It's finally going to happen...

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This entry is part 1 of 56 in the series Bram @ Dainichi 2011

Dainichi Koi Farm here I come!

Yeah yeah, I’m going back to Japan again… This time not for a short Koi hunt along the many breeders in Niigata or the south, but for a period of more than half a year! I am going to carry out different kind of studies on the nutrition and reproduction in Koi at Dainichi Koi Farm. For those who do not know: my name is Bram Rohaan, 22 years old and still a student. Since early September 2010 I am studying the MSc Aquaculture and Marine Resource Management at the University of Wageningen in the Netherlands. During this study, my main focus is fish farming and all aspects which are dealt with this subject. At the moment I write this blog, I am wearing my Dainichi shorts which I already wear for at least a week!

It took a long time, but now it is final. On Monday, May 2nd, I will depart towards the land of the rising sun. My flight home is booked for December 1st, which means a stay of seven months. An ordinairy internship does not lasts this long, normally it will take around 3,5 months, but I would like to experience a full growing season at the farm. And now I will. I will experience the release of the Koi in the mud pond, the breeding (including Sakura and the Grand Champion of the All Japan Show from 2010 (named Akira, which is the son of Futoshi Mano)), the hundreds of senbetsu (selection rounds) and finally the ikeage (harvest of the ponds) in the autumn.

I also try to use my acquired knowledge to improve the production of Dainichi wherever possible. I will go deeper into the diet of the fry and will also take a critical look at the feeding of the older koi. Next to that I will also assist in the breeding program and try to increase the birth rate. I will herein be assisted by a research team from Japan, where several lab-scale experiments will be performed. If you want reliable results, the lab is the only option!

Here’s some sneak preview: