2022 – The Year in Review at Herdwatch

As 2022 draws to a close, we wanted to take some time to reflect on another landmark year for Herdwatch. 2022 has presented many changes &  challenges in the agricultural industry, worldwide and indeed at a company level here at Herdwatch, however we have still seen a year filled with development, growth, excitement and plenty of reasons to celebrate. Below we discuss some of the key milestones we have experienced throughout the year. 

Over 2 Million Calves Registered in Herdwatch 

In February we hit a significant milestone in the companies history as we seen over 2 million calves registered through the Herdwatch app. Calf registration has always been a key feature for our members, allowing them to register their new born calves in seconds through the app on the spot! 

Fun Fact: Over 26% of all calves born in Ireland this year have been registered through the Herdwatch app! 

Our Brand New Sheep Management App – Flockwatch

Perhaps the most exciting development in 2022 was the launch of our brand new sheep management app Flockwatch! Our first dedicated sheep app which allows sheep farmers to track flock performance and health individually or in groups in one simple to use app. Since its launch we have seen over 100,000 sheep created in the app!

It wasn’t long before Flockwatch was an award winning app as in September it won the Innovation Award at the National Ploughing Championships & more recently has won bronze in the LAMMA Digital Innovation Award. 

The Herd for Ukraine 

The illegal and immoral war in Ukraine has caused devastation across the world and hit very close to home here at Herdwatch. Some members of the Herdwatch team are based in Ukraine and their Irish friends and colleagues wanted to raise funds in recognition of the difficulties they are experiencing at present.

The Herdwatch team climbed The Devils Bit mountain in June raising €10,000 for the cause with the help of generous donors & FRS colleagues. The funds raised were donated to Chernobyl Children International who are actively supporting people in Ukraine. Adi Roche, founder and CEO of Chernobyl Children International, came to Roscrea on June 22nd for a symbolic presentation of the funds and said “I am personally very grateful to you and everyone at Herdwatch and FRS Network for your generosity during this dark time. Your donation is very timely and will have an immediate impact on Ukrainian families who are suffering”. Our ongoing prayers and well wishes are with our friends, colleagues & people of Ukraine in the hope they find peace in the very near future.!

From Tullamore to New Zealand – The full return of shows far & wide

Perhaps the most difficult impact of the COVID-19 pandemic for the business & the Herdwatch team was not being able to attend agricultural shows and meet our members new & old! However we more than made up for lost time this year as we attended over 22 shows, travelling across Ireland, the UK & beyond to talk to our members! These shows provide us with invaluable feedback, stories & much much more and we can’t wait to get out attending even more shows in 2023! 

The Next Chapter – Multi-Million Euro Investment

Perhaps the beginning of the next chapter of the Herdwatch story was announced in November, topping off an excellent year.  At the end of November, Herdwatch secured a multi-million euro investment backed by Renatus Capital Partners. Our founding members FRS Network and Fabien Peyaud (co-founder and CEO), will remain significant shareholders.

Currently we operate with a team of 60 people and plan to grow our team to 80 over the next two years. The FRS Network teams have supported us tremendously over the years and a huge thank you must go to them also for all of their hard work helping us to reach where we are today.  The investment will allow us to provide more farming solutions to more farmers globally over the coming months and years. 

Wishing you & yours a very Happy Christmas & a Happy New Year

As we enter the final weeks of 2022 we want to thank all our valued members for their support throughout the year and years gone by. We wish all of you a very happy Christmas and a prosperous and safe new year. 

We have plenty more to come in 2023 but for now it’s time for a well-deserved break and we hope you get a few days off or even a few hours to put your feet up and enjoy it with your nearest and dearest.

Regards, 

The Herdwatch Team