JAPAN
maria hayward
For a koi farm with just the two brothers and their father running the whole thing this is very hard work. The running around these guys have to do is unimaginable, as are the days and days without sleep. Some of the varieties have more than one breeding pair as well, so it gets very complicated. Yagenji have over 150 ponds now and are
always looking for more. The care and attention these fry need now is crucial to the farm staying in business. Yagenji will start earlier than some with the breeding but temperature dictates when the fry can go into the mudponds with rain also being a big factor. Even when the fry are ready for the first culling, the way Yagenji must plan the days in which they can cull becomes mind- blowing. To even consider how a breeder like Hirasawa does this would hurt your head just thinking about it. So the breeder’s summer is busy, culling, feeding and checking being a 24 hours a day, seven days a week job – and that’s not an exaggeration! The larger commercial breeders are still shipping while the culling process is going on, though they must be present to do the culling. After all, they are the experts at the end of the day. At the same time they must also run all other aspects of the company. So anyone who thinks this is a glamorous job because you are dealing with the ins and outs of koi everyday think again. I think it must rank up there with some of the hardest jobs in the world to actually do. Spare a thought for our breeders here in the UK as well. They may be operating on a smaller scale but it’s still a very tough job.
harvest time
As the breeders approach the end of the summer and into late September they begin to plan the harvests. They will start to think about which fish will come out first and where those fish are going to be put. Having fed their ponds all summer they have some idea of how the season has been by seeing the koi feeding. Some mudponds are relatively clear so they can be viewed with ease. The lesser koi are normally brought out
At this time of year you will see people from almost every country in the world
48 KOI CARP
first. These are the cheaper koi, so to speak, or even the koi that will be sold with most ease. This makes space for the larger and higher grade koi which will come out later. At this time of year customers come to see their own koi being harvested. Some of them are even lucky enough to harvest their own fish during the harvest period. The better koi are usually left out so that the breeders can plan around any major koi shows that will be going on in the area. The koi show weekend is an ideal time for collectors from Japan and all over the world to spend a weekend in the mountains seeing all the breeders’ new harvests. The shows are
left till late October or early November and the breeders know they can sell their koi for a premium if they pick up a major prize, so it can really work well for them. Getting all the koi in and selected again is
a tough job, the Go-Sanke breeders will spend a lot of time grading koi and deciding where to put certain fish as they come out of the mudpond. Then the breeder has to sit and look at the koi and decide which his is best Kohaku, Sanke and Showa – there can really only be one number one. Yagenji on the other hand are out twice daily harvesting koi, whilst trying their very best not to miss out on clients visiting their farms. This can even mean having to abandon a harvest half way through to quickly get back and sell some of their koi, which of course is always the priority.
But it doesn’t stop there. The breeders then have to photograph each fish sold and file it with a name and price. You could be talking about over 100 different people buying from Yagenji over the October/ November period with none of them taking the stocks with them. The sold koi must all be put somewhere and looked after until they are eventually shipped to their final destination. At some breeders you often see huge trucks from Japanese dealers turning up and filling three huge tanks with fish!
a great time to visit October and November is the best time to see
the koi sights and goings on. It’s a really friendly place at this time of year, and there is often a cup of tea waiting at the breeders’ who of course are hoping you will stay and pick up a couple of fish as well. The free beer technique is also used for the same result! At this time of year you will see people from almost every country in the world. In fact I doubt there are many countries that I haven’t met a koi person from over the years. It’s great for meeting new koi people as well, and in the age of email it’s even easier to keep in touch – many friendships have been made in Japan.
getting the koi home The breeders now have to get all the sold fish
shipped, which isn’t that easy to be honest. Getting the vets’ certificates, making sure the date you need is available, making sure all the breeders know what date the shipment is and hoping it won’t clash with another shipment they are doing. Paperwork, faxes, telephone calls, and the nightmare of a job checking the kilos, fish and box numbers are correct, as well as checking the telephone and fax numbers etc. When all the koi have been shipped, I’m sure the breeders give a sigh of relief. They hope they have had a good season, hope the koi are all in good condition, and then get ready for the snow again...
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