Who should attend?

You're someone that spends a moderate amount of money on decent koi, and wonder if the offspring from those fish will be worth enough to at least offset your habit. You'd like to know more about how to pair up fish and cull and grade. Or you're a veterinarian that services the koi hobbyist who'd like to further your education and earn CE credits.

What will I learn?

The Koi Breeding and Reproduction Seminar is designed to educate the participants in regards to sucessful propagation of Cyprinus carpio or nishikigoi. Topics for discussion and demonstration will be as follows:

• Broodstock maintenance
• Pond and tank construction
• Genetics
• Selection and handling of broodstock
• Artificial spawning methods
• Hatchery and growout facility design
• Culling and grading techniques
• Embryonic development
• Disease identification, treatment and prevention
• KHV testing and certification
• Shipping and marketing
• Ultrasound evalauation and sexing of broodstock
• Endoscopic methods

Who are the speakers?

Some of the top people associated with koi in the US. More biographical details to come.

• Carl Forss of Keirin Koi is an extremely well-respected US koi dealer. Known for his ability to choose high-quality koi, his fish have consistently won top prizes at major shows including the All-Japan show. For the last 11 years he has cultivated close relationships with Japan's top breeders and has learned about their bloodlines and breeding techniques firsthand.
• Erik Johnson DVM
• Jay Shelton, PhD Fishery Biologist, is an Associate Professor of Fisheries in the D.B. Warnell School of Forest Resources, University of Georgia. He has a Ph.D. in Fisheries and Aquaculture from Auburn University where he conducts research and teaches a course in fish culture. He has worked with artificial propagation of a variety of fish species including koi, striped bass and their hybrids, grass carp, and channel catfish. He is currently assisting the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and the Georgia Department of Natural Resources in an effort to recover an imperiled species, the robust redhorse (Moxostoma robustum), native to Georgia, North and South Carolina.
• Richard Fayrer-Hosken, DVM, PhD board certified theriogenologist
• Vicki Vaughan, Director of Aquatic Services UGA College of Veterinary Medicine
• Dr Hernandez Divers DVM, Ph.D board certified endoscopist
• More speakers to be announced.

Anything else?

Here's the icing on the cake:

• The participants will have the opportunity to select 10 fish from the broodstock that produces viable offspring. These alone will be worth more than the cost of the course. We will attempt to spawn several trios of koi, each from top Japanese bloodlines. Participants will be assigned a number in order of registration. We will track the development and culling of the fish online for the participants to follow. In the fall we will select the best fish from each spawn and each attendee will have the opportunity to select 10 fish for themselves. The attendees will also have the opportunity to buy more fish at a discounted rate throughout the year.
• A booklet with all handouts will be provided as well as a copy of Doc Johnson's new Koi Health Book
• A wet lab wil be included for parasite and disease diagnosis.
• Artificial spawning methods will be addressd and demonstrated.
• Semen sexing and cryopreservation will be discussed.
• One of the most valuable parts of this course will be Carl Forss' vast knowlege of breeders and bloodlines.
• The methods used assure the breeder and customer that the broodstock will be KHV free.
• The seminar will take place at the Flinchums Phoenix, a 5000 sq ft meeting facility in a wooded setting overlooking the Oconee River.
• Breakfast and lunch will be provided Saturday and Sunday with a cookout at the Phoenix Saturday night.
• We will have a GREAT time. Good food, lots of beer and wine and the comraderie of all those crazy people that love these fish.

How much does it cost and how do I register?

The fee for this course is $1045, which includes a welcome reception, lunches, dinner, refreshment breaks, and instructional materials. There is a $50 discount for fees paid by check or credit card and postmarked by May 22, 2006.

For further info call Vicki Vaughan at 706-247-6274.

Georgia Center Information

The Georgia Center for Continuing Education Conference Center & Hotel, located on the beautiful, historic campus of the University of Georgia in Athens, Georgia, provides innovative lifelong learning opportunities that develop intellectual and human potential. A full-service living and learning environment, the Georgia Center includes a 200-room hotel, restaurants, banquet areas, conference rooms, auditoriums, a fitness center, and computer labs — all under one roof. As a unit of UGA's Office of the Vice President for Public Service and Outreach, the Center brings the University's teaching, research, and service expertise to the people of Georgia and beyond! For more information, visit www.georgiacenter.uga.edu.

Special Needs:
If you require special services, facilities, or dietary considerations (vegetarian or otherwise), contact your meeting planner, Holly Blanchard, at 706.542.3395 or Holly.Blanchard@georgiacenter.uga.edu, by Thursday, June 1, 2006.

Lodging:
A block of rooms is being held for your conference until 5:00 p.m. ET, May 19, 2006. Room reservations may be made by calling the Georgia Center's hotel reservation line at 800-884-1381. A credit card number is required to guarantee your reservation. Non-guaranteed reservations will be cancelled at 4:00 p.m. on the day prior to arrival. 7% sales tax must be added to price listed. Hotel prices are effective through June 30, 2006. Classic Single Beds $69.00; Classic Queen Bed $79.00; Classic King Bed $79.00; Select Double Beds $89.00: Select Queen Beds $89.00.

Lodging Policies (Georgia Center Hotel & Suites):
(1) Tax Exemption — The State of Georgia only allows tax-exempt charges for a payment by a state-issued credit card or check or by a direct bill to a state agency (with a Georgia State Tax Exemption Certificate). (2) Lodging Cancellation — To avoid being charged one night's room and tax, you must cancel your reservation by 4:00 p.m. the day prior to your scheduled arrival.

Travel Information:
Athens, Georgia, is located about 60 miles northeast of Atlanta. For directions, see www.georgiacenter.uga.edu/conferences/about/directions.phtml. A parking deck is located adjacent to the Center (hourly rates, maximum $8 each 24-hour period; vehicle height limit, 7 feet). Athens is served by two airports. Athens-Ben Epps Airport offers connecting flights to and from Charlotte, NC. Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport is located about 90 minutes southwest of Athens, with scheduled ground shuttle service and rental car service available between the airport and the Georgia Center.

Program Cancellation Policies:
(1) We will gladly issue full refunds for cancellations made by 5:00 p.m. ET, June 5, 2006. No refunds will be issued thereafter. Substitutions will be allowed. (2) If a program is cancelled for any reason, the Georgia Center will not be responsible for any cancellation changes/charges assessed by airlines or travel agencies.

Registration