Insights from DairyBase data helped this sharemilking couple make an informed decision when it came to expanding their operation.
Inside Dairy
1 min read
Waikato Sharemilkers Emily and Brett Bradshaw feel empowered to make confident and informed decisions with DairyBase.
While taking on a second sharemilking job might seem daunting to some, Emily and Brett Bradshaw felt confident, supported by the insights from DairyBase data. They are in their sixth season of 50:50 sharemilking in Waikato and took on a second farm last season.
“When we were considering other jobs, we were using our data from DairyBase and plotting the new farm scenarios,” Emily explains.
“We were able to generate accurate projections, which helped us assess whether the farms we were considering would be financially viable for our business.”
Their first sharemilking role is a 250- cow farm in Wardville near Matamata, and they have since employed a contract milker to run it. They live on the second farm, milking 450 cows in Te Aroha.
They have a keen interest in tracking their financial performance, and their accountant recommended they use DairyBase when they first started sharemilking.
DairyBase is a free online tool that helps dairy farmers track and compare their farm’s physical and financial performance using simple benchmarks and key indicators.
“We find it useful to see trends in our data and how we sit compared with other sharemilkers in the area on a similar low-input system,” Emily says.
“It’s another tool in our kit to make some really informed business decisions as well as being able to reflect on how well we have been doing.”
One season, they noticed their animal health spending was higher than that of other farms, leading to discussions with their veterinarian. This prompted them to plan more carefully and pay closer attention to their decisions, especially regarding preventative animal health.
“The data helps us put control measures in place to help with any uncertainties or changes that inevitably occur in farming. We feel like we haven’t been caught out by anything.”
Emily also found the information useful when she was studying for her agribusiness diploma with Primary ITO. She could easily pull the figures she needed, and observe trends and calculate operating profits with little effort.
“As farmers, we are isolated when we’re making things like purchasing decisions. We only know what we are being charged, so we don’t know if it is a good deal or not.
“But with DairyBase, we get more context and it gives us a lot of confidence in how we’re operating. I think all farmers should consider using it.”
Find out more and join DairyBase here: dairynz.co.nz/dairybase
This article was originally published in Inside Dairy November-January 2025.