How to Run a Piggery BusinessBy Martin Muchira, eHow Contributor updated: September 29, 2010A piggery is a place where pigs are raised and kept. Pigs can be raised in a controlled environment (hog lots) indoors or in open spaces or barns either in wholesale or small scale. Pigs can be reared as breeding sows or for slaughter. Some of the ways you can start include buying an existing piggery or starting from scratch. This will affect your start-up costs and how soon you profit from the business.

Difficulty:

 

Moderately Challenging

Instructions1.

o 1Apply for licenses and permits. Register your business with the Secretary of State. Also, register with the department of health and conform to its policies, which prohibit pig farms or pig pens from being within 50 feet from a public water body. Large-scale piggeries are also considered to be major land projects. Therefore, you need a "land use permit" from the U.S. Department of Commerce. You also need a National Pollution Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) permit from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).

o 2Buy piglets from stockbreeders within your locality or online. You can also look up the classifieds. Different breeds of pigs are suited for different environments indoors or outdoors. Crossbreeds tend to grow faster and eat larger quantities of food. When selecting a piglet, choose a healthy one, which weighs at least 25 lbs. Ask the breeder whether the piglet has been immunized.

o 3Construct a shelter or pen for the pigs. Ensure proper temperatures are maintained in the shelter as pigs are sensitive to high temperatures. High temperatures can cause heat stress, which could result in miscarriages or death of the pigs. You can regulate heat in the pig pen by making the roof of the pig pen high enough so that there is proper ventilation in the pen. Also, you can install a cooling mechanism such as a dip water system. A pig pen which is 200 square feet can comfortably hold 10 pigs. Even if you let your pigs roam about during the day, it is essential that theyhave shelter where they can feed or breed.

o 4Maintain sanitation. Pigs need to be kept in a clean area as they are susceptible to infections. Come up with a mechanism which will help you to maintain cleanliness in the pen such as using slotted pen floors to make it easier to collect waste from the pen. Ensure there is a good drainage system and septic tanks to handle waste when the pigs urinate or defecate. The pen should be cleaned on a regular basis and regularly sprayed with anti bacterial sprays. Also, ensure that the floor is always dry. This will help to minimize odor.

o 5

Feed the pigs corn, soybeans, or other grains. Provide the pigs with vitamins and other supplements. Piglets have a higher need for proteins than mature pigs. Ensure the pigs are well supplied with water as pigs can drink between two to four gallons of water daily.

o 6Sell the pigs after they reach the ideal weight in about five to seven months. The ideal weight at which they can be sold is 200 lbs. The pigs can be sold at livestock auctions or to butchers.

Read more: How to Run a Piggery Business | eHow.com http://www.ehow.com/how_7159078_run-piggery-business.html#ixzz1Lq4vw0J5

Learn how to start your own piggery businessStarting a piggery is a great business that you can start in your own back yard. 

For this workbook, we solicited the help of seasoned pig farmer Rolly Bautista,51,  who helped Entrepreneur with some basic know how for people who want to get into this kind of business. Rolly, who maintains a 200-square meter pig cage in his backyard in Apalit, Pampanga, has been in this line of business since 2000.

KEEP IT CLEAN

“It is not true that pigs are filthy animals. In fact, they can easily catch diseases if their surroundings, and even the people who take care of them or approach them, are unclean,” he said.

So for those who want to use their backyards for a small-scale piggery business, Rolly said the first emphasis should be on the pig cage or pen. He said that a drainage system and a septic tank are musts. Through this, every time the pigs urinate or defecates, the area can be cleaned immediately. The pigs defecate twice a day and the cage will only become smelly if they get mixed with the urine.

“If you will immediately clean the cage, it will not smell bad and your neighbors will not even notice that you have a piggery in your backyard because it will not emit a foul smell,” he said.

There should also be a steady source of water because the pigs need to be washed at least once a day. They also need to drink clean water regularly.

The roofing of the cage should be high to help it have proper ventilation, because the sow will easily suffer a miscarriage if the area gets too hot.

The pen should have regular anti-bacterial sprays.

Bautista said a 200-square meter pen can accommodate up to 10 sows (inahin) and 50 fattener piglets.

BUSINESS OPTIONS

For those interested in starting a piggery, there are two options to choose from.

1. Grow so-called 'fatteners' and sell them when they have reached at least 90 kilos in weight.

A fattener, Bautista says, is a pig with an age ranging from one month to 45 days. They can be bought at an average of P1,600 t P1, 800 each, depending on the prevailing market price. They consume an average of one sack of feeds per month at P1200 each sack. They are ready to be sold after three months.

As a sample estimate, if the prevailing price is P100 per kilo for live pigs, then a 100-kilo pig will sell

P10,000. 

Slaughtering the pig and selling it to neighbors might net you an additional 30-percent mark-up.

2. Pig breeding

Another option is breeding and selling pigs wholesale. Bautista says a 120-day-old sow (Dumalaga) can be bought for a minimum of P12,000 each. It will then take an average of four to six months for the sow to give birth.

“Make sure that you keep the sow thin so it will not have more piglets and will not have a hard time giving birth. It is best to limit to one kilo the feeds that it will eat for one day,” he said.

In doing this, Rolly said the sow can give birth to more than 20 piglets. A fatter sow, on the other hand, can only have up to eight piglets.

After taking care of the piglets for one month, he said they can be sold already for at least P1,000.

In receiving buyers, Rolly said you must make sure that they will not get too close to the pigs. This is because there is a possibility that they have been to other piggeries and they may have brought some diseases with them.

While in the business, Rolly said the seminars usually given by the suppliers and manufacturers of feeds are a must. The feeds producers also dispatch their veterinarians once a week to the piggery owners.

“You should be well-informed especially with the new kinds of diseases that are coming out,” he said.

Rolly said the business will continue to be profitable as long as cleanliness will emanate from the owners themselves.

Entrep Tip: Pigs usually cost higher after the Holiday season because the supplies have run out by that time. Rolly said you can adjust your mating schedules according to this. 

Before setting up a pig farm, there are certain things that must first be considered. For example, you will have to decide whether to:

buy an existing farm

add an indoor pig unit to property that you already own or give over some land to outdoor pig production

start up completely from scratch

The course of action you choose will affect the costs you will incur and may also affect how soon you start to receive income from the venture.

This Bizguide will help you to complete your cash flow. The topics listed under Income and Expenditure relate to fields in the cash flow section of the Business Plan.

Cash sales

'Cash sales' means all income from your main business activity which is received at the time of sale. Although some customers will pay you in cash, remember that Cash sales also include:

cheques

debit and credit card payments

BACS transfers

To prepare your cash flow, you will need to estimate how much income you will receive over the next twelve months (including VAT if appropriate). To do this you will need to work out what quantity of your products you are likely to sell and at what price.

Sales for which you do not receive payment at the time of sale are known as 'Cash from debtors'. You will have to estimate what percentage of your sales will be Cash sales and what percentage will be Cash from debtors.

Once you have decided on the split between Cash sales and Cash from debtors, you should then consider what the value of your sales will be. Think about the things that will affect this, such as:

Pricing

The price that you receive for your products will have an effect on the total overall level of your sales. Your prices will be affected by:

the general state of the market

who you sell to

the quality of your produce

your method of production (for example, organically produced meat generally attracts a price premium)

The price received by pig producers in the UK is subject to much fluctuation. The pig industry receives very little in the way of subsidies and is very sensitive to world market pressures.

For the small producer it is often difficult to break even when selling produce to manufacturers, large processors and large retailers because of the low price offered. You may be able to improve the price that you receive for your pigs if you sell direct to the consumer or through local businesses.

Herd performance

Try to give some thought to the expected performance levels of your pig unit. This could mean:

estimating the number of piglets per litter that your sows will produce and how many of these will survive

what level of sow mortality you will experience

the feed conversion ratio of your pigs

Level of demand

To make an estimate of the value of your sales you will also have to consider whether there is enough demand for your products and whether you will be able to find a market for them.

To help with your decisions, click on the checkpoints for guidance. Once you have worked out a Cash sales figure add it to the relevant field in your cash flow forecast.

Industry Sector: Pig Farm

You should be aware of the following:

under the Animal Health Act you must be registered with the relevant Agriculture Department because you will be keeping animals. Contact the Divisional Veterinary Officer to register your farm

if your pig unit has more than 2,000 places for production pigs or 750 places for sows you will have to obtain a permit to operate from the Environment Agency in England and Wales, the Northern Ireland Environment Agency or the Scottish Environment Protection Agency (SEPA)

you must have a General Movement Licence to move pigs from your farm. Each movement must be reported using the AML2 document

If your business will prepare, store and sell food you will need to register with your local environmental health department. They will inspect your premises and help you to comply with the requirements of the Food Safety Act. You should contact your local authority early on in your planning so that you register in good time. There is no charge for registering.

Food business is fortunately thriving in the country these days. Although there are trends within the food industry, and bacon is not exactly one of the trends, there is still a good market for bacon.

You will need only about P700 to buy the ingredients and some tools, if you don't already have those tools in your kitchen.

MATERIALS NEEDED:

Gas stove Casserole Oven Bowls 30ml syringe (P32.50) 21G x 1" needle (P2.00) Knife Cotton thread or ham net (P60) Paperlyne (P40) or cut wrap for curing and packaging 

INGREDIENTS:

1kg of liempo or pork belly  

for PUMPING PICKLE: (good for 10 kg of meat)

½ cup & 2 tablespoons salt, P15 per kg 5 cups water 6 ½ tablespoons white sugar 3 tablespoons phosphate 1 teaspoon curing salt 1 ½ teaspoons powdered ascorbic acid 1 drop oil of anise 1 drop oil of cloves 1 drop maplein 1 ½ teaspoons smoke flavor

for DRY CURE (good for every 1 kg of meat)

1 ½ tablespoons salt, P15 per kg 2 ½ tablespoons sugar 1/4 tablespoons phosphate

How to make baconBy Mishell Malabaguio. Photos by At MaculanganPROCEDURE:

 

 

1. Dissolve the salt into the water and then dissolve the following ingredients: phosphate, sugar, curing salt, ascorbic acid, oil of anise, oil of cloves, maplein, and smoke flavor.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

2. Once dissolved, get ½ cup of the pickle and put it in the syringe. Make sure there is no air inside the syringe.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

3. Get the liempo and inject the pickle into the lean portion of the meat in several points 1/2 inch apart. After each injection, slightly massage the meat to evenly distribute the pumping pickle in the meat. Set aside.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

4. Mix the ingredients for the dry cure. Get the meat and rub the dry cure on the meat, starting from its fatty portion all the way to the lean portion. Afterwards, wrap with paperlyne or cut wrap.

5. Cure the pork for 8 to 10 hours at room temperature and then 5 days inside the refrigerator. After curing, wash the meat thoroughly with running water for 30 minutes to make sure that all excess curing ingredients are removed. Then drain the meat.

 

 

 

 

 

 

6. Roll the meat and then tie it tightly with the cotton thread. You may also use a ham net. After tying the bacon, freeze it.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

7. Once the bacon has been frozen, slice it thinly. You may now pack and sell it.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Your production cost adds up to around P174.38 per kilo. Multiply it by 1.75 to get a 75 percent markup including the overhead costs, which means you can sell it at P305. Bacon sells commercially for P150 to P170 per ½ kg.

Tips

Do not put the meat inside the freezer while curing; too much cold will slow the penetration of the spices into the meat. Put the meat in the fresh-food compartment of the refrigerator instead.

Wash the meat thoroughly to remove the excess curing ingredients; otherwise, your bacon would be too salty

just to share something lalo na sa mga newbie katulad ko. http://www.mixph.com/2010/02/hogswine-cost-computation-and-return-

analysis.html ito po ung laman ng link di yata nagana my bad.

The most important aim in finisher production is to earn profit. Thus, the farmer must know how to account all the costs involved in the production

process to be able to determine how much was gained or lost from his finishing enterprise.

Cost Calculation Cost is the value of inputs used in the production process. It can be divided

into cash and non-cash costs. Cash costs include all out-of-pocket expenses. In computing current prices should be used and all items bought should be properly accounted.

Example: laborer, feeds, weaners Non-cash cost include depreciation expense of lasting assets like buildings, farm equipment and tools, if family labor ts employed, the value of his labor is also considered as non-cash cost and this is called opportunity cost of labor or unpaid family labor.

Example: equipment, pig houses, family labor How to compute for Cost of Labor

Cost of Labor = Number of hours devoted to the farm, multiplied by Existing Wage Rate per Pay Sample Calculation

2 hours devoted/family member/day 2 family members work in the farm P 120/day is the existing wage rate 8 working hours/day Calculate: Total Cost of Labor/year

(2 hours x 2 persons x 365 days) x  P120/8 hours 4 man-hours x 365 days x 15 Cost of Labor/year = P 21,900.00 Depreciation Cost

The Depreciation Cost falls under the non-cash cost. Unlike other costs, it does not result from a cash payment. It arises from expenditures such as buildings, equipment, vehicles, etc. Whenever these assets are used, the value of such items diminishes over time due to depreciation. Once the asset is acquired, it is assumed that it will be used until it wears out. Since the value of an asset has decreased due to wearand tear, it would be unfair to charge the whole acquisition cost oftheassetonlytotheyearof operation when it is acquired This is the major justification of charging depreciation cost. After useful years, the value of the asset may finally reduce to zero or a value called scrap or salvage value.

How to compute for the Depreciation Cost Annual Depreciation Cost =  AC – SV / n 

where: AC = Acquisition Cost 

SV = Salvage Value n = Lifespan Sample Calculation

Calculate the depreciation cost of a wheelbarrow with an acquisition cost of P800 with a zero salvage value and expected to last for 4 years.

Annual Depreciation Cost = 800 – 0/4 years P200/year 

The value of the wheel barrow is decreasing by P 200/yr, this also means that after using it for (our years, the value of the farm tool is zero.

Cost and Return Analysis The Cost and Return Analysis is the most common method of determining

the profitability of a farm business. The Net Return is also referred to as the Net Income. Net Return is the profit from the yea r’s operation and represents the return to the owner for persona 1 labor, management, and equity used in the farm.

Before making a complete budget for the establishment of a finisher farm, it is important to identify the technical and financial starting points. These starting points will be used in the Cost and Return Analysis of your farm.

Technical Starting Points Number of Finishers Per Batch – 200 

Starting weight of weaner (kg)  – 20 Market weight (kg) – 90 Fattening days (includes cleaning & disinfection) – 120 Average Daily Gain (g) – 583 Feed Conversion Ratio – 2.94 Feed consumption/finisher:

Starter feed (kg) – 26.80 Grower feed (kg) – 102.20 Finisher feed (kg) – 77.40 Total – 206.40 Number of rounds per year – 3Mortality – 3%Number of finishers produced per year – 582

Financial Starting Points Total Cost Required to Establish a 200 Fattener Production  

Net Return = Total Return/year – Total Costs/year Total Return Cash Return Sale Finishers (582 heads x 90 x P60/kg LW) – P3,142,800.00 

Empty sacks (2,477 pcs x P5) – P12,385 Total Return – P 3,155,185.00 Total Cost/Year

Cash Cost – P 2,541,895.00 (F5) Non-cash cost (Depreciation expense) Building – 36,480.00 

Equipment – P2,673.75 Sub-Total – P39,153.75 Total Cost – (2,620,202.40)

Net Return/Year – P634,982.60 Cost Price The Cost Price is always based on the volume of production considering all

costs incurred in the production process. It is needed to be able to determine the break-even point. A value lower than the cost price indicate loss while a value higher means profit.

Cost Price = Total Cost of Production/year, divided by Number of Finishers marketed/year Sample Computation

Total Cost of production year P 2,581,048.95 Number of finishers marketed/year 582 Cost Price = P2,581,048.95 / 582

P 4,434.79/ 90kg finisher or 4929 kg LW Less than P49.29/kg LW indicates loss and greater than this figure means profit.

Return on Investment (ROI) Return on Investment is a measure of profitability relative to th total

capital invested in the business. Sample Calculation Net Return (Total Return – Total Cost)  – 674,136.05 

Total Fixed Assets – 670,850.00 Cash Costs (Total Working Expenses) – 2,541,895.20 ROI

= 674,136.05 / (670,850.00 + 2,541,895.20) x 100 =  674,136.05 / 3,212,745.20 x 100 = 21% Payback Period = 100 (constant) / 21 = 4.7 years

The 21 percent ROI means that for every peso invested, there is a 21 centavo return. The higher the ROI, the shorter would be the payback period- This means that it would take the farmer 4.7 years to recover the invested money in his pig raising business. The shorter the payback period, the better the financial status of the business.

GOD BLESS!!

Kinds of pigs

It's interesting, fun and a learning experience when raising a few pigs. Raising few pigs may also provide some income on a small scale for families who live on a bigger lot.

Pigs grow fast. They grow from about 3 pounds at birth to market weight at 225 pounds in about 6 months. It takes some 10 months from the time the sow conceives until her pigs reach market weight.

They can be sold alive at a livestock market or perhaps processed into pork for home use at a local livestock slaughtering facility. The most important products from hogs are hams, roasts or lechon, chops, bacon, and sausage.Hog raising is a very popular enterprise in the Philippines because there is a proliferation of backyard producers which dominate the swine industry and a healthy viable commercial sector. Despite the crises facing the swine industry (such as the spread of foot-and-mouth disease), still many people are venturing in this enterprise.

Swine or Pig Breeds

Due to many imported breeds in the country today, determining the best breed suitable to our conditions is difficult. Here is a guide to help in selecting the breed to raise depending on the purpose, money, and experience.

See all 5 photos

1. Large White

Large white breeds are entirely white with medium, erect ears. These sows are excellent milkers, wean large litters, have superior mothering ability, and farrow. They adapt well to confinement but not to rugged conditions.

2. Landrace

White, short-legged and has medium to large drooping ears. Sows have excellent mothering ability and litter size. They are heavy milkers thus they produce pigs with superior growth rate and feed utilization efficiency. When crossed with other breeds, they produce pigs of highly acceptable carcass quality. However, they can't adapt to rugged conditions because of their weak feet and legs. Such defects should be corrected by proper selection and breeding.

3. Duroc

The Duroc color is of varying shades of red. The sows are prolific and are good mothers. They produce pigs that are superior in growth rate and in  feed conversion, and their performance under rugged conditions is better than any of the white breeds.

4. Hampshire

They are black with a white belt around the shoulder; short-legged; lack body thickness. The sows are noted for weaning a high percentage of the pigs farrowed and are adaptable to very rugged conditions. The growth rate, however, has generally been average or below.

5. Berkshire

They are black with four white feet and some has white in the face and tail; ears are erect and inclined forward as the animal grows older; meaty; and adaptable to rugged conditions. The length,

depth and balance of their body are good but they lack good growth and are not efficient in converting feed to gain weight. The sows are not as prolific as the other breeds.

6. Pietrain

This is a meaty type of pig with black and white spots on its body; hams, shoulders and loins are well-shaped; and ears are erect. Its carcass has a high lean meat percentage, but poor body constitution. Its efficiency in converting feed to gain weight is not good and a little bit slow grower. Pietrain is only worthwhile in crosses but not as pure breeds because it is highly-susceptible to stress.

Breed Selection Guide

Guidelines in selecting breeder sows on the basis of physical appearance:

Young female swine should have a minimum of 6 pairs of well-developed and properly spaced function teats. If not, they are likely to have poor milking capacity.

Teats that are inverted do not secrete milk, so choose pigs whose teats are not inverted.

Long-bodied sows are desirable because of the more space created for udder development.

Body width is uniform from front to rear. When selecting breeding-animal, see to it that it has well-developed ham, loin and shoulder.

Well-placed feet and legs. Medium short feet and short upright pasterns are preferable.

Select the biggest among the litter.

Having a litter of 8 or more good-sized piglets with high survivability is a good female breeder.

Do not select young female swine that fail to secrete milk.

Select vigorous pigs from a healthy litter in a herd raised under good swine sanitation. Do not keep gilts or boars nor breed from litters that have physical abnormalities for these may be inherited.

In selecting gilt or sow, these pointers should be considered: clearly visible and well-developed primary sex organs, equal-sized testicles, pigs that have been proven and tested with traits that can overcome the defects of the herd, and ignore the minor defects in the pig that are present, provided that they are not present among the sows.

Housing of Swine or Pigs

Generally, pigs should be four to six months old at the time of selection. To ensure maximum performance of the pigs, pig houses must be constructed properly.  A poorly-built pig house may create problems such as disease problem.

Use cheap and locally available materials - bamboo and nipa - for a small operation or backyard operation.

Construct pig houses on a slightly sloping and well-drained area so that it will not become too muddy and convenient to work in.

Feeding Guidelines

Supplement the sow with good creep ration If the milk supply is inadequate to feed her piglets.There are many available brands to choose from.

When the pigs are about 1 week of age, start feeding them with a good pre-starter ration.

Different rations are given at different stages of growth but a shift in ration should be done gradually so as not to upset the pigs' normal feeding behavior. Always allow a transition period of at least 1 week before making changes.

A starter ration is given to pigs from weaning until two months of age and weighing about 10 to 25 kilograms.

The grower ration is next given to pigs when they are 30 to 35 kg or two months old until they are about 15 to 20 weeks old.

A  finisher ration  is given when pigs reach 60 kg or are about 20 weeks old. When formulating a simplified ration, always remember that it should always contain sufficient

protein, and adequate amounts of vitamins and minerals.

Discard from slaughterhouses as well as cassava, sweet potato, corn, and corn by-products, which are abundant in some parts of the Philippines, may be used, provided they are properly cooked and dried.

In commercial operations due to economy in labor and in feeding equipment, dry feeding is practiced. For backyard producers, wet feeding can be done.

Clean drinking water must be provided at all times.

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If you keep chickens or ducks or pigs, getting enough feed can sometimes be a challenge. There may be a shortage of feed in your country. Or it may simply be that animal feed is too expensive to buy. So you have to find some different, cheaper feeds.

Maria Elena Gonzalez reports that in Cuba when there is a shortage of poultry feed, farmers look around their home and farm for wastes or any crops that aren’t being used. They try to find things that can replace expensive feeds and complete the birds’ diet. And they have some useful ideas.

For example, they add pumpkin (squash, gourds) to the birds’ feed. They chop and dry pumpkins and feed them to laying hens with good results.

Pumpkins have as much or more protein and fat as maize and cassava flours which are also used to feed chickens.

Taro is another plant used to feed poultry in Cuba. Taro (Colocasia esculenta) is a tuber also known as dasheen or cocoyam. You can use taro as a substitute for maize or other grains. Grind the taro into flour.

Add up to 15% of this flour to the diet of chicks between the ages of one day to four weeks. Of course you must also have enough protein, vitamins and minerals in the feed.

Maria in Cuba also reminds farmers that to get a good start in life, chickens must eat well from an early age. Chickens gain weight quickly – they can gain 10 times their weight in the first four weeks of life.

And next, from Mr. Ignacio Obrero in the Philippines, a word about pig feed.

Ignacio says that many farmers believe that pigs will only grow properly with commercial feeds. This is not true. In many areas where farmers cannot afford expensive feeds they are using local plants as feed substitutes. And they are getting good results.

One of these plants is cassava (Mannihot esculenta). It can be used to replace maize or other grains. The farmers gather cassava tubers, leaves and the juicy parts of the stem. They boil them together in water.

They add a little salt, and a little amount of fish meal. The fish meal provides protein which is an essential part of the pigs’ diet. So this becomes an easy, cheap feed for the pig. And to have a steady supply, some farmers plant cassava on a monthly basis. This way, they can harvest cassava any time of the year and use it as livestock feed

Remember that your animal needs a variety of different feeds. Give animals plenty of grain or a grain substitute, a source of protein, vitamins and minerals, and adequate water at all times

How to make sardines in corn oil and sardines in tomato sauceBy L.T. Guilas. Photos by At MaculanganHere's a small but profitable business that you can start at home on less than P1,000

According to Myra Rose Menor, livelihood trainer at Ultima Entrepinoy Forum Center, you can actually make a hundred percent net profit on your initial investment if your kitchen already has a pressure cooker and the basic food preparation utensils.

You can target as your initial customers housewives and office workers looking for alternatives to meat-based meals. Later, after you have mastered the production process, you can supply sari-sari and grocery stores, cafeterias, and eateries. 

A. BOTTLED SARDINES IN CORN OIL

INGREDIENTS and price estimates:

1 kilo fish in season (tawilis), P100/kg 6 to 7 pieces laurel or bay leaf, P10/10g 60 to 70 pcs. peppercorn, P10/30g 6 to 7 pcs. red pepper (siling labuyo), P15/7.5g 1 pc whole carrot, sliced thinly, P15/pc, 1 pc whole pickle, sliced thinly, P42/225gbottle (contains 8 pcs) 1 liter corn oil (cholesterol free), P100/1L

Soaking solution (brine)

1/4 cup salt 2 cups water

EQUIPMENT/UTENSILS:

Pressure cooker 8 oz. bottles with brand new caps (required to attain a two-year shelf life) Cups Measuring spoons Knife Spatula Chopping board Plastic bowl or basin Strainer Cooking mittens or potholder

PROCEDURE:Step 1. Remove or cut the head, tails, fins, and internal organs of each fish, then wash them.

Step 2. Dissolve the 1/4 cup of salt in 2 cups water to make 10 percent salt solution (brine). Stir.

Step 3. To preserve the fish, soak them in the salt solution for 15 minutes. This will wash out the blood and fishy odor. Drain afterwards.

Step 4. While the fish is still soaking in brine, sterilize the bottles. There are two ways to do this:

a. Wash them thoroughly. Let dry. Then put the bottles inside the oven at 100 degrees Centigrade for 5-10 minutes.b. Wash them thoroughly. Put them in a casserole and let boil. Then

let dry.

 

How to make sardines in corn oil and sardines in tomato sauceBy L.T. Guilas. Photos by At Maculangan 

 

 

Step 5. Arrange the fish in sterilized glass bottles. If the fish are small, put 8 pcs per bottle; if they are slightly bigger, put 6-7 pcs.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Step 6. Next, place 1 pc bay leaf or laurel, 10 pcs peppercorn, 2 pcs red pepper or siling labuyo, 1 pc of sliced carrot, and 2 pcs of sliced pickle. Use a knife or the end of the spatula to insert the carrots into the bottle. Inserting the knife also releases air bubbles from the bottle.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Step 7. Pour the corn oil up to the brim of the bottle.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Step 8. Half-seal and put the bottles over the metal wire wrap inside the pressure cooker. Pour water up to half the height of the bottles. Start at a high temperature to immediately heat the bottles. Adjust the temperature once the pressure cooker whistles. Pressure-cook for 30 minutes.

The repeated pressure-cooking process is done to completely release remaining air bubbles in the bottles and thus prevent corrosion of the bottle caps. It is also meant to precook the fish and to produce a vacuum inside the bottle for a longer shelf life.

Step 9. After 30 minutes, take out the bottles from the pressure cooker. Use hand gloves or potholder. Since water evaporates, add water inside the pressure cooker to last for one-and-a-half hours. Seal the bottles fully and cook in the pressure cooker for one and a half hours under a pressure of 10 psi. This is done to soften the bones of

the fish.

Step 10. Cool the jars in an inverted position. This is to make sure that the caps are not leaking. After 24 hours, wash the bottle with soap and water. Wipe them dry.

How to make sardines in corn oil and sardines in tomato sauceBy L.T. Guilas. Photos by At Maculangan

B. BOTTLED SARDINES IN TOMATO SAUCE  INGREDIENTS and price estimates:

1 kilo fish in season (tawilis): 6-7 pcs per bottle, P100/kg 1 pc whole pickle, sliced thinly, P42/225gbottle (contains 8

pcs) 60 to 70 pcs peppercorn, P10/30g 1 pc whole carrot, sliced thinly, P15/pc, medium size

Soaking solution (brine)

1/4 cup (61.2g) salt, P11/500g 2 cups water

Packing sauce

1/2 cup (120ml) corn oil, P100/1L 1/3 cup (180ml) vinegar, P10/350ml 1 pack tomato paste, P11.50/70g-pack 200 ml water

EQUIPMENT/UTENSILS: 

Pressure cooker 8 oz. size bottles with brand-new metal caps (this is required to attain a two-year shelf life) Cups Measuring spoons Knife Spatula Chopping board Plastic bowl or basin Strainer Cooking mittens or potholder

PROCEDURE1. Follow the same procedure as in the preparation of sardines in corn oil from Step 1 to Step 6.

2. Mix oil, vinegar, water and tomato sauce or paste, then pour this mixture up to the brim of the bottle. Tomato paste is tastier than tomato sauce because it is concentrated. If tomatoes are in season (and therefore cheaper), you may use fresh, sliced tomatoes.

3. Pressure-cook, just like in sardines in corn oil.  

Preparation Tips:

You may also use other fish like tunsoy, tamban, or small milkfish. Buy only fresh fish to ensure quality and premium taste. Grade the fish according to

appearance, smell, and firmness. Reject those that have red eyes, loose scales, and bruises. Try to buy fish early in the morning. And keep in mind that unhygienic practices, insufficient refrigeration, and sub-standard manufacturing practices can cause an outbreak of fish-borne illnesses.

All personnel that come directly or indirectly in contact with the fish preparation should keep themselves personally clean. They should wear protective clothing and head covering to avoid food contamination.

Packaging Tips

Buy only brand-new bottle caps, preferably made of metal and not plastic to ensure a much longer shelf life (two years at the most). The caps of properly sealed bottles pop up when opened.

Bottles may be bought second-hand from Divisoria, Manila, but be sure they are thoroughly washed and cleansed prior to sterilization.

When business expands, give your product a catchy brand name. Use labels and PVC seals to give your product presentation a professional look.

For training and supplies:ULTIMA ENTREPINOY FORUM CENTERNutrition Foundation of the Phils. Bldg.107 E. Rodriguez Sr. Ave., Quezon CityTelephones: (02) 411-1349; (02) 742-0826

E-mail: lulu_sfmh@yahoo.comWebsite: www.spicesandfoodmix.com

Supply of brand-new bottles and caps:BOTTLE CAPS CORPORATION OF THE PHILIPPINES138 Capt. Cruz St., Valenzuela CityTelephone: (02) 294-3487

Supply of second-hand bottles:BABY ADONAPavia St., Tondo, Manila

How to start a Multiply storeby Karmina de UngriaRelying on social networks may just be the trick for cash starved startups to get their dream business rolling

The advent of social networking has pushed traditional business maxims on its head. Whereas before, enterprises relied on the physical nature of business to make a sale, social networking sites can now help small companies attract more customers and get a foot in the sales door, often without the luxury of meeting the customer face to face.

Online social networking is indeed the newest weapon to get more customers. In the Philippines, evidence of a growing reliance on social networks can be traced to the popularity of sites such

as Multiply.com , a portal that emphasizes online data storage rather than a continuous medium for updates. It is precisely because of this that the website has become a virtual shopping mall for small businesses, many of them startups with limited war chests. In fact, Spot.ph has listed some of the top online boutiques in the country, where people can get more bang for their buck.

One of the most arresting features of the site is that the virtual nature of transactions eliminate the often mundane and annoying task of settling paperwork and permits which in itself, as well as eliminate the need for capital intensive physical stores. Setting up an account is easy enough, but just like in mainstream selling, just having a shop doesn't mean you're in business.

Entrepreneur.com.ph has culled some tips from successful online retailers on how people can optimize their Multiply.com sites and attract more customers.

STEP 1: Pick a name

Unless you’ve never seen a computer your whole life or have never heard of “internet”, it’s not rocket science to open an account in Multiply. The website itself will guide you throughout the whole process. However, if you do open an account for the purpose of selling something, your choice of username counts for a lot, just like it does for a traditional business.

Your username is the first thing is often the first salvo you should focus on, because it gives people an idea of who you are and what you. It will be good to think of something short, sweet, but delivers enough impact to make you memorable enough should a past customer refer you to a friend, as social networks rely on good old word of mouth to gain traction.

ENTREP TIP: Keep your user name memorable, short, and specific. Fancy names can often muddle the perception of the product, and while using your name (or inverting it) may seem like a good idea, use this with caution.

A good example is Carol Guillen and Gena Guillen-Lim’s mypinkcloset.multiply.com that features a name that is both direct and unique.

According to them, “Pink closet is an online shop that offers trendy,chic and fab. We offer fashionable clothes from day dresses to night frocks, from casual event dresses to beach night outs dresses. We also post our own fashion styling advices,” they said. 

2. Be ready to multi task

One of the beauties of an online store is that it enables a user to be a one-man corporation; you are the owner, proprietor, sales and marketing , accountant rolled into one. To ease yourself into these rols, it would be ideal to choose a product or service that you know best and are very passionate about.

Remember, potential customers will have a limited window to follow-up product queries since most of your business will be conducted online. If you know your product well enough and can gauge a customer's reaction or follow-up questions, you will be able to conduct a transaction more quickly and efficiently. 

According to online retailers Stephanie Laplana and Lana Revista, knowiing a product inside out is essential in any business. The duo are the owners of melondrops.multiply.com , an online boutique that offers hip clothing and accessories.

"Melondrops is a fusion of interest in fashion, people, technology and the online community, so we make sure that we love what wesell (we often purchase my own merchandise, haha!) and do our best to be prompt in replying to customer inquiries. We do our best to keep our customers happy and delighted with their purchase. Because of this, we get repeat clients and good word of mouth," they said.

3. Keep it short and sweet

A brilliant way of attracting customers is to have a functional and user friendly site. If you don't have a background in web design, their are ready templates for you to use, and there is also a bevy of companies that offer design services specifically for Multiply.com sites.In fact, their are companies that even give design codes for free, or for a certain fee, who can be found within the network itself or through using search engines like Google.com.

ENTREP TIP: While a fancy, eye popping design may win your site style points, recent studies have shown that on the internet, function often trumps form. Keep in mind that as just one of the competing vendors, you're fighting for people's attention. More often than not, having a simple and functional website beats a snazzy but hard to navigate one.

4. Keep expanding your network

No matter how great your goods are, in Multiply.com as in any traditional business, marketing still plays a vital role in making a sale. Word-of-mouth is usually the most popular avenue of marketing, and social networking sites have made this form of marketing interactive and more dynamic.

ENTREP TIP: Happy customers are bound to spread the word. Make sure to cultivate a reputation for being reliable, as people are still wary of online scams when buying goods from people they have yet to see. 

You can even take it a little further by web advertising and joining events as much as possible, just like the Guillens, "We promote via posting blogs and adding new members to our site. We also distribute flyers whenever we join christmas bazaars. Most of our buyers know about us from referrals/word of mouth," they explain. 

5. Cover all payment transactions

Even though its been around for a while, e-commerce remains a mystery to some people. Put your customers at ease by installing or availing all possible payment options and implement them. Face to face meet-ups are good, but one of the attractions of selling online is the time and money it saves both the buyer and the consumer.

By implementing modes of payment such as bank deposits, credit card, GCash, and Smart Money, you are effectively giving your customers options that might be more convenient for them, one of the vital elements of selling.

To eliminate customers' fears of getting duped, and also to avoid getting duped by bogus buyers, here's a tip from Laplana "As a safety precaution against bogus buyers, we sometimes require partial payments so we don't pre-order items that won't be bought," she says. 

As for delivering the goods, courier companies are the go-to when it comes to delivering the goods to the customer. "People always want their goods to be delivered ASAP. We provide the tracking numbers so our clients are able to get an update whenever they want to," explains Laplana. There are many big-name couriers available to choose from to ensure a safe and prompt delivery to the buyer such as Xend Express  , Air21 , or Fedex. 

6. Always be on your toes

For sellers who offer pre-ordered items to give their customers more products to choose from, a downpayment is a wise safety precaution to avoid inconveniencing both buyer and seller. Laplana warns "Pre-ordering items for bogus buyers post a threat to sellers since they will have to be the one to pay for the item to the supplier if the customer does not pay for it," he said.

ENTREP TIP: A vital skill is fending off bogus buyers, people who inquire endlessly about an item only to end up not purchasing a product. There have been numerous incidents when sellers are asked by a buyer to meet up, only to be handed a sealed envelope full of fake money in the size of peso bills. So, if meet-ups are unavoidable, always make sure to do it in a public place such as a mall or train stations, and always check if the buyer has given the right amount before concluding the sale.

Shady characters aside, forecasting is also a much-needed skill. Laplana relates "Projection of stocks is always a challenge. You have to know what the bestsellers will be and how you're willing to stock on it. If you do it on a 'per order' basis, sometimes my supplier runs out of stocks and the customer has already paid us for it. If this happens, we do a refund. On the other hand, unsold Items from overstocking takes a toll on my cash flow," she said.

Stay ahead of the curve by constant innovation, and using the site as a mere stepping stone to bigger things, like a formal physical store, for instance. The fierce competition has prompted the Guillens to start improving their product displays and visuals to stay one step ahead of the competition.

"Competition is becoming fierce. A lot are jumping into the multiply wagon.there are multiply sellers putting up their shops every 10 minutes or something like that. Also,since we sell online, buyers only get to see our items via photos. So we really take time out, to set up photo shoots,hire models and photographers. We give our best to present our clothes nicely," they explain.

How to make Spanish sardinesentrepreneur.com.phLearn how to make Spanish sardines

Bottled Spanish-style sardines are versatile viands, as they make for a delicious, quick meal, or can be given asa nicely-wrapped gift set. Sardines are rich in calcium, and the homemade kind will surely be a hit with the health-conscious because they do not contain the preservatives that canned varieties have. This incredibly flavorful item is simple to make—using just a handful of wholesome ingredients—and can be enjoyed at any time and occasion.

Materials needed:

8-oz sterilized glass bottles

with cap, P300 to P500

Box cartons, P200

Pressure cooker, P1,000

Measuring cups and spoonsKnife

Chopping board

Strainer

Potholders

½ kilo 100 grams-sized bangus (cleaned, scaled, without head and tail), P30 to 50

1 medium-sized carrot (cut thickly), P7

3 pieces of pickled cucumber

(cut thickly), P50

2 bay leaves, P4

Peppercorn, P3

Red pepper, P15

Salt solution (1 part salt to 4 parts water)

Water

½ cup of corn or olive oil, P10

Chili (optional), P10

Getting started:

1. Cut each fi sh to fi t the size of the glass bottle, and wash thoroughly to remove blood vessels and other foreign matter.

2. Soak fish in salt solution for 30 minutes to wash out the fishy odor, then drain.

3. Put fish in glass bottle, together with carrots, pickled cucumber, bay leaves, peppercorn, chili.

4. Pour in enough corn or olive oil to cover all the ingredients— leaving about one inch of empty space on top.

5. Place them inside the pressure cooker.

6. Cook in a pressure cooker for 1 hour at 121 degrees Celsius (or 1.5 hours at 116 degrees Celsius).

7. When fi nished, use potholders to take out the bottles.

8. Cool jars under running water, making sure to also rinse off any adhering oil. Allow them to cool and dry in an inverted position. This is to make sure the caps are not leaking.

9. Label and store at room temperature. The longer you leave them out, the more they will cure and increase in flavor.

 

How to Raise Chickens: Poultry Raising in Philippines75rate or flag this page Tweet this

By beth811

http://www.agripinoy.net/wp-content/uploads/2008/04/egg.jpg

Let me first give you some basic information about chickens. Female chickens are called laying hens. Those that are being raised for their meat are called broilers or fryers. A male chicken is rooster and a female chicken is a hen. Babies are called chicks. Adult chickens can weigh from one pound to over eleven pounds.

Chicken farms raise chickens for food and eggs. Chicken broiler and egg production are the most progressive animal enterprises in the Philippines today. The poultry industry, in fact, began as a backyard enterprise but has shifted to the formation of very large integrated contract farming operations.

Best Chicken Breeds

The chicken breeds that are good egg layers are Rhode Island Reds (brown eggs) and Leghorns (white eggs). Ideal meat chickens are Arbor Acres, Ross, and Peterson. The New Hampshires and White Plymouth Rock are raised for their eggs and meat.

Guide in Selecting Stocks to Raise

Here are the guidelines in selecting the foundation stock to raise:

Purchased stock must come from reliable hatchery or franchised dealer where parent stocks are well-housed and well-managed.

The kind of stock to buy depends upon the purpose for which it is going to be raised.

Chicks should be free from diseases and deformities.

Broiler chicks should not be less than 33 grams at day-old and they should be of uniform in size and color.

For a start, a popular strain raised in the community can be selected as it is an indication of the stock's good performance under existing farm conditions.

For broilers, choose those that have high livability and are fast growers.

For layers, choose those that have good egg size, high egg production, and long productive life.

Poultry House

Chickens used to be kept loose in a farmyard. Now, they are kept in poultry houses. Poultry houses are usually one story high and are brightly lit. Chickens lay bigger and stronger eggs if they have light during the day and night. The hen house floors are concrete so that rats can't get in. There are also corn husks, peanut shells and wood chips on the floor.

Chickens must be protected from poor ventilation and extremes in temperature. It is ideal if poultry houses are built parallel to the wind direction, if dimension allows it, wherein the southernmost and the northernmost part are the ones that are exposed to the wind.

Feed sacks that are to be discarded can be used as wind and sun breakers. Trees also will serve as wind breakers.

Related Hubs

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Things to remember when feeding chickens

Animal raisers should provide their livestock the necessary feeds and feed supplements. A healthy growing livestock means bigger for the animal raisers.

Chicken raisers should learn the amount of feeds, the kind of feeds, and the frequency of feeding their animals. Feeds is the biggest item of expense. Good profit results in livestock that are properly fed.

Here are things to remember when feeding chickens:

For Broiler/Meat Type

During the first 5 weeks, broiler commercial rations are to be fed and replace with broiler-finisher ration from then on.

From the start to the marketing age of 8 weeks, all-purpose of straight broiler ration is fed.

Additives in commercial broiler feeds contain growth-promoting substances. These make the production of broiler profitable and also help broiler farmers control diseases.

For Layer/Egg Type

Chicks from day old to 8-10 weeks old, starter mash is given Chickens aged 8-10 weeks until they are 5 months old or when egg production reaches

10%,growing mash is given. This mash promotes pullet growth at a rate that is just right to allow the chicken to develop its body and internal organs so that it will start to lay at the right time.

The chicken should not be allowed to get fat during the growing period for this causes poor egg production and high mortality among layers. A good way of preventing fatness among the pullets is to restrict their feed to 85% of normal consumption when they are 16-18 weeks old, then full feed them at 17-20 weeks of age.

Pullets which are about to lay, or when they reach 19th week of age, laying mash is given. Wet mash-feeding at noon during hot days increases appetite of the chickens.

Adopt a regular system of feeding because chickens recent abrupt changes in feeding habits which gets reflected in their performance, especially on egg production.

Marketing Livestock in the Philippines83rate or flag this page Tweet this

By beth811

Marketing livestock in the Philippines

After raising your livestock, you are now ready to sell them. Marketing poultry and livestock is another phase of farm operations. It involves important jobs such as slaughtering, dressing, transporting, holding, and distributing produce from the farm to the local market.Animal raisers can sell their animal produce live, dressed, slaughtered, or frozen. Animal products are sold in 3 ways by animal raisers: when they sell their produce to buyers or consumers

when they sell their animal produce through wholesalers or middlemen, and these in turn will be sold to retailers

when they sell to cooperatives or associations of animal raisers which have sure buyers of animal produce.

Marketing animal produce and their by-products must be done efficiently and orderly. Vehicles in transporting live animals should be in good condition so that they would not be hurt.

Knowing the value of the produce you are to sell would ensure that you don't lose in the business you're engaged in.

Recording the list of expenses and sales lets one know if his or her business is a success or a failure. List of expenses ranges from feeds, medicines, labor, fares, etc.

Market Options:

Consumer trends indicate the growing interest in locally produced livestock products. People are increasingly interested in knowing where their foods come from including how animals are raised and slaughtered.

Some promising opportunities for livestock producers lie in niche marketing (targeting a specific gap in the market) and relationship marketing with people (building relationships with people by meeting their needs). Target a gap in the market, develop strong relationships with customers, and stick to your marketing program. If you deliver quality products on a consistent basis, word about your operation and products will spread in favorite ways.

The high perishability of some livestock products means marketing may require a little more research and preparation than other farm products. A thorough market research could develop a good understanding of the regulations concerning the sale of meat products.Once you've decided the type of livestock operation you want to have and the product you want to sell, you must decide on a market. Perhaps the first of your decisions should be whether to sell retail, wholesale, or a combination of both.

#1 Retail Markets

Selling livestock products directly to consumers involves word of mouth advertising, relationship marketing, and consumer education through direct interactions.

Some opportunities include targeting ethnic or religious groups, establishing a mail order business, or selling through a farm in which two or more farms pool their resources to supply customers.

However, if you sell other farm products at farmer's markets, you may be able to do some relationship marketing by letting regular customers know they can buy directly from your farm.

Marketing Livestock Book on Amazon

No Amazon products found

#2 Wholesale Markets

Although word of mouth and relationship marketing may still be a part of wholesale marketing of livestock products, wholesale marketing usually involves more formal consumer education of buyers, such as restaurants and grocery stores. Information shared about the way the animals are raised and the way products are processed must appeal to potential buyers and their clients. Such stores

may be just the place to market locally grown meat. Restaurants that promote local produce may also show interest in serving locally and naturally grown meat.Related Hubs

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hibiscus poh or gumamela leaf meal??? kung meron pong related studies n pde poh itong gawing meal

para sa sasso chicken

Reply

she says:

March 10, 2011 at 6:45 am

gud day pohh… ask qo lng poh kung me related studies poh n ung hibiscus ay pdeng gawing alternative food para

sa sasso chicken??? tnx poh

Reply

Hi! I am going to do a thesis on malunggay leaves as part of the feeds for poultry and I was wondering if you have any sources or guide as to the best preparation of the feed with malunggay leaves. Thanks.

gud day to everyone…is it useful to use squash as a substitute for pig’s feeds???????….

Earthkeepers in Tiaong, Quezonhey practice and teach organic farming. You will be delighted seeing their pigs in big pens with soil beddings. Zero odor. No mess. They eat forages, fruits etc. The taste is so different. Ang nipis pa ng taba.

Earth Keepers Organic Farm & Restaurant

Posted: September 16, 2009 by renz15 in Farms, Place Tags: agriculture, collection, lectures, organic, restaurant, seminar, tourism, travel, venue

3

Earth Keepers Garden and Restaurant is located on Kilometer 101, Brgy Talisay in Tiaong , Quezon

Last March 29, 2008, I was very excited to visit the restaurant and organic farm. The jam packed 50

seater tourist bus hired by the Philippine Orchid Society went to this place.   The crowd was eager to

see this wonderful place which promotes healthy lifestyles and living. Some parts of the property had

small relaxation area which could be instantly be converted into a spa or an informal meeting place.

Pesticides, which is concentrated on the vegetables and foods that we usually buy from the market,

had traces or laced  harmful chemicals .

A lot of the people in this world is already facing with serious dilemma.

Ms. Teresa Perez Saniano conducting a short

lecture

According to Ms. Teresa Saniano or simply Ms. Tere  the owner of the demo farm said that urea, which

is the primary source of fertilizer in farms is already increasing in price, the main component of which

is made from petroleum based, the soaring world market of petroleum had caused increase in the

prices of these fertilizer which also increases the farm gate prices of these foods.

We all know what is happening all over the world in the quest to have higher yield in food production.

Ms. Tere had warmly welcomed the group and had a short power point presentation in which her

advocacy group want to spread not only within the province of Quezon But also all over the country.

native chicken fed with termites

Her demo farm is very productive; She had organically grown vegetables, papaya fruits, organic rice,

free-range chickens is fed naturally with organically grown vegetables and termites which is high in

protein unlike the usual poultry grown chicken that  had to be fed with feeds .

She even had formulated an organic feeds for the pigs which are grown in the farm, she had also

vermicomposing which used African night crawlers and their vermin –waste is transformed vermiculite 

into organic fertilizers and organic spray.

Even kitchen waste such as fish gills, fish innards and leftover bones are also transformed into organic

fertilizers.

The fish gills and innards is then prepared with a ratio of 1kilo fish gills and innards to 1 kilo of

molasses then fermented for 20 days, after which the organic waste is then filtered into  a loin cloth

then the fish emulsion is already ready substitute for a high nitrogen based organic foliar fertilizer .

The fertilizer is then mixed with 155 grams of ordinary sardine can.

Congressman Prospero Alcala -second district

of Quezon

While enjoying the sumptuous  organic buffet lunch  Congressman Prospero Alcala dropped by and

joined the group. He  is happy that the group had toured his district and ecstatically  shared some of

his insights on  agriculture and organic farming.  he also gladly posed for a souvenir shot with the

group .

His involvement in agriculture is deepened and was convinced there is a big market for their crops.

However, to be competitive they should get into organic farming.

According to Mr. Alcala ,  If  the farmers, if motivated, could indeed maximize their produce. They were

given the seeds and necessary farm inputs—from fertilizers to pesticides, and after their produce were

sold in the market, they managed to pay for the inputs provided them. The rest of the profit goes to

them.

he recent surge in prices of farm inputs—nearly doubling the cost of fertilizers—deepened their

conviction of the need to go organic.

She had also collection of native handicrafts, jars , ornamental plants, native orchids, water lilies  and

wood work. Tere also accepts guided tour to her demo farm and restaurant but prior appointment

must be made several weeks or even months  before coming to the farm.

Reasons Why Some Piglets Are Born DeadPosted by EPa in Livestocks

It is rather common that some pigs are born dead. But if this happens often with a particular

mother hog, there must be a reason. It must however be ascertained if the piglet is born dead or just die soon after

birth, which could have been saved if immediately noticed. Sometimes certain piglets are born so weak, that they are

unable to overcome the membrane in which they are enveloped, and so get suffocated in it; or perhaps were chilled

soon after birth, causing their death.

The piglet born dead in its mother’s womb at the beginning of pregnancy is hard and deteriorating. The piglet that

died before birth looks normal except for its sunken eyes. To be certain if the piglet was born dead or just died soon

after birth, slice a piece of the piglet’s lung and place it in a pail of water. If this floats, it means that the piglet had

breathed before death (because of the presence of air in the lungs) so, it was alive when it emerged and nothing can

be done to save it.

1. There are more piglets born dead among multiple farrowing, usually the fifth or the last three piglets. This is perhaps

because of the length of the womb and the umbilical cord. For about one meter of the cord to be borne by the piglet,

(while it is normally only 70 cm. long) in its length of passage, the cord is stretched and cut and so the last piglets

lose breath before they are able to emerge.

2. It could also be due to the aging mother, (which may have farrowed five or six times). Usually, delivering dead

piglets start from the fourth to the seventh farrowing. The next farrowing can be seen in the piglets that have been

delivered.

3. Other causes could be the stress borne by the mother pig before delivery -perhaps she has had a fight or had

undergone much difficulty in the last weeks before delivery.

4. Fat mother pig have difficulty in delivery.

5. If the mother is anemic or lacks Vitamin E, the piglet cannot survive its delivery because it also lacks Vitamin E.

6. Death of the piglet could also be due to the mother pig’s lack of Vitamin A in her diet, months before delivery.

7. If the mother pig’s meal becomes contaminated with molds, it will deliver weak or dead piglets.

8. If at a certain time several mother pigs deliver dead piglets, infections or sickness could be the cause. There are

diseases for instance that are transferrable from cats to pigs, but seldom vice versa. If the mother pig gets

contaminated while the piglet is still in its womb, this could result in abortion. But if the infection comes about at the

latter part of the pregnancy, the piglet will be born dead.

9. If the pig pen lacks proper ventilation, and much more when there is a gas leak around, or if the carbon monoxide

level (from vehicle exhausts) is high, this could result in the death of the piglet in the pig’s womb.

See also: Swine/Hog Raising

Raising Livestock in the Philippines83rate or flag this page Tweet this

By beth811

Almost every family in the country breeds a dog, cat, bird, or any other domesticated animal which the family members feed, bathe, and treat as a lovable pet. Other pet owners give their time and interest in taking care wild and exotic animals such as cobra, iguana, scorpion, and others. Truly, Filipinos are definitely animal lovers.

Aside from wanting to have pets, Filipinos raise animals in order to improve the quality of their lives. Many families today, both in the provinces and in the cities, engage in livestock raising to have a secured supply of food, support their daily needs, and have an additional income. Just like having a vegetable garden in the backyard, tending animals prove financially rewarding if done in the right way.

What are livestock? Why is it important to breed and raise them? What are the things we need to consider in livestock raising and the proper steps we need to guarantee the growth and development of the animals? How do we market their meat so people can buy them fresh?

What are livestock

Livestock are animals raised in the backyard for work or for food. These include chicken, duck, quail, hog or pig (swine), cattle (cow and carabao), and goat. These animals are raised depending on the kind of surrounding or environment. Livestock raising is a sure source of food and clothing. The meat and skin of these animals command higher prices in the market. Even the by-products of these animals are a good source of fertilizers. With the Filipinos' patience and perseverance, livestock raising remains a profitable and sustainable business enterprise.

Amazon Books on Livestock Farming

Small-Scale Livestock Farming: A Grass-Based Approach for Health, Sustainability, and Profit

Amazon Price: $10.62List Price: $18.95

Barnyard in Your Backyard: A Beginner's Guide to Raising Chickens, Ducks, Geese, Rabbits, Goats, Sheep, and Cattle

Amazon Price: $14.00List Price: $24.95

The Complete Book of Raising Livestock & Poultry

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Related Hubs:

Marketing Livestock in the PhilippinesRaising Swine in the PhilippinesRaising ChickensRaising Cattle

Importance of Livestock Raising

If you raise chickens in your backyard, you are probably aware that through this, the family is able to earn thousands of pesos from the sales of eggs and chicken meat. This is the reward for the hard work that you put into mini chicken farm. This scenario clearly shows the benefits people get in raising livestock.

Consider this as well: According to the Bureau of Agricultural Statistics, the livestock industry in 2005 generated over P800 billion value of production. This staggering amount has created allied industries worth billions of pesos as well. These include, among others, feed milling, marketing and distribution, manufacture of veterinary drugs and supplies, fresh meat production, and a multitude of other foods, cosmetics and industrial products. These industries generate hundreds of thousands of jobs -- from the small backyard livestock farmers comprising the bulk of the raisers to the workers of the commercial livestock or poultry farms and in all the allied industries.

Livestock play a vital role in the development and growth of our agricultural and rural economies. Not only do they produce food directly, they also provide key inputs to crop agriculture. Most farms are too small to justify owning or using a tractor, and the alternatives are animal power or human labor.

For many smallholder farmers, livestock are the only ready source of cash to buy the inputs they need to increase their crop production, like seeds, fertilizers, and pesticides. Livestock income also goes towards buying things the farmers cannot make for themselves. And that includes paying for school fees. Income from cropping is highly seasonal, almost of it coming in just a few weeks after harvest. In contrast, small stock, with their high rates of reproduction and growth, can provide a regular source of income from sales. Larger animals, such as cattle, are a capital reserve, built up in good times to be used when crops are poor or when the family is facing large expenses, such as the cost of a wedding or a hospital bill.

Selecting livestock for raising

After knowing the benefits of raising livestock, the next step to do is to know what breeds of animals are of the best quality so that you would be able to make a good profit.

The following general points must be considered in choosing animals or breeding:

Age. Select young animals for they are more productive than older animals. Health. Choose animals that are active, with bright eyes, and soft and smooth hides. Crossbreeds. Crossbreeds or crosses of two different breeds are much preferred because

they gain weight faster. Breeder. Choose animals that are heavy and big for their age, well-developed shoulders, and

can stand firmly on their feet. Meaty. Animals with broad chest and good body built and appetite are good choice of

breeders.

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How Much? : Pricing Your ProductPosted by: eTips

3JUL

Pricing is one of the most important factors you must consider in whatever business you plan to put up. The idea is not to price your product or service too high or too low. If your price is too high, not too many people will be able to afford your product or service. If it’s too low, customers won’t buy it because they’ll think what you’re offering is of inferior quality.

There’s no hard-and-fast rule in determining the right price for your product or service, but there are a few things you’ll want to keep in mind when doing so. One is the cost of your merchandise or service. At the very least, you’ll want to recover the cost of producing your product or service for every sale, and to know your recovery cost you must first determine the cost of producing it.

Your cost has two components: the variable and the fixed. The variable component comprises all direct costs related to producing your product or service, and these are usually your direct materials and direct labor that are directly proportional to the number of units you plan to sell. (Directly proportional means any increase in production will proportionately increase your variable cost or your cost of producing each unit, while any decrease in production will proportionately bring down your variable cost.) Your fixed component is usually your indirect costs known as overhead, which is inversely proportional-meaning any increase in units produced will result in a lower amount of fixed cost per unit produced-to the volume you plan to sell.

To simplify price-setting, make your operating costs part of your overhead so that your costs are all in when you compute for the selling price. Your cost will set the base in computing for your desired gross profit, which is the other factor to keep in mind when setting the price of your product or service.

Your desired gross profit is of course the amount of profit you’d like to earn for every product you sell or service you provide. This should set the minimum amount of profit you’d like to make in operating your business, and it may be expressed in pesos or as a percentage of your cost. (Use percentage of cost as this is easier especially when you need to raise your prices.) Your gross profit rate could range from 10 to 200 percent, but ideally it should be 20 to 50 percent. Keep in mind that all businesses are established with the ultimate goal of making a profit, and this is one area of your price setting that’s crucial to your success.

Also remember that your desired gross profit rate is likely to be influenced by your payback period. The longer your payback period, the lower gross profit and selling price you need to sustain your business; and the shorter it is, the higher your gross profit should be. Let us illustrate how you may determine your selling price without considering your payback period by looking at your cost of producing, say, fruit juice or fruit shake:

Direct Materials: Fruits (pineapple, mango, orange, banana, apple, kiwi, strawberry, etc.), sugar,

water, cups, straw, etc.

Direct Labor: Crew to slice and prepare the fruits, mix them with other ingredients, etc.

Overhead: Juicer, osterizer, chopping board, knives, depreciation of refrigerator or chest-type

freezer, air conditioning, etc.

Rent

Utilities: Electricity and water bills, etc.

Cleaning supplies: Mops, soaps, sponges, etc.

Other fixed expenses related to your business operations

Let’s now assign your hypothetical cost in producing one cup of juice:

Direct Materials (DM) : P7

Direct Labor: P2 (P400 a day with a projected production and sale of an average of 200 cups a day)

Overhead (OH) : P15

Total Cost (DM+DL+OH) : P24

Desired Gross Profit: P12 (50% of total cost)

Selling Price: P36

After coming up with your selling price based on your cost and desired gross profit-the quantitative factors-you may adjust it further using qualitative factors like the characteristics of your target market. If your target market is the upper class, you have room to price your product or service higher; if it’s the lower class, then you should bring it lower as price is a major consideration with its members.

Another factor to consider when setting your selling price is the industry to which you belong and its standards. (Do some research to determine exactly who your competitors are and what they’re charging for the same product or service. Then make it a point to price your product or service within their price range.)

The image your want to project for your product or service is equally important. If you want to project your product or service as something superior, then price it a bit higher-though not too high-in relation to your competitors. If you want to project the image of being inexpensive, reasonable or affordable, then price your product or service lower. The key is in knowing what your market can afford or is prepared to pay for whatever it is you’re offering.

Hog/Swine Raising Business GuidePosted by EPa in Livestocks

The Philippine swine industry is dominated by backyard hog farming, which claims 76% of

total swine stocks while 24% come from commercial farms. The swine industry contributed to 80% of the total

Philippine livestock output in 2004.

Hog raising is a very popular enterprise in the Philippines such that there is a proliferation of backyard producers,

which dominates the swine industry and a healthy viable commercial sector.

Despite the crises facing the swine industry, still many people are venturing in this enterprise. This manual hopes to

bring appropriate technology to the interested farmers and would-be swine producers in order that they may realize

profitable production and improve their quality of life.

o Swine/Hog Raising

o Housing Construction

o Guide to Proper Feeding

o Cheaper Alternative Feeds for Hog/Swine Fattening

o Disease, Signs and Symptoms

o Record Keeping

o Cost Computation and ROI

o Farm Activities and Transporting

o Tips and Advice

o More Tips and Advice

o Tips on Small Scale Production

o Reasons Why Some Piglets Are Born Dead

o Hog Raising Tips: Stress Management

o Guide to Proper Feeding

o Starting a Business in Hog/Swine Raising

o Active forums and discussions here

o Swine/Hog Breeders and Farms Directory here

o Training and seminar centers here

photo from littlepigfarm.com

Swine & Hog Raising TipsPosted by EPa in Livestocks

Care of Farrowing Pig For new raisers of pigs, it is advisable to consult veterinarian in the

care of mother pigs and their piglets.

1. Some delivering mothers may need more attention during delivery of their piglets when the interval between piglets

gets longer than 20 minutes. Give more care to the last piglets to come out because it is here that most piglets are

born dead.

2. Take care that the piglets do not lose oxygen during birth.

3. Take care that the mother pig does not suffer from exhaustion or lose strength during delivery so that she can nurse

the piglets well.

4. One way of facilitating delivery is by giving prostaglandin injection, especially when the mother pig is getting old.

5. Giving oxytocin also facilitates delivery and reduces the birth of dead piglets.

6. A reminder to the one assisting at the pigs delivery is to keep his hands and arms clean, and to use jelly as lubricant

in pulling out the piglet. Without this, there is danger in hurting the pigs genital and thereby cause infection, which

could result in delivering dead piglets.

7. A newly born piglet is enveloped in a thin membrane. This must be removed to facilitate breathing. Piglets born

weak cannot emerge from this, and so need help lest they suffocate.

8. Clean the newly born piglet; after about an hour cut off the umbilical cord, leaving about 5 cm; apply tincture of

iodine where it is cut.

9. With the help of pliers, nip off the small teeth close to the gums (8 in all); apply tincture of iodine on the wound.

10. Also cut off the tail (with the help of scissors) apply iodine on the wound; unless the piglet is intended for breeding.

11. Help the piglet find its mothers teat even while the mother is farrowing. Keep the piglets and the whole brood clean

and dry.

Why Are Some Pigs Born Dead?

It is rather common that some pigs are born dead. But if this happens often with a particular mother hog, there must

be reason. It must however be ascertained if the piglet is born dead or just die soon after birth, which could have

been saved if immediately noticed. Sometimes certain piglets are born so weak, that they are unable to overcome the

membrane in which they are enveloped, and so get suffocated in it; or perhaps were chilled soon after birth, causing

their death. The piglet born dead in its mothers womb at the beginning of pregnancy is hard and deteriorating.

The piglet that died before birth looks normal except for its sunken eyes. To be certain if the piglet was born dead or

just died soon after birth, slice a piece of the piglets lung and place it in a pail of water. If this floats, it means that the

piglet had breathed before death (because of the presence of air in the lungs) so, it was alive when it emerged and

nothing can be done to save it.

1. There are more piglets born dead among multiple farrowing, usually the fifth or the last three piglets. This is perhaps

because of the length of the womb and the umbilical cord. For about one meter of the cord to be borne by the piglet,

(while it is normally only 70 cm long) in its length of passage, the cord is stretched and cut and so the last piglets

lose breath before they are able to emerge.

2. It could also be due to the aging mother, (which may have farrowed five or six times). Usually, delivering dead

piglets start from the fourth to the seventh farrowing. The next farrowing can be seen in the piglets that have been

delivered.

3. Other causes could be the stress borne by the mother pig before delivery — perhaps she has had a fight or had

undergone much difficulty in the last weeks before delivery.

4. Fat mother pig have difficulty in delivery.

5. If the mother is anemic or lacks Vitamin E, the piglet cannot survive its delivery because it also lacks Vitamin E.

6. Death of the piglet could also be due to the mother pigs lack of Vitamin A in her diet, months before delivery.

7. If the mother pigs meal becomes contaminated with molds, it will deliver weak or dead piglets.

8. If at a certain time several mother pigs delivery dead piglets infections or sickness could be the cause. There are

diseases for instance that are transferable from cats to pigs, but seldom vice versa. If the mother pig gets

contaminated while the piglet is still in its womb, this could result in abortion. But if the infection comes about at the

latter part of the pregnancy, the piglet will be born dead.

9. If the pig pen lacks proper ventilation, and much more when there is a gas leak around, or if the carbon monoxide

level (from vehicle exhausts) is high, this could result in the death of the piglet in the pigs womb.

Healthy Piglet

In raising a pig, choose a healthy, active and fast growing piglet. Signs of a healthy piglet:

1. The hair is shiny and fine.

2. The eyes are not languid (or sad looking), clean and no dried up secretion in the eyes.

3. The belly does not sag.

4. The features are balanced. View the piglet from afar to see how it stands and move.

Care:

1. Keep the piglet in a clean and dry pen.

2. Give it clean food and water.

3. About 5-10 piglets can be raised in a 7 sq.m. pen.

4. Give the pigs a daily bath, especially in summer.

5. Always keep the pen clean.

Cure for Pigs Diarrhea

Diarrhea of piglets and growing pigs may be caused by active microbes they get from the soil. Upon delivery, the

mother pig is sprawled on the ground where bacteria may adhere to its teats, which in turn are suck by the newly

born piglets. The piglets further get bacteria when they learn to snout the earth in search for food. According to

experts, the microbes that the piglets pick up from the earth end up in their abdomen where they adhere to the thin

membranes of the stomach and obstruct the digestive process. Thus, indigestion results, excreting liquid and

undigested what they ate. It is also because of this that their feces do not solidify and are thus secreted as liquid or

watery. Worse, the microbes that get into the stomach, bruise the stomach, resulting in bleeding.

Cure

Give 5% powdered coconut shell charcoal and mix it with the pigs meal. Medicines for diarrhea are black like

charcoal because this contain activated carbon which has a strong capacity to absorb. Charcoal from coco shell also

contain carbon. Carbon negates the action of the microbes by driving them from the inner walls of the stomach by

enveloping the microbes and absorbing the excess liquid from the stomach of the piglet, thus enabling the feces to

become solid. If this will not work, give the piglet the necessary antibiotic against diarrhea. A long term cure for

diarrhea or disease is cleanliness in their surrounding. Always disinfect the place besides keeping it clean.

Epidemic of Pigs

A particular disease of pigs called “pseudorabies” also afflicts other four-footed animals. Sometimes the symptoms begin to show around 90-120 days, but some pigs die within 2 days after the signs are manifest, and others die within 12 hours thus, pigs must be vaccinated before they get sick.

Signs of the disease:

1. The pig begins to cough and lose appetite.

2. It walks backward and has no coordination in its movements.

3. Fever is at 41°C.

4. The pig throws up yellowish or has salivary vomiting.

5. The pigs eyes are reddish.

6. Pigs weighing 40-50 kilos or more are easily vulnerable and die within 2 days.

7. Sometimes, this disease is like pneumonia because the infection spreads near the lungs, and once the animal is weakened, other sicknesses come in.

8. If the pig with this disease is slaughtered, the liver shows white spots.

To counteract the disease: Some pigs that have been afflicted with this disease may recover even without medication, but some stop growing. And even after recovering, the sickness may recur once the animal becomes weakened.

Vaccination:

1. Vaccination is necessary two times a year for farrowing pigs, and every 6 months thereafter.

2. Once at age 7 months for fattening pigs until they are sold.

3. Piglets of vaccinated mother pigs are immune only until 8 weeks. They should be vaccinated after this time.

Effects of the disease on the pig are as follows:

Male pigs:

o the testicles change shape

o they lose their aggressiveness in mating.

Female pigs:

o abortion may result, or deliver dead piglets or the piglet may die in the womb.

o may become sterile.

Vitamin C for Pigs

According to researchers from the UP at Los Banos, hogs given 800 mg Vitamin C in every kilo of feed gain weight and grow faster than those not given the Vitamin. And when slaughtered, those given Vitamin C in their diet have more lean meat and did not have much fat on their back.

Cheap Protein for Pigs: Scrap Fish

One of the richest sources of protein for pigs is fish. But fishmeal is expensive and not easily available in some places. However, in places by the sea, there are opportunities to provide their pigs with cheap protein. Manner of Preparation:

1. Place the fishes in containers that are not metallic, must be clay pot or enamel.

2. For every 100 kilos of different fishes, add 3 liters mallic acid (or sulfuric acid). Acid stops the growth of microbes in the flesh of the fishes and from deterioration.

3. Put in an equal amount of corn, cassava, or grains. This will increase the carbohydrate content of the mixture and will lower the acid percentage in the feed.

The resulting 1.5% acid will not damage the stomach or intestine of the pigs.

Pig Manure — Feed for Pigs

It has been studied at the UP at Los Banos that fresh pig manure contains more or less 6% raw protein, 3.77% fat, 4% fiber, 70% water, 4.8% ash, less than 12% carbohydrates, over half percent calcium, and over a half percent phosphorus (which is higher than those derived from plants). When dried, this provides 27.7% protein, 43% carbohydrate, 16.5% ash, 10% water, 10-87% fiber and different minerals, and a kind of bacteria from the large intestine of the pig that ferments. This bacteria digests food that are difficult to digest like fibers, and this adds to the protein content.

Manner of Preparation:

1. Mix with ordinary meal like: 4 kilo copra meal, 1 kilo rice bran in every 5 kilos of pig manure.

2. Allow this to ferment in seven (7) days.

3. Mix with an equal amount of regular feed.

It was seen by the researchers that this mixture was acceptable to the pigs. They weighed 93.3% kilos in 111 days which were formerly 35.7 kilos. Those not given this feed weighed only 89.2 kilos in the same manner.

Water Lily for the Pigs

Water lily contains protein that can be substituted 25% for protein provided by soybean for a growing pig.

1. Grind the water lily leaves and strain in 5 mesh wire to get the juice that contains the substance.

2. Let it stay overnight to allow the solids to settle.

3. Dry the residue in the sun or in a dryer. When dried, grind in 20 min. size.

4. Mix with the pigs feed.

Pigs Also Need Attention and Care

Many studies have been made and had shown that all forms of life — animal or plant respond to care. It was tried by researchers on 3 months old piglets. One group was talked to and patted about 2 minutes three times a week. Another group was simply fed, pushed aside, shouted at, or not shown any attention as in the first group. It was seen that the piglets that were “loved” grew faster than those “unloved.” And mother pigs given care and attention gave more or less 21 piglets a year, while those raised ordinarily gave only about 16 piglets a year.

Foot-And-Mouth Disease (FMD)

Foot-and-mouth disease is an infectious disease afflicting cloven footed animals like cattle, carabao and pigs, characterized by ulcerous lesions at the mouth, teats and hoofs. The sick animal has fever, suffers lameness and loss of appetite.

Mode of Transmission

Manner of Infection

The virus of FMD can be transmitted through the air as far as 50 meters away, by direct contact with the infected animal, or indirectly through carriers like humans, other animals, flies and mosquitoes, and infected things and utensils. Humans, however, seem to have a natural resistance to the disease and so far, no case has been reported of Filipinos having contracted it. When a human inhales the virus, he harbors the disease in his body for as long as 24 hours, and can transmit it to others through the respiratory tract.

Control

1. Spray the animals quarters with formalin to protect from infestation.

2. Treat with alum or wash with concocted guava leaves. With continuous treatment, the disease can be cured in two or three weeks provided there is no complication of other ailments. Weight loss however, could take time to recover.

Precautionary Measures

1. Cook well through boiling meat that is suspected to have the infection, or in vinegar to destroy the virus.

2. Observe the animals, keep them clean, vaccinated and apart from infected ones. Separate those suspected of having the disease or those already afflicted.

3. http://www.pcarrd.dost.gov.ph/message/viewforum.php?id=21

4. http://pets.groups.yahoo.com/group/hoghobby/

5. http://www.hograisers.net/forum2/index.php

6. http://www.pinoyagribusiness.com/forum/

Understanding the Risk of Small BusinessPosted by EPa in News-Articles

Success in business is never automatic. It isn’t strictly based on luck – although a little never hurts. It depends

primarily on the owner’s foresight and organization. Even then, of course, there are no guarantees.

Starting a small business is always risky, and the chance of success is slim. According to the U.S. Small Business

Administration, over 50% of small businesses fail in the first year and 95% fail within the first five years.

These figures aren’t meant to scare you, but to prepare you for the rocky path ahead.

In his book Small Business Management, Michael Ames gives the following reasons for small business failure:

o Lack of experience

o Insufficient capital (money)

o Poor location

o Poor inventory management

o Over-investment in fixed assets

o Poor credit arrangements

o Personal use of business funds

o Unexpected growth

Gustav Berle adds two more reasons in The Do It Yourself Business Book:

o Competition

o Low sales

Underestimating the difficulty of starting a business is one of the biggest obstacles entrepreneurs face. However,

success can be yours if you are patient, willing to work hard, and take all the necessary steps.

On the Upside

It’s true that there are many reasons not to start your own business. But for the right person, the advantages of

business ownership far outweigh the risks.

o You will be your own boss.

o Hard work and long hours directly benefit you, rather than increasing profits for someone else.

o Earning and growth potential are far greater.

o A new venture is as exciting as it is risky.

o Running a business provides endless challenge and opportunities for learning.

ncome Statements and Balance Sheets: The BasicsPosted by: eTips

3JUL

While most small entrepreneurs hire accountants to take care of their books â€â€a practice thatÃ�¢â‚¬â„¢s highly recommendedâ€â€, it doesn’t hurt for the business owner to have a basic� understanding of the numbers that go into these books and, ultimately, into the financial statements themselves.

Here, we look into how the two most critical financial statements, the Income Statement and the Balance Sheet, can be constructed from your key facts.

ILLUSTRATION

You have just started your business. You have a 60-square meter store space, leasehold

improvements amounting to PhP200,000, beginning inventory valued at hP50,000, and two

salespeople manning the store. At the end of your opening day, total sales were PhP10,000. With a

mark-up of 40%, this translates to a one-day profit of almost PhP3,000. By month-end, youÃ

¢â‚¬â„¢ve recorded total sales of PhP200,000.

Let’s start with the balance sheet, which essentially is a report of the resources or assetsthe business vis-à-vis the manner of financing these assets (debt and/or equity). Toillustrate, when you were setting up your business, you spent for the following:

Item CostInventories PhP50,000

Leasehold improvements (all expensesrelated to sprucing up the store)

PhP200,000

Delivery van (bought second-hand) PhP250,000

In addition, you incurred some PhP10,000 for incorporation expenses and business permits and licenses. An additional PhP5,000 was spent on promotional materials and insurance. You also bought a desktop computer and printer for PhP30,000. And finally, you had to have enough cash to cover the first two months of operations. You estimated this at PhP80,000. So all told, you disbursed a total of PhP625,000.

What you had in actual personal savings though amounted to only PhP425,000. Therefore, you had to borrow PhP200,000 to close the financing gap. This amount you sourced from a bank (PhP175,000) and from a supplier (PhP25,000).

These figures are reflected in your beginning balance sheet as follows:

Item Amount Classification Explanation

Cash 80,000 Current AssetMinimum cashrequirement

Inventories 50,000 Current Asset

Beginning inventories forsale ; also represents theminimum inventoryamount you have on handat all times

Prepaid Expenses 15,000 Current Asset Expenses paid in advance

Office Equipment 30,000Non-Current AssetFixed Asset

Represent assets used inthe business and notintended for sale

Leasehold improvements 200,000Non-Current AssetFixed Asset

Represent assets used inthe business and notintended for sale

Delivery van 250,000Non-Current AssetFixed Asset

Represent assets used inthe business and notintended for sale

Accounts payable 25,000 Current Liabilities Amount owed to supplier

Loans 175,000 Long-term LiabilitiesMoney owed to a bank orother lender

Owner’s Equity 425,000 Owner’s EquityResidual interest of theowner in the business

Consequently, your beginning Balance Sheet will look something like this (click to enlarge):

ABC CorporationBalance Sheet

As of July 31, 2006

As illustrated, the Balance Sheet follows the fundamental accounting equation:Assets = Liabilities + Owner’s Equity.

What about the Income Statement? The Income Statement shows the financial results of operations for a period of time, in this case, a month. You’ve recorded total monthly gross sales of PhP200,000. Your expenses, on the other hand, are as follows:

Item CostPurchase of merchandise 100,000Rent 24,000Salaries 16,000Other operating expenses 3,000

The Income Statement would then be as follows:

ABC CorporationIncome StatementFor the Month Ended August 31, 2006

Gross Sales PhP 200,000.00Less: Cost of Sales 100,000.00Gross Profit PhP 100,000.00Less: Operating Expenses PhP 43,000.00Operating Income PhP 57,000.00

Therefore, after one month of operation, your store earned you PhP57,000 in pretax income. Barring any movements in the other balance sheet accounts, this amount will then be added to the Cash account (under Assets), and to the Owner’s Equity account (under Liabilities and Owner’s Equity). This ensures that your Balance Sheet remains “balanced,†as �follows (click to enlarge):

Your accountant will most likely make adjustments to these statements to reflect such items as depreciation (an accounting treatment to recognize the decline in the useful value of fixed assets); principal repayments and interest expense (on the long-term debt); and taxes. Be that as it may, your familiarity with these basic financial statements will also benefit your accountant, as he or she will be able to better explain to you the effect of decisions you make regarding your business.

In summary, the two basic financial statements are the following:

1. Income Statement – shows the financial results of operation for a period of time (i.e., “For the Period Ended _______â€Â). The Income Statement is like a � “diary†in �that it chronicles what transpired during the period covered.

2. Balance Sheet – presents the financial position of a business as of a specific date (i.e., “As of ___________â€Â). Therefore, the Balance Sheet is like� a “snapshot,†�capturing the state of the business at one point in time.

Entrepreneurs are not always expected to master the financial aspects of their business, since traditionally they are more concerned with the production or delivery of their product or service. In fact, in the Philippines, finance is one area where most small businesses are weak. But this shouldn’t deter the business owner from gaining an understanding of the basic finance concepts at the very least. After all, the goal of every small business is to one day be part of the big league. And this can only happen if the entrepreneur continually seeks to expand his knowledge of all aspects of the business.

Business Success BasicsPosted by: eTips

10SEP

Business is an art as well as a science. It’s a matter of practical experience, judgment, foresight and luck. To be successful in business, you must master the basics of business success.

Fortunately, all business skills are learnable. You can learn anything you need to learn, to achieve any goal you can set for yourself. There are no limits–except the limits you place on your own imagination.

There are three major reasons why businesses fail: lack of money, lack of knowledge and lack of support. By mastering the basics of business success, you’ll gain the knowledge necessary to acquire the support and money you need for your business.

So just what are the essentials of business success? There are seven key areas of activity that determine whether your business will live or die:

1. Marketing. Your ability to determine and sell the right product to the right customer at the right

time.

2. Finance. Your ability to acquire the money you need, and account for the money you receive.

3. Production. Your ability to produce products and services at a high enough level of quality and

consistency over time.

4. Distribution. Your ability to get your product or service to the market in a timely and economic

fashion.

5. Research and development. Your ability to continually innovate and produce new products,

services, processes and responses to your competition.

6. Regulation. Your ability to deal with the requirements of government legislation at all levels.

7. Labor. Your ability to find the people you need, deal with unions, establish personnel policies,

training and organizational development

And from this list, comes the very specific, identifiable reasons for business success:

Having a product or service that’s well suited to the needs and requirements of the current market.

Developing a complete business plan before commencing business operations.

Conducting a complete market analysis before producing or offering the product or service.

Thoroughly developing advertising, promotional and sales programs.

Risks and Rewards of Going into Business Posted by: eTips

19JUL

The RISKS Possibility of failure. There is always the possibility of failure — a single wrong business

decision can bring a business to bankruptcy. Unpredictable business conditions. A small business is vulnerable to sudden changes in

the business environment. In a fast-paced industry, a small firm may not have the financial capability or the organizational capacity to respond adequately to new opportunities and their concommitant problems.

Long hours of work. A prospective entrepreneur must be ready to spend most if not all his waking hours in the business. Also, family time and personal affairs may be sacrificed.

Unwanted or unexpected responsibilities. The entrepreneur may eventually find himself saddled with management responsibilities he did not bargain for.

The REWARDS Having unlimited opportunity to make money. When you have your own business, you

will most certainly have unlimited potential to earn money. How much money you earn depends on the time and effort you put into your enterprise. Successful entrepreneurs have earned their wealth and prestige through hard work and by having the right product for the right market at the right time.

Being your own boss. As manager of your business, you make the decisions for your enterprise and take full responsibility for these. The quality of these decisions will translate into either gain or loss for your business. Being your own boss means you are in control of your future. You have a better grasp of what you want to be.

Tapping your creativity. A business usually starts out as an idea. You will have the opportunity to harness this creativity and turn your idea into products and processes.

Overcoming challenges and finding fulfillment. Starting a business is by itself an accomplishment. Running a business tests an entrepreneur’s capability in securing and managing resources. How well a business turns out depends on the owner’s ability to face challenges and overcome difficulties.

Helping others. In the process of running a business, an entrepreneur employs workers, and pays them income which improves their lives. An entrepreneur who succeeds and grows also helps suppliers, sub-contractors, dealers and other businesses connected to him succeed and grow too.

Building an entrepreneurial legacy. A business can be a lasting legacy to the family. It can ensure employment for some members of the family. It can create an enterprising culture than can be handed down through the generations.

WHAT ELSE IS IN YOU THAT WILL ORIENT YOU TO BUSINESS? While you are looking at yourself, consider what else is in you that will orient you towards a

business. Think experience, education, hobbies, and interests. 1. What previous jobs have you held that may help you succeed in business? Teachers, for

example, start tutorial services or schools, seamstresses go into garments and soft toys manufacture, carpenters into sash making or contract work in construction.

2. Do you have a hobby that you can expand into a business? It can be interiordesigning, pottery, embroidery, or baking.

3. Have you had technical training on which a business can be based? Perhaps youhave taken up auto repair? computer assembly? bookkeeping? or welding/forging?

4. Are you genuinely interested in getting into a potentially-risky business rather than a stable 8 to 5 job?

It Is Never Too Late For Success Posted by: eTips

14JUN

It Is Never Too Late For Success – Age Is Not An Excuse People who have reached any significant level of success agree there are a few things

successful people have in common; desire and determination combined with a spirit that never gives up.

To illustrate the point that it is always too early to give up, this article includes three well-known success stories.

Ray Kroc: At the age of 52, Ray Kroc had suffered for years from arthritis and diabetes. Although Ray had poor health, and his bladder and most of his thyroid had been removed, he never stopped believing in himself and his biggest idea. It led to the start of McDonald’s in 1955. By 1961, 228 McDonald’s restaurants had been established and sales had reached $37 million. When Ray passed away in 1984, there were 7,500 McDonald’s outlets around the world. The number of outlets and sales are still growing.

Ray Kroc was described as a simple man with a simple plan:1. Never give up2. Always persevere3. Don’t forget part 1 of the plan

Thomas Edison: Before perfecting the light bulb, Thomas Edison tried between 9,000 and 10,000 different things searching for the right material that would make a good filament. When a reporter asked Edison about failing more than 9,000 times, he responded by saying he had not failed, but had found 9,000 items that did not make a good filament. Edison went on to invent many other useful items, many of which are now taken for granted. Edison received 1,093 patents, more than any other person in U.S. history.

Thomas Edison had a formula for his success:1. It takes time for greatness2. Be patient3. Persistence is the key

Colonel Sanders: The founder of Kentucky Fried Chicken was turned down over 1,000 times when he tried to interest others in his recipe for chicken. He drove from town to town, often sleeping in his car, calling on restaurant owners. He strongly believed that the secret recipe would eventually pay off. His persistence and belief in himself and his recipe finally paid off in

a big way! His tenacity is inspiring, especially when you consider that he found his success when he was 65 years of age.

Colonel Sanders kept his chicken recipe a secret, but he was willing to share his recipe for success:1. Never quit2. Always believe in yourself3. Be patient4. Be positive

There are countless stories of people from all walks of life who achieved remarkable success. Almost without exception, the same types of characteristics can be found in stories about success. Being patient and persistent, having a positive attitude, and never giving up are the traits that are essential for success.

- by Gordon Bellows of Tips for Homebiz

Avoiding Business Startup Traps Posted by: eTips

30SEP

The 11 Pitfalls of Startup The road to startup doesn’t have to be rocky: Being aware of these all-too-common

mistakes can help you avoid them. By Brad Sugars Every day, literally thousands of regular, sane and normal people take the plunge and start

their own businesses. As they survey the hazardous landcape, little do they know how easy it would be to avoid the traps that so many of us have fallen into.

If you’re in the initial phases of starting your own business, then I must warn you: Avoid these mistakes as if your life depended on it. Because it does–your financial life, that is.

Let’s look at the pitfalls I’ve seen entrepreneurs have to dig themselves out of all too many times:

1. Buying a job rather than a business. Yes, you’ll have to be involved in the daily operations at the start, but remember that the ultimate goal is to grow your business into much more than just a job where you work hands-on every day. Work on the business, not just in the business.

2. Being a great plumber but having no idea how to run a business that sells plumbing.Your former jobs are all an apprenticeship to running your own business. Be an apprentice in all areas, not just in the trade or profession of your business. Most important, be sure you’ve paid attention to all aspects of business in your past jobs, no matter what they were, so you’ve done your basic, “how to run a business†�apprenticeship.

3. Taking on a business partner. Most people give away equity upfront to a partner. Yes, there are examples of partnerships that work, but most don’t. Unless you’re absolutely sure about your partnership, hire people to help you out instead.

4. Starting a business from scratch rather than buying an existing operation. Starting from scratch may seem cheap, but it’ll cost you the most expensive asset you have–time. Buy an undervalued company, and build it up, rather than start from scratch.

5. Thinking the business idea will make the company. It’s the people who make a business successful, not the product, not the service and not the new invention. Focus on building a great company as much as you do a great product.

6. Thinking too small. Many startup entrepreneurs want to generate a wage for themselves and nothing more. Instead, aim to build a profit, aim to build something large, and aim to build something great. If you shoot for the stars, you may fail, but at least you’ll make it to the moon.

7. Competing on price and price alone. This is by far the fastest way to send yourself into bankruptcy. Business is about profit, and having a smaller revenue with a larger profit margin will always beat out winning tons of business but earning almost no profit. Learn marketing and sales so you can get out of the price wars.

8. Trying to cost-cut your way to success. By saving a wage and doing the work yourself, you forget that nobody’s out there drumming up new business for you. Focus on bringing in the business, not saving a few pennies.

9. Hiring cheap employees. You get what you pay for. Getting the right people is crucial, so don’t just hire anyone. Wait until you find the right someone.

10. Focusing on only one area of your business. Business success involves three main areas: sales and marketing, finance and administration, and operations. You have to keep all three working and growing in unison, not just the area you’re good at.

11. Not testing or measuring anything. Knowing your numbers is vital. In fact, you can’t manage what you don’t measure. Measure everything from day one, from how many new prospects you have to how many sales you make.

12. Doing the work once and getting paid once. The key to success is to do the work once and establish a long-term, income-generating relationship. Learn to structure your clients, your business and your income that way, and you’ll build a great business.

You might have noticed there are 12, not 11, pitfalls to watch for. That’s because a good business will always deliver what it promises, but a great business will deliver more than promised.

About the author: Brad Sugars is Entrepreneur.com’s Startup Basics columnist and the founder of Action International, a business coaching franchise. entrepreneur.com

Raising Capital (Loans) Posted by: eTips

16MAR

Money with which to start and run your new small business can be raised in various ways. Obviously, the money can come from your own pocket. This may be what you have saved for

years. Or this may be proceeds from selling a car, a lot, jewelry or other prized personal belongings. Possibly, you have stock certificates or government bonds which you can readily convert into cash.

Using your own money is, of course, the safest way to finance a business. The next safest way is to borrow from close relatives and friends. You’ll have to pay them back, naturally, but they are usually prepared to be more flexible about when you repay them. Furthermore, you may also be able to get away with paying very low interest rates or none at all.

Sometimes, however, what can be raised from your personal resourcesand from relatives and friends are not enough to meet all the requirements ofyour business. Then you can start looking for outside sources.

EXTERNAL SOURCES OF CREDIT You can consider the following sources of money: 1. Pawnshops – You can get quick cash by pawning jewelry and other valuables. 2. Credit cooperatives – These are a popular and easy source of credit especially in the rural

areas. It may therefore be very useful for you, as entrepreneur, to join one. Usually a credit coop will lend an amount up to five times bigger than the money a member has deposited in it. Interest charges are often minimal.

3. Money lenders – These are people who lend quick money without collateral but charge exorbitant interest rates. They are otherwise known as “fivesix†operators, �because they usually charge about a peso interest per month for every five pesos they lend.

4. Lending investors – These are business enterprises engaged in moneylending operations. Considered a cross between money lenders and banks, lending investors extend short-term

loans quickly to individuals and businesses with or without collateral. Interest rates are higher than bank rates but lower than those charged by money lenders – usually ranging from 3 to 5 per cent a month. Lending investors have proliferated all over the country and have become an important source of credit to small enterprises.

5. Formal sources of credit – These include banks, financial institutions and certain government development agencies and development-oriented non-government organizations. They are called formal sources of credit because they have the legal authority or mandate to lend money to individuals and businesses.

TYPES OF LOANS There are various types of credit available from formal lending institutions. 1. Short-term loans – These are loans payable in one year or less. They are normally self-

liquidating, meaning that they are used to buy raw materials and supplies, labor and other requirements that will generate funds for the business and in turn be used for paying back the loan. Collateral is usually required. However, a bank may extend a collateral-free loan, otherwise known as a clean loan to a client with an excellent credit track record.

Short-term loans may come in the form of a revolving credit line – an agreement by the bank to extend a loan, not to exceed a specific amount, whenever needed by the borrower. A credit line is automatically renewable, as each loan transaction is paid by the borrower. Commercial banks are the most commonly-used sources of short-term loans.

2. Intermediate loans – Otherwise known as term loans, these are loans that provide capital repayable in one to three years. These are available from banks and other financing institutions. For a start-up entrepreneur, term loans may be very useful. It is backed up by collateral securities and paid back in installments.

3. Long-term loans – These are extended only if the lending institution is assured that the borrowing enterprises would still be in business – and making a profit – over the long-term period of the loan which is up to ten years. Thus, to qualify, your business must be seen to be stable and sustainable. These are usually extended by private and government banks.

SME-FRIENDLY BANKS Most banks lend to small business. But it is also true that some bank are more SME-friendly

than others, given the well-known risks and transaction costs which SME lending is associated with.

In its November 2000 issue, Entrepreneur Philippines short-listed five banks as “best for small business.†These are: the Development Bank of the Philippines, the Land Bank �of the Philippines, Consumer Savings Bank, Metrobank, and Planters Development Bank.

Other government institutions with specialized SME credit programs include the Department of Science and Technology and the Technology and Livelihood Resource Center with facilities for financing technology-oriented small business projects; the Philippine National Bank which implements the Pangkabuhayan Loan Program; and the Small Business Guarantee and Finance Corporation which, aside from its loan guarantee program, implements its own small business lending facility.

The Benefits of Mutual Fund InvestingPosted by EPa in Money Matters

The power of mutual funds lies in its ability to pool together funds from so many different

investors. Imagine a thousand investors each with P5,000 to invest who decide to pool their funds together. That’s

already a pool of P5 million! Now imagine that instead of just investing P5,000 each, some investors put in P10,000,

P100,000 or even P1,000,000. The size of the collective pool would even be bigger. And when it comes to investing,

there is strength in numbers. P5,000,000 can gain better access to more diversified investment instruments than

P5,000.

A mutual fund is a vehicle that allows investors to combine their resources. Because of this, you don’t need a large

amount of money to gain access to a well-diversified portfolio of top-performing investments. A mutual fund makes

this possible. Here are some of the key benefits of investing in mutual funds.

Professional Management

A mutual fund is managed by an experienced, full-time fund manager who is focused solely on analyzing the financial

markets and seizing market opportunities as they present themselves. By investing in a mutual fund, you benefit from

the fund manager’s experience and market insight.

Potentially Higher Returns

By pooling together the funds of thousands of investors, a mutual fund is able to access potentially higher yielding

investments that require large minimum investment amounts. Thus, investors are able to access potentially higher

yields that may not normally be available to them due to the size of their individual funds. Moreover, the fund

manager ensures that the mutual fund generates the best possible returns for the given level of risk of the mutual

fund.

Should the risk pay off, the higher amount returned to you could be invested in any number of highly useful things; for

example, if you happen to reside in Canada, some of it could be put into an RESP, a government

program that assists with post-secondary costs.

Diversification

Simply put, diversification means not putting all your eggs in one basket. This is especially important in investing.

Through proper diversification, losses in one investment can be off-set by gains in another. In the process, overall risk

is minimized. Investing in a mutual fund provides you with immediate access to a diversified portfolio of funds. By

virtue of the size of the pool of funds, the mutual fund is able to purchase many different investment securities and

diversify.

Liquidity

You may have your shares in a mutual fund redeemed at any time and just need to wait a maximum of seven (7)

banking days to gain access to your funds.

Safety

Mutual fund operations are governed by the Investment Company Act whose implementing rules and regulations

specify particular limits and constraints in the investment activities of all mutual funds. The Securities and Exchange

Commission (SEC) sees to it that all mutual funds comply with these statutory regulations. Moreover, mutual fund

companies are regularly audited by an independent auditor. The assets of the mutual fund are held by a third-party

custodian bank.

DIFFERENT TYPES OF RISK

Depending on the kinds of securities it is allowed to invest in, a mutual fund is subject to one or more of the following

types of risk.

Market Risk

The risk that the value of an investment will be adversely affected by the fluctuations in its market prices. These

fluctuations may be the result of two other kinds of risk:

1. Unsystematic Risk – the variability in the stock’s price due to factors associated with the company. This type of risk

can be minimized through proper diversification.

2. Systematic Risk – the variability in price related to factors that affect the economy and the financial markets as a

whole.

Sector Risk

The risk which affects stocks in a particular industry or sector sector. Market or economic factors affecting that

industry sector, could have an effect on the value of a fund’s investments.

Liquidity Risk

The risk that an investment may not find a ready buyer and, as such, may have to be disposed at a substantial loss.

To reduce this risk, mutual funds try to stay away from securities which do not have a ready buyer, are not listed, are

listed but are not actively traded and are very volatile.

Interest Rate Risk

The volatility of bond prices that results from changes in interest rates. Bond prices are inversely related to interest

rates. When interest rates rise, bond prices fall and vice versa. Interest rates are affected by various factors such as

the expected direction of inflation, monetary policy, political risk and other economic factors.

Credit/Default Risk

The creditworthiness of the bond issuer and its expected ability to pay interest and to repay its debt. A mutual fund

can manage this risk by investing only in investment grade bonds.

Purchasing Power Risk

The risk that the rate of return on an investment will not be greater than the rate of inflation thus diminishing the value

of your money, i.e., the value of your money in real terms will be less than the purchasing power of your original

investment.

Currency Risk

Also known as foreign exchange risk – the risk that fluctuations in the exchange rates may negatively affect

the value of the fund’s investment. This applies to mutual funds that are denominated in one currency but invest in

instruments denominated in another.

Management Risk

A type of risk associated with all actively managed forms of investments. Investment decisions are made by portfolio

managers who can and do make mistakes from time to time by selecting wrong issues or misallocating the assets of

the fund. These errors in judgment can result in a fund’s underperformance, decline in value or even losses.

For more information, contact:

Philequity Management, Inc.

Suite 2004-A, East Tower, Philippines Stock Exchange Centre Exchange Road

Ortigas Center, Pasig City

Telephone No: 689-8080

Fax Number: 706-0795

Email: info@philequity.net

Web: www.philequity.net

Hog Raising Tips: Stress ManagementPosted by EPa in Livestocks

Tail-biting, ear-biting, belly rubbing are considered behavioral vices when pigs are confined

in one pen.   Constant outbreaks of these vices reduce growth performance of the pigs.   Oftentimes, the

predisposing factors are: poor ventilation; improper nutrition; overcrowding; and boredom.   Thus, it is necessary to

give close attention to the environment, stocking rate, feed and water space, and the removal of aggressive    pigs to

control the problem.

How to reduce stress during transport of weaners

o Add vitamins and electrolytes in the drinking water two to three days before transport.   Anti-stress formulation can

also be given.

o It is best to transport weaners during the coldest part of the day. The vehicle should be well ventilated and the

weaners should be protected against direct sunlight.   Do not wet weaners during transport because they might get

sick.

o Handle the piglets gently and allow them to walk into the transport vehicle. Straw bedding in the truck is needed to

keep them warm and to protect their legs and feet.

o If vehicle is too long, separations are necessary to prevent crushing or overcrowding to one end. Do not mix

weaners with bigger pigs.

o Partially feed the weaners before transport. However, water should be available during the transport.   If the trip will

take several days, feeds and water should be given on a restricted amount.

For newly arrived weaners

Newly purchased weaners are subject to: fatigue, hunger, thirst, temperature changes, ration changes, new

surrounding, and social problem (culture shock).

o Clean and disinfect pens prior to arrival. This allows the pig to gradually become accustomed to the bacteria in the

new environment.

o Maintain the environment temperature at 21 °C several days after arrival.

o Provide enough space for the pigs and group them accordingly. Separate weak piglets.

o Feed and watering devices should be accessible

o Restrict feeding for the first few days upon arrival. Over consumption may cause digestive upsets.

o Shifting of feeds   from starter to grower should be done gradually. Below is an example of a shifting scheme.

Day | Starter Feed | Grower Feed

o 1 & 2 | 75% | 25%

o 3 & 4 | 50% | 50%

o 5 & 6 | 25% | 75%

o 7 | 0 | 100%

source: DA-ITCPH, Maraway, Lipa City, photo from farmingfriends.com

Where to invest P100,000 today? INQUIRER.netFirst Posted 12:07:00 01/16/2007

Filed Under: Personal Finance

(Sixth in Series 2 of Take Charge of Your Money)

Q: What will I do with my P100,000? Is buying stocks a good option? What stock is profitable? Thank you so much. -- Mark Valenzon

A: Congratulations, Mark! Your question shows that you are interested to secure your financial future by thinking of investing. Other people would think first of what they can buy with their P100,000.

There are many investment vehicles you may consider for your P100,000. But to find the best one for you, you need to find out your investor profile. What type of investor are you? Do you want to play it safe and have guaranteed returns, or do you want to be more aggressive and take the risk in exchange for potential higher returns?

A financial check-up is usually a good place to start. Citibank offers a complimentary session for customers and non-customers alike. During the session, your needs, objectives and preferences will be determined. You will be asked about your financial objectives, timehorizon, investment experience, and risk tolerance. When your profile is made clear, suitable investments will be identified that will match your profile.

1. Equity fundsIf results show that you are suitable for equity (stock) investments, you may want to consider investing in equity funds instead, rather than directly investing in the stock market. Equity funds are investment funds invested wholly in stocks and are run by full-time professional fund managers who watch over the portfolio and make trading decisions daily. They know which stocks are doing well since they analyze the market daily.

Investing in equity funds will allow you to diversify your investments, since the fund   invests  in not just one stock, but in a mix. You will have access to otherwise hard-to-reach financial markets since the fund will be able to invest in equities not available to the small investor. You will also be spreading your risk, since you won’t be exposed to just one company stock. So even if one stock loses, others may gain and you will have a net gain. You will also be highly liquid since you can turn your investment into cash anytime you want by withdrawing from the fund, in some cases, at a small fee. Equity funds may be in the form of a mutual   fund run by a financial company, or a unit investment trust fund you can access through a bank.

2. Withdrawable Time DepositIf you want guaranteed returns you may want to consider a withdrawable time deposit. This is different from the usual time deposit in that your placement is broken down into smaller denominated certificates. Should you need the cash, you may surrender only the number of certificates you want, and not the whole placement, allowing the rest of your investment to still earn a high yield. The interest rate offered is usually a market premium, definitely higher than what you would earn from a savings account. In Citibank, the term is for one year.

3. Bonds, bond   funds Bonds may be good to invest in also, if you want less risk but potentially higher returns than cash deposits. Bonds are fixed income securities issued for a longer period of time. Your investment will be repaid at the end of the term. You can also sell these securities before maturity but will be subject to existing rates and prices. In the meantime, you will earn interest regularly, which you can arrange to be deposited to your account. Aside from investing in bonds directly, you may also invest   in   bond  funds, through a mutual fund or unit investment trust fund.

4. Start a businessWith P100,000, you may also start a business. However, this demands much time and effort. If you don’t have the passion for it, don’t pursue. If you don’t know anything about the business you are looking at, don’t get into it. A business, to be successful, demands much of the entrepreneur.

You may hear of investment programs offering you returns higher than what the market offers. Remember, if it is too good to be true, then it must be.

A key principle in building personal wealth for the future is asset   allocation . According to The Citibank Guide to Building Personal Wealth, “This simply means looking at your wealth as a whole — as one big pot — and deciding how to apportion it to achieve the best overall return at an acceptable level of risk.”

A good investor will have a diversified portfolio of different asset   classes  to spread out his risk of getting low returns from just one asset class. Since you were looking at stocks, you might want to get into equity funds if stocks suit your investor profile. But stocks are very volatile; you may gain or lose easily. Set aside, then, some funds for bonds and cash deposits as well to make sure you earn even if the stock market does not perform well.

Now how much should you set aside per asset class? It depends on your needs, how soon you need the money, and your appetite for risk. Generally, though, if you are young, you can get into equities more since you can wait out the market fluctuations. The older you get, the more you should shift to the less volatile investments such as bonds. Periodically review the performance of your investment portfolio and rebalance or adjust your investments as needed.

Hold on to your investment for the long term. Your P100,000 today will be worth so much more after 30 years, and even more so after that. If you continually build up your investment portfolio for the long term, it will be possible for you to live off the interest income from your investments during your retirement years. Now that’s financial security.