Benchmarking farm numbers for better decisions
15 July 2025
For South Australian dairy farmer Perrin Hicks, benchmarking farm data is central to support decisions running a successful business.
Perrin is a partner in Hicks-Jacobs Dairies, a partnership formed in 2014 with the Jacobs family. The current partners include Perrin and Kelly Hicks, as well as Warren and Jane Jacobs, their son Asher Jacobs and Asher’s wife, Jenny.
The business milks 800 predominantly Holstein Friesian cows across two milking platforms on two separate farms – Misty Downs and Whispering Pines – both near Mount Compass on South Australia’s Fleurieu Peninsula, spanning 1,000 hectares combined.
Each year, Hicks-Jacobs Dairies participates in Dairy Australia’s Dairy Farm Monitor Project (DFMP). A national benchmarking initiative, the DFMP provides detailed physical and financial analysis across a representative sample of Australian dairy farms.
The data supports decision-making both on farm and across the wider industry, informing key stakeholders such as Dairy Australia and government bodies on priorities.
The annual DFMP report offers farmers valuable comparative insights to measure their own performance against industry benchmarks and identify opportunities for improvement.
For Perrin, the process is about far more than just numbers.
“Everyone knows their bank balance – what matters is understanding how you got there,” he says.
Perrin said becoming involved in the DFMP was an opportunity “too good to miss,” and the dairy’s participation now leads directly to valuable internal business decisions.
“The DFMP allows us to have some really good discussions with people in our business about why things have changed – not only focusing on what’s not going well, but also on what’s improved,” Perrin explains.
“Sometimes you get so busy worrying about where you’re getting hay from, you forget to look at your numbers.
“But being involved in the DFMP forces us to look at them.”
The DFMP has become an important tool for Perrin and business partners, Warren and Asher Jacobs. In addition to being able to compare against benchmarks, Perrin says the real value lies in tracking progress within their own business – using the data to measure change and assess investments over time.
“Benchmarking isn’t just about comparing with others. The DFMP lets us track our own progress and have meaningful and informed discussions about what’s improving and what’s not,” he says.
Hicks-Jacobs Dairies tracks key performance indicators such as growing 50 per cent of fodder on farm, producing one kilogram of milk solids per kilogram of liveweight, and achieving water-use efficiency of one tonne of dry matter per megalitre of rainfall or irrigation.
These metrics, captured and compared in DairyBase – the platform where the DFMP results are analysed – are core to the business’s decision-making.
“I get a big kick out of looking at our KPIs, and it’s not as easy to do that without going through the whole dairy farm monitoring process,” says Perrin.
Creating efficiencies
The insights gained from this financial discipline was also central to informing the decision to install milking robots at Whispering Pines, the larger of Hicks-Jacobs Dairies’ two farms. The robots were seen not just as a technological upgrade, but as a means to better manage labour costs and free up time to focus on higher-level farm management – including analysis.
“We weren’t looking for an individual per-cow production boost, just the ability to milk a few more cows and managing our labour costs better,” Perrin says.
“This year’s been really dry, but in a better season – with good homegrown feed – I do think we’d see a per-cow production increase.”
Eight robots were installed in March last year, replacing a 20-unit herringbone dairy. By streamlining the team by two positions, Hicks-Jacobs Dairies was able to lease additional land and gradually expand the herd by around 10 per cent. The shift has also allowed staff to catch up on farm maintenance and other important tasks beyond the dairy.
“Production cost versus milk income is something we track closely and adjust accordingly,” Perrin says.
“The DFMP helps us see those changes over time and make informed decisions that improve our bottom line.”
To find out more about how Dairy Australia supports farmers to enhance their farm business management, including the Dairy Farm Monitor Project and reports, visit Farm Business or contact your regional office.
The business milks 800 predominantly Holstein Friesian cows across two milking platforms on two separate farms – Misty Downs and Whispering Pines – both near Mount Compass on South Australia’s Fleurieu Peninsula, spanning 1,000 hectares combined.
Each year, Hicks-Jacobs Dairies participates in Dairy Australia’s Dairy Farm Monitor Project (DFMP). A national benchmarking initiative, the DFMP provides detailed physical and financial analysis across a representative sample of Australian dairy farms.
The data supports decision-making both on farm and across the wider industry, informing key stakeholders such as Dairy Australia and government bodies on priorities.
The annual DFMP report offers farmers valuable comparative insights to measure their own performance against industry benchmarks and identify opportunities for improvement.
For Perrin, the process is about far more than just numbers.
“Everyone knows their bank balance – what matters is understanding how you got there,” he says.
Perrin said becoming involved in the DFMP was an opportunity “too good to miss,” and the dairy’s participation now leads directly to valuable internal business decisions.
“The DFMP allows us to have some really good discussions with people in our business about why things have changed – not only focusing on what’s not going well, but also on what’s improved,” Perrin explains.
“Sometimes you get so busy worrying about where you’re getting hay from, you forget to look at your numbers.
“But being involved in the DFMP forces us to look at them.”
The DFMP has become an important tool for Perrin and business partners, Warren and Asher Jacobs. In addition to being able to compare against benchmarks, Perrin says the real value lies in tracking progress within their own business – using the data to measure change and assess investments over time.
“Benchmarking isn’t just about comparing with others. The DFMP lets us track our own progress and have meaningful and informed discussions about what’s improving and what’s not,” he says.
Hicks-Jacobs Dairies tracks key performance indicators such as growing 50 per cent of fodder on farm, producing one kilogram of milk solids per kilogram of liveweight, and achieving water-use efficiency of one tonne of dry matter per megalitre of rainfall or irrigation.
These metrics, captured and compared in DairyBase – the platform where the DFMP results are analysed – are core to the business’s decision-making.
“I get a big kick out of looking at our KPIs, and it’s not as easy to do that without going through the whole dairy farm monitoring process,” says Perrin.
Creating efficiencies
The insights gained from this financial discipline was also central to informing the decision to install milking robots at Whispering Pines, the larger of Hicks-Jacobs Dairies’ two farms. The robots were seen not just as a technological upgrade, but as a means to better manage labour costs and free up time to focus on higher-level farm management – including analysis.
“We weren’t looking for an individual per-cow production boost, just the ability to milk a few more cows and managing our labour costs better,” Perrin says.
“This year’s been really dry, but in a better season – with good homegrown feed – I do think we’d see a per-cow production increase.”
Eight robots were installed in March last year, replacing a 20-unit herringbone dairy. By streamlining the team by two positions, Hicks-Jacobs Dairies was able to lease additional land and gradually expand the herd by around 10 per cent. The shift has also allowed staff to catch up on farm maintenance and other important tasks beyond the dairy.
“Production cost versus milk income is something we track closely and adjust accordingly,” Perrin says.
“The DFMP helps us see those changes over time and make informed decisions that improve our bottom line.”
To find out more about how Dairy Australia supports farmers to enhance their farm business management, including the Dairy Farm Monitor Project and reports, visit Farm Business or contact your regional office.