Comparing your operation with similar farms through DairyBase will help to identify necessary system tweaks before they show up on the bottom line. That was the experience of Horsham Downs sharemilkers Danielle and Bevan Cornelius.
Danielle and Bevan Cornelius were alarmed to find their animal health and breeding costs were significantly higher than comparable farms last season. Realising they were spending 15 cents more per kilogram of milksolids than the top 50% of herd-owning sharemilkers, they worked with their support network to identify how they could reduce expenses.
“We had 100 cows go down last season – not just during calving too, they were happening in the autumn and at drying-off, which is costly in a lot of areas and affects efficiency,” Danielle says.
“But by working with our farm owner, farm adviser and nutritionists we uncovered a phosphorus deficiency that was impacting the herd. We have started a lime programme for the farm and introduced a mineral mix we give to the cows.
“It’s made a huge difference, not only to the herd’s health but also to our time as farmers. Our mating started a lot smoother this season too.”
This is their third season sharemilking 455 cows in Horsham Downs, north of Hamilton. They are a System 3 with 80% of total feed being home-grown and they feed maize and palm kernel year round, not just in the shoulders.
They have expanded their team this season, which has created more flexibility for everyone. Danielle and Bevan are both full time and they have a full-time farm assistant and now a part-time milker to alleviate some pressure.
Neither Bevan nor Danielle comes from a farming background. Bevan entered the dairy sector as a teenager, motivated by the search for a suitable home for the two of them. Danielle holds a Bachelor of Communication and was working as a marketing coordinator for a construction company when she and Bevan began exploring contract milking opportunities nearly a decade ago.
The first farm was in Gordonton. They then tried Bay of Plenty for a lifestyle change but Waikato drew them back to contract-milk 700 cows in Tokoroa. It was there that a previous farm adviser reached out to them about their current sharemilking role.
“It was a bit of a whirlwind. Sharemilking wasn’t really our plan then but we got the call out of the blue, and we know that you need to be ready to explore every opportunity.”
They began going to their local discussion group to get to know the area and community and it was there they were advised to try DairyBase. They also entered the New Zealand Dairy Industry Awards, which uses information from DairyBase for judging.
They have continued to use DairyBase to monitor their business performance.
“As herd-owning sharemilkers we are limited where we can cut costs without having a negative impact on the business and there are only so many milksolids you can get from a cow,” says Danielle.
“A profitable business keeps costs down where possible, so we must keep our eyes on everything and focus on the opportunities to improve and strengthen decision making.”
On the flip side, she enjoys seeing where they are doing well and what areas of their current management practices are effective.
Danielle advocates for contract milkers to consider DairyBase too, to help them find the best opportunities and ensure they are in the best position.
“It’s a nice, black-and-white way to see whether a role is profitable and helping you head in the right direction or whether there’s an opportunity for a conversation with the farm owner, with independent data to base the conversation on.
“I wish we’d started using it sooner.”
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