup_Trucks_to_Australia_Sept_08.pdf

Isaanaussie

Interesting the comments on subsistence farming. So many ppl have been saying the sufficiency economy concept is crazy, but it's making more sense every day. I visited one of HM's project focusing on it, they were making bio-diesel, composting, mud bricks, water management and a whole lot of other things rural folk could do by being resourceful and without having to spend money.

Can we have details of where this project is. I would love to visit and learn....

I noticed a rice paddy (about 15 rai) flattened after rain and wind, near Chiang Mai. Looked this morning and it is not coming back up, thus will be a mess to harvest, I would think. Pickup reel on combine can only do so much but when crop is flat on ground and its wet, mold sets in quickly. Those laid off workers returning to village may or may not supplement the decreasing labor pool. The early arrivals I have seen in past couple of months, seem kind of work brittle when pointed toward farm labor. Guess after they sponge off family and wear out their welcome they might consider getting out on the farm again.

Good point slapout,

I hadn't even thought of the FACE issue for the returning workers. Its not an issue near me as they all only get labourers jobs working for someone, dont know of many that have had training for a supervisory type position.

Yes IA, you forgot to mention pig shit or rice, rubber trees or rubber cow steaks!

All in all, this is not a real bad thing for Thailand, [ok for you you say, your mrs got a good buisness!] well, yes she has, and it props the farm up, no question!

Yesterday, our farm neighbour was pulling up his 7month old cassava and selling for 1bht15stg kilo, i dont know how much he sold from 2rai, or what he made from this, but he looked happy! I then reminded him of the fertiliser he "stole" from us [see post 19, pinned cassava thread] worth 820bht, Ever seen a long eared spaniel kicked in the nuts look on somebodies face? well, Mr Poo had this look no mistake!

We will come to some labour agreement on repaying this i suppose.

Also and very unfortunate for the poor thai farmers is that a freak rain/wind storm hit our village last weekend, it flattened 6/7 paddies, making it impossible for a harvestor i would think, Mrs says anymore heavy rain and the ears get submerged, thats it! as it is, its a big job for the "stoop" labour.

Are we going back to subsistance farming?would it be a bad thing? I think it would be great, the 1st things to be dropped would be weedkillers and fertilisers by the thais, and some falangs perhaps?

And a year or so of this would revitalise wanked out land, poisened klongs/rivers ect, it would be so nice to buy a fish with just 2 eyes that dosent glow in the dark, an orange that tastes like an orange ect ect

There, ive had my say and my golden parachute is intact, i hope i never need it here!!

Cheers, Lickey.

Lickey,

If I'm right then subsistence farming will have to support a lot more people than it does now. You should have no shortage of "stoop" labour.

My wifes shop will be an outlet for our produce and our farm as close to organic as I can get. Mate, you can have your say at any time for mine, I agree with your intentions completely. Natural, integrated farming where the whole is the sum of the parts. In Isaan, lots and lots of little parts.

But the way, I have the same lodging issue with the rice. If local combines around here (Suphanburi) are any gauge, they will handle it fairly easily.

Isaanaussie

Not sure why this is in the farming forum???

SBK,

Sorry, I didnt explain the word "Home". Home to many are the farms in rural Thailand. Most able and willing men in our village will spend at least a month "off-season" working in the big smoke to generate some cash. Many young couples seek factory work as short to medium careers. If this labour returns home enmasse, it will change the village dynamics markedly. I would have added this to the crystal ball thread but thought it a little too important to get buried

Happy with that?

Isaanaussie

Lomsak,

I do not how long this boundary is, nor the size of the catchment area on the other side of the road but the one thing that occurs to me is you need to slow the water down and divert it. Have you considered bulldozing a earthen dike across the front of your land. On the front face plant some deep rooted grasses like vetiver now and you should have reasonable errosion pretection next year. The strip of ground between you land and the road, as well as the road will act as the channel to carry the water away to where ever, not your problem.

The flooding is for a limited time each year and the dike can be repaired or replaced much cheaper than any form of drainage. On your land, up to you. Off your land, too hard....

Isaanaussie

Thanks for the guidance

The Border is about 130 metres plus in length

Your suggestion sounds cost effective, but do you think legally if it then causes more flooding to others i will be held responsible?

(really want to work and win the trust wherever possible of the locals, and diverting the water out of our land will mean there houses are under even more water than at present... )

Secondly currently the flood water coming onto the land is then washing up against my neighbours new wall ( on my eastern border) and washing it away in places.

As the water that is causing the damage "came lastly from our land" are we liable, as again do not want to alienate locals!

If you stop the water entering your land, then you can hardly be accused of "causing" the problem, the neighbours wall is there for a reason, isnt it? Perhaps you and the neighbours should approach the authorities that control the land opposite and see what they can do to prevent the problem.

As far as liability is concerned, perhaps you should consult legal advisors, there should be some precedent somewhere under Thai law.

When will the global economic crisis hit Thailand?

Answer: Anyone who watched tonights news will know the balloon has gone up. The C7 news included a snipet from the auto factories and a worker saying that when he lost his job he would simply go home. Not a mention of PAD or the temple in Cambodia. Job layoffs eminent in No 2 export earning industry "Pickups".

80% of GDP under press released threat. Eco cars, who cares. Golden Parachutists gt ready to jump! It's on early but NOW.....

FLEE.. those of you that must, for the rest of us, hunker down

Modified cane planters do the job very well.

I saw a huge three tined ripper on Sunday when out for some air, at a New Holland dealer, it had a PTO docking point but I couldn't see what was at the back. Of course it made me think of MF and his hundreds of horsepower, as jealous as. I was actually looking for a single tine on a Cat 1 rig for my little Iseki to struggle pulling, no luck for me and I will make one I think from a second hand mount. Off to Rangsit and the midnight shoppers.

JB, make sure you brush off the other guys missus before you put her back else his dog just might bite.

Hi All,

In Khonwan's "sticky" cassava thread above, back in July on page 4 (I think?)Foreigner mentioned a prototype automatic planter for cassava. Does he or anyone else have any further information on such a planter? He said it was a based on a modified leek planter. How about sugar cane planters - I think these already exist in Thailand - would they not be suitable for planting cassava stems? Also, are they really automatic or do they still require someone to manually feed the stems into the machine behind the tractor? Any information would be gratefully appreciated.

By the way, how is the price of cassava at present or is it not harvest season yet?

JB

JB,

Only ones I have seen have been a ripper with a great big storage box, a feed shute and a chair at the back. Haven't seen an automatic feed, but maybe it was and I didnt notice, and the chair was for your dog to sit on and watch the world go by.

Pretty simple to make yourself I thought. If you can convince the missus to do the stuffing or the driving good idea.

Three posters for the farming "posters".

Shit_Creek_Paddle_Store.bmp

Things could be worse

Isaanaussie

If made for Crayfish, great.

Same would be good, similar, no good.

check yr PMs.

GD,

Will check both the store and the PM. If not the same will ask if he can source, he buys direct I think.

IA

Are these numbers for a harvest per year or for multiple harvests per year?

Karsten,

Yield per crop. Crop numbers dependant on water availability. Either wet rice in irrigated areas which in Suphanburi is 3 to 4 crops pre year, or rain fed rice as in Sisaket which yields a single crop. There are exceptions in Isaan where water can be pumped to yield a second crop.

Isaanaussie

I'm bringing some yabby traps with me next month.

If anyone wants some traps, please PM me.

Cost is 350bt each, plus 200bt/kg

min. order 10 traps. Can be mixed.

No ring

With ring

Gunga,

Mate I live next to a double shophouse full of fish traps similiar to those. If you like I'll check the local price and availability. Could save you a quid. PM if you are interested.

Isaanaussie

One of 2 things are going to happen sometime over the next 18months.

- The Baht is going to get significantly weaker

- the Baht will devaluate

Aussie, thanks for the explanation. It makes sense and I hope you're right. My main query was with the statement by of the Baht getting weaker OR devaluate. Surely it's the same thing as only a pegged currency can be devalued?

Neg - its not the same thing: devaluation is a policy desicion taken by the central bank, or IMF - it is forced upon the currency overnight as a fiscal policy, whereas "getting weaker" is a trend over the medium to long term.

Yes - it leads to the same thing, but the reasons which precipitate devaluation are very different to those that lead to weakening: weakening can be likened to a natural trend, whereas devaluation is almost always against the trend.

Smithson,

Well there we have it. A decent literal definition of the difference. As someone with an automotive industry background let me lighten the conversation in terms I am familiar with:

Slick Tyres

Wet Track and

Pit Lane is closed

For me the Chinese definition of a crisis is apt. A dangerous opportunity

Isaanaussie

hello everyone

im brand new 2 this forum an iv been reading with great interest,im in england at the moment 4 work,iv had a girlfriend from isaan 4 little over a year now im 34 she is 31 iv spent a bit of time at her home in ban bo sila about 20k outside ban dung,iv been working on the family farms an fell in love with the lifestyle,iv been doing some homework lookin at some land, compering prices an so on.Im happy 2 know there is a wealth of knowledge on this site as im thinking about rubber trees but wanted 2 know the track record of good rubber tree returns on isaan soil,id be very gratefull 4 any feed back

thanx a lot

Hi Deano,

Welcome try sending a PM to member "Jamescollister" excuse the spelling, he has posted several videos on YouTube about his operation in processing rubber and should have a pretty idea or who, what and where you can get your information from.

Good luck, and beware the duff rubber trees. They are a bit like the steel cows on sale to the diary industry to improve milk yields, "steel" no milk.

Isaanaussie