More then 500 Czech farmers visited the eastern part of Canada and the Northeastern part of the USA - regions which had similar soil and climatic condition as the Czech Republic. Both Schouten Farms in Richmond, John Nooyen’s Farm in Navan and many others became widely known and referred to at dairy seminars and around the family table in the Czech Republic.

An exact copy of Arnold & Adrian Schouten’s dairy barn was constructed in cement block version in the village of Slavkov and became a very popular attraction. Details of TMR (total mixed rations), based on high quality corn silage, alfalfa haylage; soybean/HMC concentrate and mineral/vitamin supplements were keen topics on every farm. Similar attention was paid to fertilization programs.

In the decade after communism ended, production rose from 4,000 liters/cow to nearly 8,000 liters (See graph below). Communist leadership before 1989, insisted on high numbers of cows, considered the main source of soil fertility, and put strict limits on grain in cow rations. Consequently, only genetically inferior animals survived. The small number of Holstein cows in the country not only shrunk further but the survivors were genetically inferior, unable to produce large quantities of milk.

In the dying days of Communism and after its collapse, Canada became the supplier of tens of thousands of doses of Holstein semen, used for extensive crossbreeding programs with local red and white "survivors" of the previous era. The Holstein Herd Book considers animals with more than 87,5% of Holstein blood purebred. Today this group includes 95,500 cows with average milk production in 2003/04 of 7,869 kg. Fat percentage was 3.9, protein 3.24.

Animals with 50 to 87 per cent of Holstein blood are included in the preparatory part of the book. This category totals 75,000 cows, of which 10,500 are red Holsteins. In addition to semen, Czech AI stations are importing high numbers of top quality embryos from Canada.

This summer, the main AI unit GENOSERVIS Olomouc, visited Eastern Canada and purchased several dozen superior embryos for its farm, consisting exclusively of top North American genetics. As the example below demonstrates, this facility will be able to compete with the best AI units in the world.

On the occasion of the European Holstein Conference 2005 in Prague, the Czech Republic, the Holstein association invited the participants to its new show facility AI Genoservis. They saw the most modern facility in Prerov. In the audience was a delegation led by Bev Spriel from the Canadian Livestock Exporting Association.

Preparation of animals for show was the responsibility of two Canadian Specialists: Leanne Russwurm and Tyler Doiron. They helped as well with the selection of show animals. Young farmers ready to learn the trade always followed the pair.

What may be of interest to Canadian AI Units is that Genoservis established a separate unit, consisting of highly qualified nutritionists, available to customers to formulate rations or solve nutritional problems.