Pigs 101 (A Start)

[IsaanAussie]

This arrived in the email from pig333 site. It deals with the cost/risk of eliminating PRRS from a farm by three options. Worth a read and for safety sake, copying hopefully in futility.

http://www.pig333.com/what_the_experts_say/elimination-of-prrs-in-breeding-herds_6301/

[jcw]

This might be positive for piggie farmers Link to a story about pork prices next year rising. I am sure the Pork God of Thailand, Khun CP will jack up the prices and maybe the back yard farmer can ride the wagon.

[IsaanAussie]

Over the last months I have had phone and email questions from a surprising number of "wannabe" pig farmers. NOW? I think to myself... Still if I go back to when I started with so much help from TV pigsters and in particular our departed friend Fruity, I think why not? Nothing has changed really, it is still a seasonal market. It is an industry dedicated by AGRO GIANTS. But still God sits in his heaven and all is still not right in the world.

So not having posted something for a while I thought perhaps a general clue for those of you that are not daily involved but are paying the feed bills and only visit occasionally. So here is the Q & A.

Q: How do you know if the feed is being used properly?

A: Look at the manure! Hard lumps, underfed. Running muck, overfed.

[IsaanAussie]

At September 23, 2555. Price Pig meat. National Association of Swine. .00. (0). Ratchaburi 49.00. (-6.5). Nakhon Pathom 52.00. (-5). Chachoengsao. 52.00. (-6). Chon Buri 52.00. (-5). East. 52.00. (-7). Chiang Mai 56.00. (-4). Sriracha. 52.00. (-6). Surat Thani 56.00. (0). Songkhla 57.00. (0). Sea., P. .00. (0). Bangkhla factory. .00. (0). Piglets. 1400.00 + - 52.00.

The swine association numbers for this last week. I checked with a local merchant last weekend and the local price was 52 baht then. These figures indicate falls in most areas. Piglet prices are improving though.

Of interest is an instruction from the Dept of Internal Trade suggesting that minimum prices should be held. Apparently they are going to send officers out to check on prices. Yeah right! That ought to cure the problems of the growers.

[pigeonjake]

thanks IA, i think at the farm gate we will never get the proper price, our main buyer i must admit is good with us, like i said last week he gave us 52, the wife sold a couple at 53,

as long as we can keep shifing them at that price we,ll be ok,

we have another batch of 12 ready in 2 to 3 weeks, but to be honest im still going to tell the wife to go and buy another batch in,

i still want to have pigs about the place, we make money at them prices, not a lot but we make a profit, and if was to not have pigs when my main buyer wanted some, how long before they stop ringing you?

jake

[IsaanAussie]

The reality is 52 baht is too cheap. I would have to get out at that price. You may still be making a slight profit on expenses but it has to be a loss if you place any value on labour and overhead costs. I still believe that things will improve later in the year. Personally if the price climbed back to 65 baht and stayed there like a few years ago, I would be happy to sell to the local market.Thankfully at the moment I dont have to and my return rate is much higher (so is the effort of course). The culls are usually the only pigs I sell to local parties. As I have said before the rate of them stays pretty much fixed here at 45 baht.

In answer to your question, how long before your buyer gives you the empty for not having pigs? I don't know. I take the position that it is like queuing here, lucky if there is a queue at all, bound to be queue jumpers and you better be around when your number is getting close! You have to have the stock and an alternate sale option.

[pigeonjake]

like ive said before when i get back 10th nov, ill be building a small room to sell from home, we have talked to the head man and things ok,(hes a family freind) and he,ll get cheap meat,lol,

we know were the slaughter house is, so ill go down that road too, even if we just sell 1 a week to startwith to freinds and family the return like you say is so so much greater, and if we can get the number up to 3 or 4 a week then all the better,

its a thing ive got to try, and like we have said to each other many times you have to try different things jusy cant stand still,

thanks mate,, i still after all this time look forward to your postings,,

ill be seeing yousoon in person with your vegimite,,lol,

jake hard at work

[revar]

Jake, Tony,

I agree with both of you. 52 would be too low if this is the average annual price. Better not to have many finished pigs during this period. But this is still budist lent (pansa) and prices are always at their lowest. If you can still make a small profit (forgetting about labor cost , recouping investment or depreciation) during this period you are doing ok in my book because you will make nice profits when the prices go up after october (end of pansa).

Of course its best to plan not to have too many finished pigs during pansa but thats not always easy. What if you can get cheap piglets in may? I have 20 Finished pigs for sale now but are growing them bigger waiting for my regular buyer because prices are around 48 bath here with 6 different buyers. Industry buyer buys only at 43 bath.

Planning is key.

I also have 70 pigs with should be finished between half december and half januari which are normally better paying periods.

I am also building some new pens for piglets I plan to buy to be finished around Thai new year. If an when I actually buy these will also depend on the weather. No small piglets when its 'cold'.

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[kevjohn]

All pig farmers can do with as much help as they can get........so

The Dachshund & The Pink Pig

This Dachshund is fostering this little guy for another mom who couldn't take care of him.

He had his eyes closed, but now they are open.

He is just a little bigger than her other pups.

She loves this little guy as much as the other puppies and she is nursing him back to health.

He is the cleanest pig-puppy ever, because she licks him all the time!

HIS NAME IS PINK....

'Until one has loved an animal, part of them remains unawakened.'

[pigeonjake]

hi raver,

i can live with the bad months as like you say you can make it better for the good months,

i get my piglets very cheep as ive said before, they might be runts from the big farms, but a few days with us laid in lots of straw and given human baby mild they do fine,

i allways get the pick when the pig lady rings me to say she will have 60 or so piglets on sunday, she tells the other buyers falang get first pick, shes good with us, but i buy at least 20 every month, sometimes i take more if there is some smart looking pigs,

if they are very young as sometimes they are, like i say i just put lots of straw in there pen for a few weeks, there hardy little things, and if it was very cold i could allways set the heat lamp up, ive got electric down there, as i allways leave a couple of lights on at nite,

i never count my labour, yes i would if it was a proper business but i look at it more as plesure and giving me something to do that earns a little money,

we all know we arnt going to get rich out of pigs, but as long as we make a little bit then thats fine by me,

ill be home 10th and you can bet your bottom doller ill be building by the 12th,,lol, im not one for just sitting around,

ive got a mushroom shed to build too, as the wife wants to have a go at that too,

new duck house to build,lol

itll be all go,, take care all, and good luck, jake

[IsaanAussie]

'Until one has loved an animal, part of them remains unawakened.'

How very true. My wife was not an animal person when we first met and was horrified when I got a dog. But things change and she now does most of the feeding at the sty. Its great, I can move about the pens for hours early morning without the pigs clambering for breakfast, whereas when she arrives they all start up. "Yes, yes. Mum's here." she tells them.

Kev, I will wait anxiously to see what sort of FCR difference you get between the piglet and the pups. I would start bottle feeding the piglet as soon as you can to give the puppies a chance. But answer me this, what are you going to do with the pig? You said "he" and as his tail is not docked I am guessed he is still intact with all his teeth. A large white boar in the backyard, that should be fun!

[kevjohn]

'Until one has loved an animal, part of them remains unawakened.'

How very true. My wife was not an animal person when we first met and was horrified when I got a dog. But things change and she now does most of the feeding at the sty. Its great, I can move about the pens for hours early morning without the pigs clambering for breakfast, whereas when she arrives they all start up. "Yes, yes. Mum's here." she tells them.

Kev, I will wait anxiously to see what sort of FCR difference you get between the piglet and the pups. I would start bottle feeding the piglet as soon as you can to give the puppies a chance. But answer me this, what are you going to do with the pig? You said "he" and as his tail is not docked I am guessed he is still intact with all his teeth. A large white boar in the backyard, that should be fun!

Sorry, IssanAussie, but I don,t know the people that own "Pink".

This came to me, in an email, and I thought it had a place in your thread.

I was trying to get the, Loving Feeling, message across.

[IsaanAussie]

And that you did. It often takes something like your pictures to get my focus back after a few days where things don't go quite to plan.

Yesterday I asked the wife to help sort out three litters by sex into two grower pens. I moved each litter from its nursery pen into the grower pens. My pens have a large gate at the back separating them. To start off I let them explore both pens and get settled a bit. Then it was time to separate them, let the greasy pig catching contest begin! All she had to do was open the gate a bit as I moved gilts into one and boars into the other. We had all in one pen, then all in the other and any possible permutation in between. What a circus!

[pigeonjake]

IA,

called keeping you fit mate,,lol,

ive just noticed too, that its 2 years nearly to the day that you started this thred and its still going strong, well done, and i for one look forward to reading what comes onto here,

jake

[IsaanAussie]

IA,

called keeping you fit mate,,lol,

ive just noticed too, that its 2 years nearly to the day that you started this thred and its still going strong, well done, and i for one look forward to reading what comes onto here,

jake

Is it only two years?

Having a lazy start today, first up get a load of rice hulls so I will have to wait until breakfast is finished to get a hand. I can understand farmers that get an early start and come home for breakfast around 10, but my mob just sit around until then to start. Still it looks like a good sunny day to burn some biochar and get into the compost boxes.

My herd is now down to 30 odd pigs and will get smaller as I finish the culling program and sell some of the ham size pigs. Maintenance time on the sty during low numbers. Plan on starting the new breeding program soon with AI.

By the way, if anyone is interested in a duroc boar, I have six around 50 kgs that are available for a little longer before their fate will change from possible working boar, to "farm to table" stock as I cannot use them with the sows and gilts bred here as well. For anyone thinking about getting a boar then I can state that Durocs are lovely placid animals that are very easy to train and not aggressive, at least mine aren't.

If anyone has a young Duroc boar at the same size or even a little bigger, I would like to swap for one of mine to change the bloodline

I would also suggest that if you are thinking about selling pigs at lower (ham) weights, you leave the boars intact. They grow much better than barrows with a lot less fat. I have slaughtered many for the restaurant trade and have never had an issue of boar taint. Obviously this has to do with how the animal is slaughtered and the wedding tackle removed as well. Even boars I have culled haven't tainted if they are rested for a few weeks prior to slaughtered and as I have said before that includes a boar at over 330kg.

[IsaanAussie]

Just home and a beer before a shower. Man what a day! Everything done including the last of my sows yet to be culled getting really keen on staying a bit longer. Good old Cyril the boar, as ever obliged and then looked at me that said " OK show me what's next." So we did our normal heat detection in one door and out the other. 10 gilts that will come in season soon, Cur Raist, I was planning a break...

AI, not today but soon, so add Duroc semen to the to do list for tomorrow!

Will it never end?

[IsaanAussie]

Just home and a beer before a shower. Man what a day! Everything done including the last of my sows yet to be culled getting really keen on staying a bit longer. Good old Cyril the boar, as ever obliged and then looked at me that said " OK show me what's next." So we did our normal heat detection in one door and out the other. 10 gilts that will come in season soon, Cur Raist, I was planning a break...

AI, not today but soon, so add Duroc semen to the to do list for tomorrow!

Will it never end?

[jamescollister]

Just home and a beer before a shower. Man what a day! Everything done including the last of my sows yet to be culled getting really keen on staying a bit longer. Good old Cyril the boar, as ever obliged and then looked at me that said " OK show me what's next." So we did our normal heat detection in one door and out the other. 10 gilts that will come in season soon, Cur Raist, I was planning a break...

AI, not today but soon, so add Duroc semen to the to do list for tomorrow!

Will it never end?

AI been planting coconuts for 4 days and swinging that pick. Know how you feel and that beer tastes all the better as you replace all that sweat. Jim

[revar]

IA,

Cyril? Aren't you always telling not to name pigs because it is suposed to be business?

Cheers, the beers alwaus taste good when your tired. Pnly sometimes too good and the nextmorning we have toget up at5 am. 'Luckily' I live next to the wat wirh the loudspwekwrs only 20m from my house so I don't need to buy am alarm clock.

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[IsaanAussie]

IA,

Cyril? Aren't you always telling not to name pigs because it is suposed to be business?

Cheers, the beers alwaus taste good when your tired. Pnly sometimes too good and the nextmorning we have toget up at5 am. 'Luckily' I live next to the wat wirh the loudspwekwrs only 20m from my house so I don't need to buy am alarm clock.

I think I said not to get attached too much to your pigs. But yes he is Cyril, because he always looked like it suited him. Actually when we started the family used to name them all and in the case of the boars I was supposed to provide the names. Cyril, Kevin and Rot Tahan (Tank). So with tongue in cheek, you caught me out!

Now my turn. You think your Wat alarm clock is good, I used to live in Jakarta and the Mosques start at 4am, same as here I suppose. You always went house hunting with a map that showed the locations of as a friend put it, "The Smiley Faces" (a crescent moon symbol) trying to live as far away as possible. You couldn't get far enough away and waking early has been with me ever since. That quiet of the early time is fantastic, you can be alone with your thoughts. Today is no different, the false dawn is announced by the village roosters. I treat it like an alarm with an automatic sleep button. If I have something on my mind, I wake early, if not then the customers start at the shop at 5am anyway.

IA

Edit PS: Does that mean roosters are Muslim?

[Proud Derek]

I just read about a farmer in America that was eaten by his pigs, rather you than me boys LOL

[IsaanAussie]

I just read about a farmer in America that was eaten by his pigs, rather you than me boys LOL

Yeah, I read that too. Poor guy, we will never know what happened to put him that position, but I suppose we can assume the pigs must have been very hungry!

Edit: And there must have been quite a few of them.

[chantsurfer]

Careful Gentlemen, farmer eaten by his pigs http://www.couriermail.com.au/news/world/us-farmer-eaten-by-his-hogs/story-fnd12peo-1226486397799

[IsaanAussie]

Personally I would like to hear the pigs side of the story.

Remember the joke about the farmer who had a favorite pig with only three legs? When asked why he didnt put the pig down, he explained that the pig was very clever and demonstrated by getting the pig to do tricks. He was asked what happened to the missing leg and the farmer countered with, "With a pig that smart, surely you dont expect me to eat him all at once?"

[revar]

Personally I would like to hear the pigs side of the story"

It's '0ink, oink"

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[IsaanAussie]

Price Pig meat. National Association of Swine. .00. (0). Ratchaburi 48.00. (-1). Nakhon Pathom 51.50. (-0.5). Chachoengsao. 52.00. (0). Chon Buri 52.00. (0). East. 52.00. (0). Chiang Mai 56.00. (0). Sriracha. 52.00. (0). Surat Thani 56.00. (0). Songkhla 57.00. (0). Sea., P. .00. (0). Bangkhla factory. .00. (0). Piglets. 1200.00 + - 50.00

Well here we are at the 1st of October price list. At least the slide has stopped. "SatChin" is I think on the 15th and we may start to see some improvement for or after that. What I find interesting is the price of piglets has gone down as far as it has.

Excuse the table formats but this old box is about done

[wdrk7]

How about prices for pig feed ? Going up ?

[IsaanAussie]

How about prices for pig feed ? Going up ?

Sure are, for me two rises in the last two months amounting to about 30 to 40 baht per bag across the range. At 1 to 1.5 baht per kg means an additional 300 baht per pig feed cost. To get a better idea in the last 4 years the maintenance grade feed has risen from 260 baht to 350 baht or about 30%. But the live price is still the same as it was then.

[jompa67]

Low price on piglet can interprets as there is to many sellers or that Thai people think its to expensive to raise pigs so they w8t. They are not known for thinking six months into the future, so hope we can c a more normal market during next year with prices above 60 bath/kg. With current price level, u can close your bag and go home.

[pigeonjake]

well we are still taking the risk that the prices will go up,

we just had 23 piglets deliverd to us,

just have to see what happens,like i said im going to build a room for selling meat from home when i get back home from this stint, see how that goes,

jake