What to Expect
Email from Lonny to a coworker (August 1, 2009)
I don't know how to prepare you for this experience. The conditions are very primitive even at the research station. The people are unfamiliar with our techniques but are extremely helpful and learn quickly.
AI is used and the vets are pretty good at palpating pregnancy. The Boran cattle are small framed. I disqualified 22 of the 100 heifers at Adami Tulu for size and body condition reasons (maybe should have disqualified more). They provided all other open animals to us that they had available, so we have a total of 92. The animals have very thick hides but less sensitive to needles. We bent needles on about every third animal. The arsi cattle that we own in Kokossa are smaller than the Boran. We will not be able to use them for embryo recipients.
The weather is fantastic! You will need a jacket for rain and early in the morning it might feel chilly to you, Abera thinks that it is cold and wears his coat.
The hotel in Shashamene is excellent compared to the others that I have stayed in. It is comparable to a midrange hotel in the U.S. The food at the hotel is good although not lavish. There are some restaurants around but I have only eaten in a few and only eaten Ethiopian food.
For Ethiopia in general go back about 100 years in the U. S., for Kokossa go back 1000 years.
I hope this helps,
Lonny