Media Article: Calculating Efficiency

First published in Dairy Exporter, Autumn 2025 -

Calculating Feed Conversion Efficiency is a key metric for understanding overall farm efficiency as it reflects how efficiently feed is converted into milksolids, directly influencing productivity, profitability and emissions. Words Sheryl Haitana.

Fortuna Group is working closely with farm software tool Trev to calculate a weekly figure which will show how much pasture is being harvested to ensure they have optimal Feed Conversion Efficiency (FCE).

Fortuna Group Operations Manager Peter Bruce already uses Trev to consolidate data from all their Southland dairy farms to make timely decisions to maximise profitability.

Fortuna Group has 21 dairy farms across Southland. Being able to view data from individual farms is key to keeping tabs on the operation, while being able to view data from all farms as a collective also helps Peter keep track of important metrics throughout the season.

“For my role, I use Trev to consolidate all the farms, all the data together and use the data to make the decisions and identify where issues lie,” Peter says. “Trev is great for benchmarking, reporting up to the board, but we also use it to have conversations on farm. It’s not just a data collection tool, it’s about making proactive decisions.”

Being able to have real-time data on how much pasture is actually being harvested will be key to using supplement without substitution, ensuring better productivity and profitability.

“To get a daily or weekly figure on pasture harvested is a key metric,” Peter says.

FCE is a cornerstone metric for understanding overall farm efficiency as it reflects how efficiently feed is converted into milksolids, directly influencing productivity (kg MS/ha), profitability ($/ha), and emissions (CO₂e/kg MS).

Recent analysis of farms using Trev over the past six seasons shows an average improvement of 4.61kg MS per tonne of dry matter (tDM) over time.

For an average 160ha dairy farm growing 12.5tDM/ha, this equates to an additional $83,000 in annual revenue at a Milk Price of $9/kg MS – without factoring in cost savings from reduced input wastage.

Access to Trev is now easier for all Fonterra farmers, with Trev partnering with the co-operative to have subscription fees deducted automatically via their monthly milk cheque. Trev integrates with key industry processors, nutrient providers, and other stakeholders, making it easier to track and manage data from all parts of the farm ecosystem.