Jon Whitehouse, 603-862-2975
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This NHAES/COLSA facility is representative of a typical New England Dairy operation, thereby developing new knowledge and management expertise geared directly to many state and regional stakeholders.  It houses about 125 milking-age Holsteins and approximately 70 growing, replacement animals. Included in that number is the 25 cow, student-managed CREAM herd (CREAM is the acronym for Cooperative for Real Education in Agricultural Management), with the remaining animals devoted primarily to research in the area of dairy nutrition and reproductive biology. The DTRC relies heavily on student labor - during the academic year there are typically about 40 students working part-time at the farm at any given time, either as hourly employees or as participants in the CREAM program. In addition to its primary research focus, the farm receives large numbers of visitors and hosts a number of public programs each year (e.g., School to Farm Days). Milk production currently averages about 28,000 to 29,000 pounds per cow per year for the CREAM and research herds. In 1999 the farm was cited as a "Dairy of Distinction" by the Milk Sanitation Board, which in 2000 awarded it a "Certificate of Quality". In 1997 the CREAM herd was recognized for having the highest quality milk (lowest somatic cell count) from among approximately 3100 dairy herds on the official Northeast DHIA (Dairy Herd Improvement Association) test.

The Dairy Nutrition Research Lab is adjacent to the Fairchild Dairy. It houses multiple laboratories, offices and research support areas for associated faculty, technicians and graduate students, along with a seminar room.

A portion of the NHAES forage production area adjacent to the Fairchild Dairy hosts the UNH Organic Garden Club. Students associated with the OGC work with COLSA/NHAES, the Office of Sustainability Programs, and other campus entities to learn and practice effective organic gardening methods, and sell or give away to local causes a portion of their produce.