Read this first. Read it again.
- You run this complex. Everything that happens here — inbound, grinding, mixing, bagging, storage, dispatch — is your responsibility.
- Feed is not a cost. Feed is a business. Farmers in this region are paying import prices for ingredients sitting in their own backyard. Your job is to process those ingredients, bag them properly, and get them to farmers at a price that beats anything coming from Manila.
- The farm buys feed at cost. External customers buy at margin. No exceptions, no side deals, no free bags.
- If a batch is wrong, you own it. If a label is missing, you own it. If stock goes missing, you own it.
- This spoke must be cash positive. Every week. If it is not, you need to know why before Aido asks.
All bulk ingredients arrive by truck. Bail bags are the standard delivery unit — large bottom-discharge bags lifted by HIAB. Follow this sequence on every delivery without exception.
-
Confirm delivery against purchase order before truck enters courtyard — supplier name, ingredient, quantity, agreed price
Do not accept delivery if paperwork does not match. Call Aido immediately.
-
Direct HIAB truck to reverse into courtyard — position bail bag over receiving vessel on pallet scales
Pallet scales are positioned in the courtyard under the hoop house. Vessel must be on scales before bag is lifted in.
-
Tare the empty vessel on the scales before bag opens
Zero the scales with empty vessel in place. This gives you net ingredient weight.
-
Untie the base of the bail bag — gravity feed direct into vessel
Never cut the bag — untie it. You may need to re-tie if splitting across multiple vessels.
-
Read the net weight as the vessel fills — weigh as you fill
Critical
Record weight in logbook before the vessel moves. This is your stock entry. Do not move the vessel before recording weight.
-
Quality check while filling — smell, colour, moisture, contamination
If anything is wrong: stop filling, re-tie the bag, quarantine the delivery, call Aido. Do not blend suspect material.
-
Seal the vessel immediately when full — lid on, sealed, no open vessels
Bicol humidity begins attacking exposed feed within minutes. Sealed means sealed.
-
Label the vessel: ingredient, batch date, supplier, moisture check date
No unlabelled vessel moves from this point. Use the standard label format.
-
Forklift vessel to its assigned position in Container 3 — FIFO, new stock behind existing stock
New stock always goes behind. Oldest stock comes out first. Always.
-
Record delivery in logbook: date, supplier, ingredient, quantity (kg), price paid, vessel number
Pen only. No erasures. If you make an error, draw a single line through it and initial. The logbook is a legal record.
-
Confirm GCash or bank transfer payment — no cash ever
Payment confirmed with supplier before truck leaves. Forward confirmation to Grace same day.
Nothing on the floor
No loose ingredient ever sits on the floor of this complex. Everything is in a vessel. If you run out of vessels, stop taking delivery and call Aido.
Reject on arrival if any of these standards are not met. A bad batch that gets into the mix ruins the entire batch. Rejection on delivery costs less than rejection after processing.
| Ingredient | Accept | Reject | Shelf Life (Bicol) |
|---|
| Ground corn |
Light yellow, dry smell, <12% moisture |
Mould spots, musty smell, clumping, weevils |
4–6 weeks sealed |
| Rice bran D1 (darak) |
Off-white to light brown, fresh nutty smell, D1 grade only |
Rancid/sour smell, dark colour, heat or clumping |
2 weeks sealed — use fast |
| Copra meal |
Light brown, nut-like smell, firm texture |
Rancid or burned smell, dark patches, any mould — aflatoxin risk |
3 weeks sealed |
| Ipil-ipil leaf meal |
Dry, brittle, green-brown, ground fine, <12% moisture |
Damp or clumping, mould, strong off-smell |
4–8 weeks sealed |
| Malunggay leaf meal |
Shade-dried, green-grey, fine powder |
Sun-dried (destroys Vitamin A), damp, brown or black patches |
4–8 weeks sealed |
| Fish meal |
Dried to <10% moisture, strong but clean fishy smell, fine grind |
Rancid or ammonia smell, any moisture, visible mould |
2–3 weeks sealed — high risk |
| Molasses |
Dark brown liquid, sweet caramel smell, flows freely |
Fermented or alcohol smell, contamination, crystallised solid |
Indefinite if sealed |
| Salt / crushed shells |
Clean, dry, free-flowing |
Moisture clumping, contamination |
Indefinite if dry |
Rice bran and copra meal are your highest-risk ingredients
Rice bran goes rancid in days if exposed to humidity. Copra meal carries aflatoxin risk if it gets damp. Order only what you will use within shelf life. Never overstock these two.
All dry ingredients must be ground to the correct particle size before mixing. Wrong particle size means poor blending, poor nutrition delivery, and poor pellet formation.
Particle Size by Feed Type
| Feed Type | Target Size | Screen | Notes |
|---|
| Pig starter | 1–2mm | 2mm screen | Fine — young pigs have limited digestive capacity |
| Pig grower / finisher | 2–3mm | 3mm screen | Coarser for growers and finishers |
| Goat concentrate | 2–4mm | 3–4mm screen | Ruminants prefer coarser texture |
| Cattle concentrate | 3–5mm | 4–5mm screen | Coarsest — rumen handles it |
| Chicken pellets (pre-pellet) | 1–3mm | 2–3mm screen | Must be fine for pellet die |
| Rabbit pellets (pre-pellet) | 2–4mm | 3mm screen | Include chopped hay in mix |
| Leaf meals (ipil-ipil, malunggay) | 1–3mm powder | Fine screen | Must be brittle-dry before grinding |
| Fish meal | 1–2mm powder | Fine screen | Grind immediately after drying |
Grinding Procedure
- Check ingredient is dry before loading — if it clumps or feels damp, do not grind. Dry first or reject.
- Select correct screen for the feed type — confirm against table above before starting
- Run a small flush amount of the ingredient through first — clears any residue from previous batch
-
When switching from fish meal to any other ingredient — full clean of hammer mill before proceeding
Critical
Fish meal contamination in leaf meal or grain batches is a serious quality failure. Clean thoroughly.
- Inspect screen after every 10 batches — worn or holed screens produce inconsistent particle sizes. Replace immediately if holes show visible wear.
-
Grind only what you need for the current batch
Ground material has much higher surface area and goes rancid faster than whole ingredients. Do not pre-grind large volumes. Grind daily or every 2 days maximum.
- Transfer ground material directly to sealed vessel — label with ingredient and grind date
Every scoop of finished feed must contain the correct proportion of every ingredient. Poor mixing means some animals get too much protein and others not enough. Weigh everything. Estimate nothing.
-
Pull the formula sheet for the batch you are making — confirm species, stage, and formula before touching any vessel
-
Weigh every ingredient on pallet scales — record each weight in logbook before it goes in the mixer
Use calibrated scales. Density varies hugely between corn (heavy) and leaf meal (light). Never estimate by volume.
-
Pre-blend all small-volume ingredients first — salt, malunggay meal, fish meal, azolla — in a separate container before adding to the mixer
Critical
This is the most important step. Pre-blending ensures even distribution of micronutrients throughout the batch. Skip this and you get hot spots — some animals overdose, some get nothing. Mix the pre-blend thoroughly before adding to bulk.
-
Load bulk ingredients into ribbon mixer first — rice bran and ground corn go in together
-
Add copra meal and ipil-ipil leaf meal on top of bulk
-
Add the pre-blend (from Step 3) last into the dry mix
Pre-blend always goes in last before liquids. Never add it directly to bulk without pre-blending.
-
Run mixer for 10–15 minutes dry
-
Add molasses and any water last — mix for a further 5 minutes
Liquids always last. Adding molasses early causes clumping in the bulk dry ingredients.
-
Uniformity check — take samples from three different points in the mixer. Colour and texture must be consistent throughout. If not, run mixer for another 5 minutes and recheck.
-
Discharge via auger to weigh hopper — portion by bag weight
Do not discharge the full batch at once if you are not bagging immediately. Keep in mixer sealed until you are ready.
-
Record batch in logbook: formula name, species, date, batch number, each ingredient weight, total weight, any observations
Pig feeds only
Fermentation applies to all pig feed formulas — starter, grower, and finisher. Ruminants (goats, cattle, carabao) do not require fermented feed — their rumen is its own fermenter. Chicken and rabbit pellets are not fermented.
Two-week sealed fermentation using EM-1 (effective microorganisms) boosts digestible protein, improves gut health, and reduces feed cost to levels no commercial manufacturer can match. This step is not optional for pig feed.
-
Mix all dry ingredients thoroughly on the concrete mixing floor or in the ribbon mixer — treat it like mixing cement
-
Add chopped fresh greens — azolla, kangkong, or sweet potato tops — mix so the dry material coats the moist vegetation
-
Prepare EM-1 liquid: dilute 100ml EM-1 concentrate and 100ml molasses in 10 litres of water. Mix well.
EM-1 can be cultured on-farm: rice wash water (the cloudy water from rinsing rice) + molasses, sealed in a bottle for 7–10 days. This eliminates need to purchase commercial EM-1.
-
Pour EM-1 liquid over the dry mix — blend thoroughly until liquid is evenly distributed
-
Ball test — take a handful and squeeze with moderate pressure
Critical
Target: ball holds together without dripping liquid. Too dry = add water in small amounts and recheck. Dripping liquid = add more dry mix. Get this right before sealing — you cannot adjust moisture after sealing.
-
Pack tightly into clean 200L food-grade HDPE drums with screw-top lids — press out all air as you pack
Pack in layers, pressing down firmly between each layer. Air pockets cause spoilage. Fill to the top — no headspace.
-
Seal completely — screw lid down tight. Label with: formula, date packed, batch number, species
-
Move sealed drums to shaded area — direct sun overheats drums and kills beneficial microbes
Critical
Do not stack in direct sunlight. Shaded storage is essential for the full fermentation period.
-
Ferment for minimum 14 days — do not open during fermentation
Mark the open date on the drum label when you seal it. Minimum 14 days from seal date.
-
On opening: smell test first — pleasant, slightly sour or yeasty smell = correct. Rancid, putrid, or visible mould = discard the entire drum. Do not feed suspect batches.
Once opened, use within 5–7 days. Do not reseal and hold opened drums.
Bag Sizes
| Size | Use |
|---|
| 5kg | Retail — small backyard farmers, trial purchase |
| 10kg | Retail standard — most common sale |
| 25kg | Commercial — regular farm customers |
| 50kg | On-farm use and bulk customers only |
Bagging Procedure
- Fill bag from weigh hopper — portion by weight, not by eye
-
Seal immediately — tie with wire or string tie top
Do not leave bags open. Even 30 minutes of exposure to Bicol humidity begins moisture absorption. String tie, NOT heat seal — field farmers need to open and reseal easily.
-
Stamp Nana Bambi's label on the bag before it leaves the station
- Stack on pallets — maximum 8 bags high — leave 30cm gap between stacks and walls for air circulation
- Record in logbook: formula, bag size, quantity, batch number, date bagged
What Goes on Every Label
Label Minimum Requirements
Product name (e.g. "Bambis Goat Grower") · Mix date · Batch number · Net weight · Ingredients list · Target species · Feeding rate · Nana Bambi's — Ragay, Camarines Sur
Every bag is a Nana Bambi's advertisement. A clean, clear, well-stamped bag builds trust with farmers. A messy or missing label destroys it.
The Golden Rules — No Exceptions
- Dry to <12% moisture before storage — all ingredients must be thoroughly dried before mixing or storing
- Seal hermetically — airtight storage prevents moisture absorption and arrests mould and insect growth
- Use it fast — in Bicol humidity, even properly stored feed degrades. Mix in batches matched to consumption. Do not stockpile.
- FIFO always — first in, first out. New stock goes behind. Oldest stock comes out first. Every time.
- Off the ground — all bags and drums on pallets. Never directly on concrete. Concrete transmits moisture.
Weekly Inspection Checklist
- Smell each vessel — any off, sour, or rancid odour triggers quarantine
- Check for moisture — any condensation on vessel interior, clumping of contents
- Check for mould — any visible growth, colour changes
- Check for rodent activity — droppings, gnaw marks on vessels or bags
- Check for weevils — any live or dead insects in grain vessels
- Verify all vessels are sealed — no open containers
- Verify all vessels are labelled — no unlabelled vessels
- Verify FIFO order — confirm oldest stock is at the front
- Record inspection in logbook — date, who inspected, any findings
Quarantine Procedure
- Remove suspect vessel from Container 3 immediately — do not leave it adjacent to good stock
- Mark vessel clearly: red tape + "QUARANTINE — DO NOT USE — [date]"
- Move to separate isolated area outside the complex
- Record in logbook: ingredient, batch, date quarantined, reason
- Notify Aido same day — do not make the discard decision alone for batches over ₱5,000 value
Non-Negotiables
- No cash ever. All payments in and out — GCash or bank transfer only. Drivers never carry cash. Farmers pay before bags leave the complex.
- Approval thresholds: Any purchase or write-off over ₱5,000 requires Livestock Manager or Founder approval before it happens.
- Logbook discipline: Pen only, no erasures. Single line through errors — initial and date. Logbook collected monthly by Grace, stored 12 months minimum.
- EOD must be completed before the counter closes. No exceptions. Stock count, receipts reconciled, logbook updated.
- Every batch has a record. No batch leaves this complex without a logbook entry — formula, date, batch number, total weight.
- Internal transfer price = cost only. Farm departments buy at cost. External customers pay at margin. No exceptions.
- Asset register entry same day as invoice. Any equipment purchase is entered in the asset register the day the invoice is paid.
Processing Line — Faires Machines (Phils.) Inc.
| Equipment | Capacity | Purpose |
|---|
| Hammer mill | 500kg/hr | Crack and grind corn, grain, leaf meals, fish meal to correct particle size |
| Horizontal ribbon mixer | 500kg/batch | Blend all ingredients — 10–15 min run time |
| Auger screw conveyor | — | Transfer mixed batch from mixer discharge to weigh hopper |
| Weigh hopper | — | Portion mix by exact bag weight before filling |
| Sifter | — | Remove oversized particles and foreign matter before bagging |
Basic Maintenance Notes
- Clean hammer mill screens between batches when switching ingredients — especially after fish meal
- Inspect screens every 10 batches — replace when holes show visible wear
- Ribbon mixer blades: check for build-up after every session, especially after molasses batches
- Lubricate all bearings per manufacturer schedule — log in maintenance book
- Keep spare screens for hammer mill on hand — worn screen = inconsistent particle size = rejected batch
- Any equipment fault: stop production, record in logbook, notify Aido same day. Do not attempt major repairs without authorisation.
Phase 2 — Pelletiser
Not Stage 1
Pelletiser installs between ribbon mixer discharge and weigh hopper when the time is right. Do not install until own formulas are proven on own livestock for minimum 3 months, margins are documented, and steady external demand is confirmed. Space is reserved in Container 2. Do not obstruct it.