Pigs 101 (A Start)

[cdmtdm]

great story croom64 .....keep us all posted

[RedBullHorn]

croom64, a warm welcome to the forum.

[joeuk1]

If any of the pig farmers Buriram - Prakhonchai area want pig feed at a great price you can call 0821316993 or pm me brand is Lee Pattana .

Best regards

[revar]

after 8 bags of spm 105+ the piglets are growing well. they realy like this food. The SPM vet castrated 2 30+ kg pigs but unfortunately with 1 who had only half a testicle he nicked the colon. big weight loss and the shit comes out of the wound.the SPM sales guy came to check, called the vet and he offered us a 2000 thb compensation ( if we wanted more that would be ok as well). very decent I think and I took the 2000. For now still impressed witg SPM.

Sent from my GT-S6102 using Thaivisa Connect App

[IsaanAussie]

Sorry Revar but I do not understand. Why wait until the pig is at that weight before you castrate it? It had some deformity and you bought it, why? And from a business viewpoint, 2000baht at 30 kg isn't enough, why are you happy with that?

[RedBullHorn]

I second your post IA. Why!?!! Why at this weight ? Castrations are perform are a very young age, why wait until it is 30+ kg ?

[revar]

got it at 30 kg as part of a deal on 34 pigs of different weights. Total cost of pig + food+ medicine, watere, elec. now 1780 thb. so 2000 thb was fine with me. Free vet services for my pigs is more portant then a few extra bath. Especially since I didn't expect any compensation.

Sent from my GT-S6102 using Thaivisa Connect App

[IsaanAussie]

Fair enough, but not for me. I tried buying a bunch of pigs from the back of a truck once at different weights, complete disaster. You obviously have the knack.

As for buying any pig with an obvious deformity, I would advise against that. I made a mistake in using one boar to introduce some new genetics which ended up yielding some piglets that developed hernias soon after weaning. That put paid to the idea of keeping some of the gilts. It also made them hard to sell with the hernia bulge dangling down. Whilst that condition wasn't really a problem for the pigs, having them in the sty is not good for business. As a breeder these things happen, just part of the game. But as a grower, too many good ones around not to be selective.

[revar]

IA, on the subject of bulges , deformaties (moo mau). I always have a few with those and they are the reason I can buy batches for 400-800 a piglet instead of 1000-1300. basically the ones with bulges or leg problems are free. I also have the buyers for those pigs when they are grown out. And I do not breed. I Do avoid lung problems and sick pigs.

piglets from a batch are not mixed with others for at least a month.

Also the vet comes to check my piglets within 2 days and I have small pens to separate sick ones.

I understand your reasoning, but raising these pigs is my niche. I couldn't make enough profit using the 1500bath 15kg nice piglets which are available here.

Lastly, I always use the same supplier of piglets and if I have more then 10% mortality I get free replacement piglets.

Sent from my GT-S6102 using Thaivisa Connect App

[IsaanAussie]

Please don't get me wrong, I was not being critical. Your logic is sound and you have the bases covered. You are obviously committed to caring for your pigs and doing well. I doubt they taste any different to any others. Might be a good idea to get your supplier to change boars though, seems like the genetics are a bit too close. On second thoughts, it would probably suit your model better if you said nothing.

[revar]

don't worry. I understand. my supplier also has lots of beautifull piglets. they have local government buyers for these for about 30-50 every month. I buy the other ones which is why I can get them cheap.

I did also had bad experience with back of the truck piglets. I won't do that again.

Sent from my GT-S6102 using Thaivisa Connect App

[revar]

offocial price(swinethailand) in isaan now at 69. sharks still buying at 60-62. so I'm waiting a few days more before selling.

Sent from my GT-S6102 using Thaivisa Connect App

[revar]

btw. the pig with the nicked colon who was fated to die by the vet is recovering and gaining weight again.

A day of starvation followed by a liquid diet with vitamins and the right antibiotic did the trick. took some experimenting. Still took the compensation ( As a reimbursement for medicines and lost weight).;-)

Sent from my GT-S6102 using Thaivisa Connect App

[COXYATCITY]

off to sunny Surin 2morrow for a few weeks.i can,t wait to see my pigs,especially the new arrivals. 2 Petrain boars,which have been a little quiet since they

have got there. until today ,they has started eating more of the food we give him , and are not shy to go and sniff,which they have been for a few days,hopefully they have found there feet in this strange new house of there,s :-), ,will post a picture soon as poss,about 3 weeks,a little pissed for a change,may the PORK BE WITH YOU

[IsaanAussie]

My timing is as good as ever. Sold a lot of pigs over the first few months of this year figuring the prices would not improve and now just look at them. 70 baht in most of the country and piglets at 1900. Oh well, held on to a couple of sows and we will see what happens over the next few months.

How are the local prices holding up guys?

[thedoctor]

the wife got a call from yasathorn yesterday a friend of hers wants to sell pigglets,

as far as i know they are about 10 days old, she had four lots for sale

20, 18, 14, 7, any numbers are ok,

i looked at the farm months ago and its a very good setup very clean, well kept,thai couple ex school teachers

i didnt ask the price but if anyone interested call me and ill give you her number

0844486100

regards mick

[revar]

70 bath!. But not here. still selling at 62. most are buying between 58-60. Still got 10 100+ left to sell this week but they must go before 15th.

Sent from my GT-S6102 using Thaivisa Connect App

[IsaanAussie]

Thanks Revar, seems corporate "price control" still applies. Makes me feel better, apparently sold at the right time, the local price is all there is. OK no need to wait start planning new strategies.

Still it is nice only having a few pigs to deal with and a chance to do other things.

[revar]

the sharks have been smart around here and have build a large stock in their own pens by buying big the last two weeks. when the swinethailand listed price was62 they paid 58-60 so most people sold. last week at swinethai 69 they still paid 60 and now at 70 still between 60 and 62.

Sent from my GT-S6102 using Thaivisa Connect App

[IsaanAussie]

Ok so why did these guys buy up big? I understand the swinethailand prices and the sources for the numbers.But the middleman guys are an unknown. A few years ago RBH posted a good view of their role. But now that appears to be reversed and I am lost.

[RedBullHorn]

IA... That's a few years ago, now 'we' have upgraded, we buy them up and export them.

I mention 'we' because me and a few wholesalers have bunch up, i don't mind telling it all, this is what we do :

1. We will buy up pigs from all over the places, forming a network. Then we will gather all the big heavy weight (120-130kg)

condition them and once fit for transport, export them.

2. The rest are then kept to continue rearing up to the require weight, then export.

3. Flexible market between local and foreign, making money both side.

4. High turn overs, exporting 200-300 live pigs by 12 wheelers+trailer per week.

If you can recall, i did mention that I'm exploring foreign markets a few years ago. Sometimes we need to do more than just being a farmer, if you can 'click' with wholesalers and they trust you, doors will open and opportunities gain.

P.S: We are the last stop of the regional network, all direct/left overs from the sharks come to us.

[revar]

IA, I sell to butchers from several ampeuhs who slaughter and sell the meat frpm their car in villages Normally each wants 2pigs a day. Now with songkan they sell meat from up to 10 a day. But normally their customers and they are more critical about the meat. so they are willing to pay a few bath extra for my pigs. now their customers only care about quantity. everyone will be too drunk to notice the difference;-). So they don't pay extra for quality.

The only middle-woman I sell to buys for the processing industry so her role is clear.

Sent from my GT-S6102 using Thaivisa Connect App

[revar]

RBH, good to hear your back as a pigster. even if you are now a big time shark/middleman.:-)

Sent from my GT-S6102 using Thaivisa Connect App

[IsaanAussie]

Thanks RBH and Revar for sharing those details. I have dappled in both after a fashion and neither is for me. But I like what you guys are doing and more importantly your work ethic and commitment level. It is a refreshing change from some of the (as Jim Collister terms them "Rich Hobbists") attitudes I encounter. Buried another friend this week that had nothing to challenge him, no problems, nothing at risk and nothing to do. Passion for life and the need to live not just survive are my drivers. Always a better mousetrap....

So if we ever do get together, be prepared to get rotten drunk, smoke way too much and have a great time. To hell with the world and its sanity!

[RedBullHorn]

To play their game, i need to be one them... I'm just a silent partner, my job is to standby the Lao Khow.

I've been keeping quiet for almost 2 years but i did hint that I'm exporting them a couple of years back, nobody take me seriously.

[RedBullHorn]

RBH, good to hear your back as a pigster. even if you are now a big time shark/middleman.:-)

Sent from my GT-S6102 using Thaivisa Connect App

I've always been in the pigs trade, what makes you think I'm not ?

Aren't you all grateful that I'm sharing ?

I've always share the insider information, didn't i ? (if you care to look back past posts.)

Nothing to do about buried friends, man up to it guys.... as a foreigner it is not easy to strike and survive the market conditions. You think you as rich farmers with some hard foreign cash can contradict a volatile market control by the conglomerates ? Childish~~

Its a game, to play it by their rules... be one of them. (If you can !)

[RedBullHorn]

..............anyway, I'll quit my partnership once i hit ฿15 mil next Febuary Chinese New Year......

[RedBullHorn]

..............anyway, I'll quit my partnership once i hit ฿15 mil next Febuary Chinese New Year......

Typo error, sorry. I meant ฿1.5 mil

[IsaanAussie]

..............anyway, I'll quit my partnership once i hit ฿15 mil next Febuary Chinese New Year......

Typo error, sorry. I meant ฿1.5 mil

Well that rips it,my last "super hero" bites the dust

[RedBullHorn]

... There's four of us, I've the smallest share and i don't need to run the operation.

It is an opportunity that i didn't miss out, i target ฿1.5 mil profit by next year Febuary, not bad for a 3 years investment and we split the profit every month. Make my money and move on, i won't stay because i had plan it as a hit & run thing from the start and i prefer to do thing on my own.

The money made will then be put into good use - to buy a Hino and hire a driver to transport their pigs. Still making money out of them partners.