The School’s Educational Farm is a fully operational dairy farm which serves as a training center for teaching and demonstration in a real life environment. Our areas of focus are dairy reproduction, feeding, housing, veterinary care and milking procedures. Every year, thousands of animal farmers and students visit our premises and receive training through our programs.
The AFS dairy herd is of Holstein breed and dates from 1935. Our herd’s phenotypic and production characteristics place it in the top 12% of herds worldwide.
Our Educational Farm is a member of the International Holstein Association, and undergoes routine inspections by this body.
We breed 125 milking cows and approximately 80 heifers and bulls. Bulls are sold to dairy farmers in Greece and are used as breeding nuclei owing to their high genetic value, while heifers are utilized internally to gradually renew our herd. The average milk production is over 10 thousand liters per milking period (305 days). With continuous genetic improvement through artificial insemination and embryo transfer, high quality feed most of which is produced at AFS, and finally due to attentive daily care that ensures optimal “cow comfort”, our milk production is more than double the national average. In addition, we follow full traceability at all stages of production and implement certified quality management systems (ISO 9001: 2008), food safety management (ISO 22000: 2005) and environmental management (ISO 14001: 2004).
At the “Labouisse Milking Center” which is located near the dairy cow shed, students receive first-hand experience and practical training, while outside visitors can observe the computerized milking process.
Fresh American Farm School milk is transported daily to the Educational Dairy for bottling and further processing.