Land goes in as brush. It comes out as pasture. Every animal in the system has a specific job — none are passengers. Each species leaves the land better than it found it.
No chemicals. No burning. No heavy machinery on the soil. The animals do the work in sequence, each preparing the ground for the next. The result is improved pasture from worthless overgrown land, using nothing but time and managed animal movement.
This is the operating logic of the entire Big Farm. It applies to our own 24 hectares at Inandawa and to every hectare of lease land we take on. We do not take on land and hold it — we improve it and hand it back worth more than we found it.
The Lease Guarantee
Every overgrown, unusable block in the barangay is a liability to its owner. We lease it cheap, run the succession system, and return improved pasture. The landowner gets better land. We get cheap grazing and finished meat. The community benefits from productive land that was previously worthless.
Six stages in fixed order. Do not skip stages. Do not rush the rest periods.
1
🐐 GOATS — Canopy & Brush Clearance
Boer x Nubian x Native boys in a clearing mob. Eat canopy, shrubs, woody brush, leaves, and bark. Temp construction panels contain them, moved every 2–3 days. They do not discriminate — anything at head height and below gets eaten. This is your clearing crew earning their slaughter weight.
2–4 weeks depending on brush density
2
🐷 NATIVE PIGS — Root & Ground Layer Reset
Follow goats onto stripped land. Root out stumps, tubers, and root systems. Turn and aerate soil. Deposit manure directly into the turned ground. Native pigs learn the rotation fast — they know what's ahead of them. 2 days maximum per area then move on. Long recovery required after pigs — they compact and churn heavily.
1–2 weeks — 2 days max per area, then move
3
⏸ REST — Rhizome Establishment
No animals. No exceptions. Soil biology recovers. Light penetrates to ground level for the first time. Grass seed germinates. Root systems from pasture species dig in and anchor. This is where the pasture is actually made. Rush this and you get weeds, not grass. The rhizomes need time to establish and the soil needs to breathe.
60–90 days minimum — NON-NEGOTIABLE
4
🐄 CATTLE — Graze, Trample, Fertilise
First cattle entry onto new pasture. Strip grazing via portable hotwire — moved every 2 days, always fresh feed ahead. Cattle learn the system fast and move willingly to new strips. Hooves trample residual material into soil surface. Manure deposits begin building soil biology. Never overgraze — move before the strip is eaten below 10cm height.
2 days per strip — continuous forward movement
5
🐔 CHICKENS — Scratch, Nitrogen, Pest Control
Follow cattle 2–3 days behind on each strip. Scratch and spread manure pats. Eat fly larvae, intestinal parasites, and insects from fresh manure. Deposit nitrogen-rich droppings. Break parasite cycles — no chemical wormer needed long term when chickens follow consistently. Deployed in tractors (flat ground) or caravan with Gallagher poultry net (rough terrain — protects from dogs).
2–3 days behind cattle on each strip
6
⏸ REST — Pasture Recovery & Root Building
Strip rests after cattle and chickens have passed. Roots regrow, soil biology processes the manure, grass reaches full height and seed. The rest period is what builds pasture quality over time — each cycle leaves the land in better condition than the last. This is how degraded land becomes high-producing pasture over 2–3 years.
60–90 days minimum before cattle return
↺
REPEAT — Cattle + Chickens Ongoing Rotation
Once established, the land runs on the cattle + chicken rotation indefinitely. Goats and pigs only re-enter if new brush encroaches or ground needs a reset. The 60–90 day rest rule applies every cycle, every time. This is not optional — it is the system.
Indefinite — this is the steady state
Non-Negotiable Rule
60–90 days rest minimum between grazing cycles. No exceptions.
Rushing the rest period is how regenerative systems fail. The rhizomes need to dig in. If it has not been 60 days, the animals do not go back in. This applies to every strip, every species, every time.
This is not fixed paddock rotation. It is mob grazing with portable hotwire — strips move forward continuously as cattle graze. One reel, one person, done in minutes.
How It Works
- Cattle contained in a fresh strip — approximately one day's feed per strip
- Moved every 2 days — always fresh pasture ahead, never overgrazed ground behind
- Back fence moves forward with the front fence — prevents returning to grazed strips
- Chickens follow 2–3 strips behind — timing is automatic once the rhythm is established
- Strips behind the chickens begin their 60–90 day rest clock
Strip Timeline Visual
Strip 1
RESTING
Day 65+ |
→ |
Strip 2
CHICKENS
Day 3–5 |
→ |
Strip 3
CATTLE
Day 1–2 |
→ |
Strip 4
FRESH
Next |
Strips advance continuously. Each strip behind the cattle begins its 60–90 day rest clock after chickens pass.
Training New Animals
- New cattle: 2–3 days in a training yard with visible hotwire before entering strip rotation
- New pigs: same principle — they learn the wire fast, respect it permanently
- Once trained, animals move willingly — they know fresh feed is ahead
- No dogs, no motorcycles, no stress — animals walk at their own pace
Mob Size
15–20
boys per clearing crew
Daily Gain
130–140g
on browse + supplement
Slaughter Weight
25–30kg
live weight
Time to Weight
6–8 months
from birth
Feed Cost
₱0
land pays for feed
Farmgate Price
~₱170/kg
live weight
Breed Logic
- Does (breeding herd): Anglo-Nubian × Native — good milk yield (1–1.5L/day), hardy, tropical-adapted, strong maternal instinct
- Buck (sire): Boer — puts muscle and frame on every kid he sires. Fast growth rate.
- All male offspring: Boer × Nubian × Native three-way cross — Boer muscle, Nubian frame, Native hardiness. 6–8 months to 25–30kg. Clearing crew until slaughter.
- Best female offspring: Retained as dairy replacements. Surplus females sold as breeding stock — premium price.
Fencing Deployment
- Construction-style temp panels — same type used on building sites
- Link into any shape — rectangle, L-shape, follow terrain
- Move in under an hour with two people
- Transport in the back of the NPS 4×4 or small trailer
- 2–3 days per area maximum — move before they strip the ground
- Gallagher poultry net can supplement for dog pressure areas
Clearing Fee Structure
- Internal use (Inandawa, lease land): no charge — clearing is the primary purpose
- External jobs for neighbouring farms: small fee covering fuel + driver wage = cost neutral
- Fee is not a profit centre — it covers costs and keeps boys away from the does
- Every day clearing is a day of free feed. At 6–8 months the job pays in meat.
Inandawa Priority — First 12–18 Months
The Inandawa land is currently overgrown and unproductive. The clearing crew works this land first — improving it for free while growing out. By the time Stage 1 infrastructure is ready to build, the first slaughter rotation is coming off and the land is cleared.
Native pigs are purchased as piglets when needed — not bred, not held permanently. When a clearing rotation needs ground reset, buy a small mob. When the job is done, they go to lechon. Simple, low overhead, no breeding infrastructure required.
Role in the System
- Follow goats onto stripped land — goats eat everything above ground, pigs clear everything below
- Root out stumps, tubers, and root systems that goats leave behind
- Turn and aerate the soil surface — accelerates germination when rest period begins
- Manure goes directly into the turned soil — immediate fertility deposit
Management Rules
- 2 days maximum per area — they compact and churn ground heavily, move them on
- Long recovery required after pigs — minimum 60–90 days before any grazing
- Temp panels contain them — they learn the fence fast
- Never left alone — pigs kept in groups, isolated pigs become destructive and stressed
- Native breeds only — adapted to browse, heat-tolerant, efficient on low input
- Sold as lechon — quick turnaround, easy to handle, strong local market
Buy Only What You Need
Do not maintain a permanent pig herd. Purchase piglets when a ground reset is needed. Grow them through the rotation. Sell as lechon when the job is done. If no clearing work is needed — do not buy pigs. Keep it simple.
Once pasture is established after the succession stages, the land runs on the cattle and chicken loop indefinitely. This is the steady state of the Big Farm.
Cattle Deployment
- Holstein-Sahiwal cross dairy cows — milk primary, beef secondary via poddy calves
- Strip grazing via portable hotwire — moved every 2 days
- Cattle know the system and move willingly to fresh strips — no stress, no dogs
- Never graze below 10cm — move before the strip is exhausted
- Cows always kept in company — never a single animal alone in a paddock
Chicken Deployment — Two Models
| Model | Terrain | Setup | Dog Protection |
|---|
| Chicken Tractor |
Flat, even ground |
Self-contained shelter on skids or wheels. Dragged or driven forward one strip per day. |
Solid base frame — dogs cannot dig under |
| Chicken Caravan + Gallagher Poultry Net |
Rough, sloped, or uneven terrain |
Mobile shelter moved by tractor or vehicle. Gallagher energised net set up around it. Net moves with caravan as strips advance. |
Energised net — stops dogs immediately without permanent infrastructure |
Chicken Source & Biosecurity
- Birds come from Agrupacion poultry farm — transported to Big Farm for rotation work
- Breeding stock kept at Hub AND Inandawa — biosecurity redundancy
- In event of bird flu: good breeding stock is protected at two separate locations
- Broilers raised at Agrupacion, transported to big farm for finishing weight gain on pasture
Why the Combination Works
- Chickens scratch cattle manure pats — fly larvae eaten before they hatch, parasite cycle broken
- Nitrogen from chicken manure deposits on top of cattle manure — double fertility hit
- No chemical wormer needed long term when chickens follow cattle consistently
- Chickens gain weight on free pasture protein — lower feed cost per bird
- Cattle hooves create disturbance that chickens exploit for insect foraging
These are not soft preferences. Isolated animals are stressed animals. Stressed animals do not grow, do not produce, get sick, and cause problems. Company is a management requirement across all species.
🐄
Cattle
Always in company — never alone
- Minimum 2 animals at all times
- Bull kept with weaners or heifers between working holidays
- Poddy calves group-housed at Agrupacion
- Calm handling — no dogs, no motorbikes herding
🐐
Goats
Always in company — never alone
- Mob minimum 5 animals
- Does and boys in separate mobs — not mixed
- Fresh browse and water always available
- Shade and shelter in wet season
🐷
Pigs
Never left alone — makes them grumpy
- Always in groups — minimum 3
- Isolated pigs become destructive and aggressive
- Shade and wallowing point always available
- Move before they exhaust an area — bored pigs dig everything
🐔
Chickens
Protected from predators at all times
- Gallagher net or solid tractor base — no exceptions in dog areas
- Night shelter always — poultry net not sufficient after dark
- Fresh water in tractor or caravan at all times
- Moved before area is exhausted — stress from bare ground
The Bull — Aido's Pet & Working Asset
One Brahman-cross bull kept at the Hub. He is the mascot and a working asset. When the dairy herd at Inandawa needs him, he gets transported out for a working holiday with the girls. Between trips he has his own paddock at the Hub with weaners or heifers for company — never alone. He is calm, well-handled, and part of the AI program. The AI program (semen straws sourced from Australia) is the primary breeding method. The bull is the backup and the community connection — local farmers will ask about him.
Technology Partnership — Under Investigation
Halter — GPS Virtual Fencing for Cattle
Solar-powered GPS collars. Move your entire herd from your phone. No wire. No posts. No labour.
$2B
Valuation — Series E 2026
1M+
Collars sold globally
20–40hrs
Labour saved per week
- GPS-enabled solar-powered collar on each animal — no battery changes
- LoRaWAN towers on-farm — works offline, no mobile reception needed
- Redraw strip boundaries from your phone in seconds — cattle move automatically
- Real-time location of every animal 24/7 — Jim can monitor remotely
- Sound and vibration cues guide cattle — stress-free movement, no dogs needed
- Cattle learn the system in 7–10 days — respond to sound cues alone after training
- Perfect for strip grazing every 2 days — boundary moves in seconds, not an hour of wire work
- Proven in NZ, Australia, US — expanding globally with $220M Series E capital
Aido has made contact with Halter regarding the Philippine market. The Philippines — with 324,000+ carabao in Bicol alone and a rapidly growing commercial cattle sector — is an obvious next market. Nana Bambi's is positioned as a demonstration site and potential market entry partner.
⚡ Under investigation — not yet committed. Watch this space.
What Halter Replaces in Our System
| Current Method | With Halter | Benefit |
|---|
| Portable hotwire — physically move reel every 2 days | Redraw boundary in app — 30 seconds from phone | One person can manage more mobs across more land |
| Check stock location by walking/driving | Real-time GPS map — know where every animal is from anywhere | Jim manages remotely, Aido checks from Australia pre-arrival |
| Herd moving requires stockpeople or dogs | Sound cue from collar — cattle move themselves | Zero stress movement, no dogs, no machinery |
| Fixed paddock boundaries | Infinite virtual fence configurations — adapt to any terrain | Optimise grazing pressure precisely across rough Inandawa land |
Cattle bred on farm. AI insemination is the primary breeding method — semen straws sourced from Australia. This puts Australian genetics (Brahman, Sahiwal, Holstein-Sahiwal) directly into the Inandawa herd without importing live animals.
Why Australian Straws
- Proven tropical dairy genetics — Sahiwal and Brahman-cross handle Bicol heat and humidity
- Australian biosecurity standards — disease-free certified
- Specific traits selectable — milk yield, growth rate, heat tolerance, temperament
- Cost of straw + technician far lower than cost of importing a live bull
- Can change direction of breed with each season — no commitment to one bull
Implementation
- BAI (Bureau of Animal Industry) licensed AI technician — confirm availability in Ragay/Sipocot area
- Semen imported via DA-BAI accredited channels — cleared through Philippines customs
- Heat detection: Halter collars have built-in heat detection if/when adopted
- Hub bull as backup — natural service for any cows that return empty after AI
- Best heifer offspring retained as dairy replacements — herd genetics improve each generation
DA Bicol Connection
DA Bicol runs a livestock genetics program and BAI maintains AI technicians in Camarines Sur. Benedict Almario is the first contact — he knows which technicians are active in the Ragay corridor and whether DA has subsidised AI programs available for registered farms.
Every overgrown, unusable block in Inandawa is a liability to its owner. No income, no access, often a legal clearing obligation they cannot afford. We offer a different deal.
| What We Offer the Landowner | What We Get |
|---|
| Low lease rate reflecting current unusable state of land | Cheap grazing — clearing crew eats for free |
| Land cleared and improved within 4–6 months | Productive pasture for ongoing cattle rotation |
| No chemicals, no burning, no heavy machinery on their soil | Cleared land with improved soil biology |
| Land returned in better condition than received — guaranteed | Grow-out mob fed at zero cost — full margin at slaughter |
| Cattle manure improves their coconut yield 10–20% (FAO documented) | Access to more land as reputation builds |
| Priority employment for their family as operation grows | Community goodwill and barangay support |
| Access to feed from Feeds & Supply spoke at cost | Benedict Almario and DA as allies — demonstrated regenerative model |
Lease Strategy — Targeting Unusable Land
- Prioritise land that is currently overgrown, scrubby, or inaccessible — lease rate is low because value is low
- Apply succession system — goats clear, pigs reset, rest, then cattle in
- By renewal time, the land is producing pasture — renegotiate at improved rate reflecting new value
- Landowner has seen the results on their own land — trust is built on evidence, not promises
- Do not approach landowners before our own 24ha at Inandawa is running and visible
- Go through Benedict Almario and the barangay captain — not door to door
The Long Game
Do not rush this. Prove the model on 24 hectares first. Let the neighbours see what the land looks like before and after. The best pitch is a working example next door. One or two good lease relationships in Year 2–3 opens the whole barangay.
| Species | Role | Stage | Source | Exit | Company Rule |
|---|
| 🐐 Goat boys (Boer × Nubian × Native) |
Brush clearance + grow-out meat |
Stage 1 — first in |
Male offspring from dairy does |
Slaughter @ 25–30kg, 6–8 months |
Mob minimum 5, always together |
| 🐐 Goat does (Anglo-Nubian × Native) |
Dairy — milk, cheese, breeding |
Hub dairy herd — not in rotation |
DA Bicol goat program + purchased |
Cull at end of productive life |
Mob always together, away from boys |
| 🐷 Native pigs |
Ground reset — roots and soil turn |
Stage 2 — follow goats |
Purchased as piglets when needed |
Lechon — quick turnaround |
Never alone — minimum group of 3 |
| 🐄 Dairy cattle (Holstein-Sahiwal) |
Milk primary, beef secondary |
Stage 4 — established pasture only |
Purchased + AI program (Aus straws) |
Poddy bulls → Agrupacion beef, cull cows → butcher |
Always in company, minimum 2 |
| 🐄 Hub bull (Brahman-cross) |
Backup breeding, mascot |
Hub paddock — holiday trips to Inandawa |
Purchased |
Retirement — long productive life |
Weaners/heifers for company between trips |
| 🐔 Broilers |
Parasite control, nitrogen, meat |
Stage 5 — follow cattle |
From Agrupacion poultry farm |
Market butcher at weight |
Tractor or Gallagher net protection |
| 🐔 Breeding stock chickens |
Biosecurity redundancy |
Hub + Inandawa — separate from rotation birds |
Best genetics from Agrupacion |
Replacement flock — held permanently |
Two locations — bird flu insurance |