The emphasis placed by dairy farmer Hristos Bouras on quality animal feed, daily healthcare and living conditions of his goats are the three main factors shaping his daily life.
We caught up with him at his dairy farm, located close to the village Stefani in Corinth, at an altitude of 900 metres. When he talks about his goats, the care, attention and ethical values he applies becomes instantly apparent. The farmer possesses knowledge on each single goat’s characteristics and condition.
“My objective is to supply milk of high nutritious value and proteins,” Mr. Bouras informed as his scattered goats grazed the area’s lush land. “I try to offer them, at least during most months of the year, fresh grass for grazing, which I grow myself, without the addition of fertilizers and use of chemicals,” he added.
15-year association
Mr Bouras hails from a livestock farming family. “My grandfather started off with just a few sheep during the interwar period, then my father added many more animals, before eventually focusing exclusively on goats. We increased the population size and I have since taken over the business with support from my father,” Mr Bouras explained, while also highlighting his association with dairy company DELTA, an agreement established some 15 years ago by his father.
Commenting on the association with the dairy company, Mr Bouras stressed: “I am continuing this collaboration with the same level of dedication for DELTA’s regionally produced “DELTA tou Topou mas” (DELTA of our Land) goat milk brand. I feel great satisfaction from working with a company that is a market leader.” The dairy farmer went on to note that the people at DELTA provide him with all the necessary support to ensure the proper functioning of his livestock facility and nourishment of his goats.
Mr Bouras also fully utilises the potential offered by the region, sowing barley, oats and corn for his goats. Once he has harvested the seeds, he cuts the hay, with which he feeds his goats on challenging winter days.
Livestock living standards
The dairy farmer tends his livestock on a daily basis, making sure they are always kept in optimal conditions. “I try, depending on the weather, to leave them free in nature for as many hours as possible each day, so that they can move about and be healthier. I don’t deprive them of sunshine, fresh air, well-being, which I believe is crucial for producing quality milk”.
In Stefani, Corinth
According to Hristos, a decisive factor is the place where the animals are raised. “As you know, Stefani, Corinth is located at an altitude of 900 meters, which makes it ideal for livestock breeding, far from systematic husbandry. This way, the animals are fed with really healthy food and graze on our fields”.
Indeed, Stefani is a rural area where people and animals coexist in harmony, while the latter can spend endless hours in the open, producing milk of excellent quality. Speaking of milk, we ask Hristos about his sense of responsibility and his feelings, as the milk produced by his animals reaches the refrigerators of thousands of families under the label “DELTA tou Topou mas”. “Considering our responsibility towards consumers, I believe it is very important to follow all safety rules so that the final product is of the highest quality. The fact that our milk reaches the tables of thousands of families every day generates great responsibility, both for me and for my family, which we share with DELTA. This partnership ensures that the final product retains all its fine qualities”.
Quality stabilisation
In conclusion, he notes once again that he is interested in stabilising the quality of dairy production, while the possibility of increasing the herd by adding more animals is something he may consider at a later stage. At the same time, Hristos follows all developments in relation to the agro-food sector and is ready to use any tool that may be of interest in the future. “I stand by the strict rules that must govern a plant related to food production and I do no discount”. Strict first and foremost with himself, Hristos is another healthy example of involvement in the livestock sector and milk production.
