The "Cost & Benefit Calculators" tool is designed to support farmers and agricultural advisors in assessing the financial impact and potential benefits of adopting various DATSs in crop and livestock farming systems. The tool features dedicated calculator modules for each type of system, tailored to reflect their specific needs.
Users can access two main repositories:
- Commercial DATSs, identified through a literature review, which includes cost and benefit data from previous EU projects' knowledge gained and developed repositories, provider materials (e.g. leaflets, brochures), and scientific publications.
- Test Case DATSs, which are based on data collected from DATSs implemented and assessed within the QuantiFarm project.
By selecting a DATS and entering basic inputs (e.g., number of units, usage years, area, yield, and costs), users receive key economic outputs such as operational savings (e.g. labour, fuel), potential revenue increases, Return on Investment, and Net Benefit.
This aids end-users in gaining a realistic understanding of their potential investment in a DATS.
As a crucial component of the QuantiFarm Toolkit, the "Cost & Benefit Calculators" serves as an essential, indicative guide for farmers and advisors, aiding them in understanding the economic feasibility and potential profitability of DATSs throughout their operational lifecycle.
Please note: Use of the tool requires registration and login.
The source code of the tool is available here.
Crop Calculator Modules
INVESTMENT COST
Parameters
Result
| Total Initial cost of DATS Purchase (€) Includes purchase price, installation or setup costs, and any other INITIAL expenses. | |
| Maintainance Costs (€/year) | |
| Depreciation (€/year) (i.e. the annual reduction in the intial value of a tangible fixed asset) |
YIELD
Parameters
Result
| Current revenue (€ in 1 year) | |
| Increased yield (tons/ha) | |
| Price of increased yield (€/ha) | |
| Increased revenue (€ in 1 year) |
FERTILIZER USE
Parameters
Result
| Current fertilization cost (€/ha) | |
| Reduced fertilizer usage (kg/ha) | |
| Fertilizer cost savings (€/ha) | |
| Fertilization cost savings (€ in 1 year) |
WATER USE
Parameters
Result
| Current irrigation cost (€/ha) | |
| Reduced water usage (m3/ha) | |
| Water cost savings (€/ha) | |
| Water cost savings (€ in 1 year) |
PESTICIDE USE
Parameters
Result
| Current pesticide cost (€/ha) | |
| Reduced pesticide usage (kg or lt/ha) | |
| Pesticide cost savings (€/ha) | |
| Pesticide cost savings (€ in 1 year) |
LABOR COST
Parameters
Result
| Labor cost savings (€ in 1 year) |
FUEL COST
Parameters
Result
| Fuel cost savings (€ in 1 year) |
INVESTMENT DECISION
| Annual change in Net Income (€) This shows how much more or less money you earn each year after using the equipment. (annual total Impact (including addtional annual OPEX [e.g., Subscriptions, Maintenance,etc.]) with DATS usage | |
| Annual ROI (%) The net change in your income per year as a percentage of the equipment's initial cost. (Annual change in Net Income / initial cost of the equipment) | |
| Payback Period (years) How many years it will take to earn back the money you spent on the equipment. (N/A means that the investment does not recover its cost under current conditions) | |
| Is the DAT Beneficial? (6 year payback period threshold) |
Livestock Calculator Modules
INVESTMENT COST
Parameters
Result
| Total Initial cost of DATS Purchase (€) Includes purchase price, installation or setup costs, and any other INITIAL expenses. | |
| Maintainance Costs (€/year) | |
| Depreciation (€/year) (i.e. the annual reduction in the intial value of a tangible fixed asset) |
MILK YIELD
Parameters
Result
| Price of Milk Yield in one year (€) | |
| Price of Increased Milk Yield in one year (€) | |
| Increased Revenue (€ in 1 year) |
LABOR COST
Parameters
Result
| Labor cost saving (€ in 1 year) |
ENERGY COST
Parameters
Result
| Cost of Energy (€ in 1 year) | |
| Energy Cost Savings (€ in 1 year) |
WATER USE
Parameters
Result
| Water Cost Saving (€ in 1 year) |
PROFIT PER ANIMAL
Parameters
Result
| Profit per Animal Increase in 1 year (€) |
FEED COST
Parameters
Result
| Feed Cost Saving (€ in 1 year) |
FEED WASTE COST
Parameters
Result
| Feed Waste Cost Saving (€ in 1 year) |
ANTIBIOTICS COST
Parameters
Result
| Antibiotics Cost Saving (€ in 1 year) |
MORTALITY COST
Parameters
Result
| Mortality Cost Saving (€ in 1 year) |
PROFITABILITY
Parameters
Result
| Profit Increase in 1 year (€) |
INVESTMENT DECISION
| Annual change in Net Income (€) This shows how much more or less money you earn each year after using the equipment. (annual total Impact (including addtional annual OPEX [e.g., Subscriptions, Maintenance,etc.]) with DATS usage | |
| Annual ROI (%) The net change in your income per year as a percentage of the equipment's initial cost. (Annual change in Net Income / initial cost of the equipment) | |
| Payback Period (years) How many years it will take to earn back the money you spent on the equipment. (N/A means that the investment does not recover its cost under current conditions) | |
| Is the DAT Beneficial? (6 year payback period threshold) |
Test Cases' DATSs for Crop Farming
Crop Calculator Modules based on Test Cases' data
INVESTMENT COST
Parameters
Result
| Total Initial cost of DATS Purchase (€) Includes purchase price, installation or setup costs, and any other INITIAL expenses. | |
| Depreciation (€/year) (i.e. the annual reduction in the intial value of a tangible fixed asset) |
YIELD
Parameters
Result
| Current revenue without DATS usage (€ in 1 year) | |
| Yield with DATS usage (tons/ha) | |
| Price of Yield with DATS usage (€/ha) | |
| Revenue Impact with DATS usage (€ in 1 year) |
FERTILIZER USE
Parameters
Result
| Current Fertilization Cost without DATS usage (€/ha) | |
| Fertilizer usage with DATS (kg/ha) | |
| Fertilizer Cost with DATS usage (€/ha) | |
| Fertilization Cost with DATS usage (€ in 1 year) |
WATER USE
Parameters
Result
| Current Irrigation Cost without DATS usage (€/ha) | |
| Water usage with DATS (m3/ha) | |
| Water Cost with DATS usage (€/ha) | |
| Water Cost with DATS usage (€ in 1 year) |
PESTICIDE USE
Parameters
Result
| Current pesticide cost without DATS usage (€/ha) | |
| Pesticide usage with DATS (kg or lt/ha) | |
| Pesticide Cost with DATS usage (€/ha) | |
| Pesticide Cost with DATS usage (€ in 1 year) |
WORKING TIME COST
Parameters
Result
| Working Time Cost with DATS usage (€/year) |
FUEL COST
Parameters
Result
| Fuel cost with DATS usage (€/year) |
ELECTRICITY COST
Parameters
Result
| Electricity cost with DATS usage (€/year) |
INVESTMENT DECISION
| Annual change in Net Income (€) This shows how much more or less money you earn each year after using the equipment. (annual total Impact (including addtional annual OPEX [e.g., Subscriptions, Maintenance,etc.]) with DATS usage | |
| Annual ROI (%) The net change in your income per year as a percentage of the equipment's initial cost. (Annual change in Net Income / initial cost of the equipment) | |
| Payback Period (years) How many years it will take to earn back the money you spent on the equipment. (N/A means that the investment does not recover its cost under current conditions) | |
| Is the DAT Beneficial? (6 year payback period threshold) |
Test Cases' DATSs for Livestock Farming
Livestock Calculator Modules based on Test Cases' data
INVESTMENT COST
Parameters
Result
| Total Initial cost of DATS Purchase (€) Includes purchase price, installation or setup costs, and any other INITIAL expenses. | |
| Depreciation (€/year) (i.e. the annual reduction in the intial value of a tangible fixed asset) |
MEAT PRODUCTIVITY
Parameters
Result
| Current Revenue without DATS (€ in 1 year) | |
| Meat Productivity with DATS usage (kg/year) | |
| Meat price with DATS usage in one year (€) | |
| Revenue Impact with DATS usage (€ in 1 year) |
OYSTER
Parameters
Result
| Current Revenue without DATS (€ in 1 year) | |
| Oysters Productivity with DATS usage (kg/year) | |
| Oyster price with DATS usage in one year (€) | |
| Revenue Impact with DATS usage (€ in 1 year) |
HONEY
Parameters
Result
| Current Revenue without DATS (€ in 1 year) | |
| Honey Productivity with DATS usage (kg/year) | |
| Honey price with DATS usage in one year (€) | |
| Revenue Impact with DATS usage (€ in 1 year) |
MILK YIELD
Parameters
Result
| Current Revenue without DATS (€ in 1 year) | |
| Average liters of milk produced per animal per day with DATS (l) | |
| Price of Milk Yield with DATS usage (€ in 1 year) | |
| Revenue Impact with DATS usage (€ in 1 year) |
WORKING TIME COST
Parameters
Result
| Labor cost with DATS usage (€ in 1 year) |
ELECTRICITY COST
Parameters
Result
| Cost of Electricity without DATS usage (€ in 1 year) | |
| Elecricity Cost with DATS usage (€ in 1 year) |
WATER USE
Parameters
Result
| Water Cost with DATS usage (€ in 1 year) |
FEED COST
Parameters
Result
| Feed Cost with DATS usage (€ in 1 year) |
FUEL COST
Parameters
Result
| Fuel cost with DATS usage (€ in 1 year) |
DRUG USE
Parameters
Result
| Drug Cost with DAT S usage (€ in 1 year) |
MORTALITY COST
Parameters
Result
| Mortality Cost with DATS usage (€ in 1 year) |
INVESTMENT DECISION
| Annual change in Net Income (€) This shows how much more or less money you earn each year after using the equipment. (annual total Impact (including addtional annual OPEX [e.g., Subscriptions, Maintenance,etc.]) with DATS usage | |
| Annual ROI (%) The net change in your income per year as a percentage of the equipment's initial cost. (Annual change in Net Income / initial cost of the equipment) | |
| Payback Period (years) How many years it will take to earn back the money you spent on the equipment. (N/A means that the investment does not recover its cost under current conditions) | |
| Is the DAT Beneficial? (6 year payback period threshold) |