Farm Smart: AgTech paving the way for efficiency on Co. Wicklow farm
Co. Wicklow beef farmer Judy O’Toole helps run a 220-head beef operation in Kilmacanogue alongside her father Eoin and brother — and uses Herdwatch to keep animal movements compliant, records secure, and the farm running efficiently.
Judy O’Toole is a progressive young farmer from Kilmacanogue, Co. Wicklow. Earlier this year she graduated from IADT with a Business Management degree and is currently working towards her Green Cert. She helps run the family’s beef and sheep operation alongside her father Eoin and her brother — a holding that is currently home to 220 beef cattle.
Calves are bought in during the winter months and reared on the holding for approximately 24 months. After that, they are either sold at the local mart or sent to the factory. It is a straightforward system — but one where attention to compliance and efficiency matters at every stage.
Embracing technology — from automatic calf feeders to Herdwatch
The O’Tooles have been steadily introducing more technology to the farm over recent years. Most recently, they installed automatic calf feeders — a significant time-saver given that calves are reared indoors for approximately eight weeks before moving out to the field. Furthermore, as part of that push for greater efficiency, Judy suggested the family get set up on Herdwatch. That was about a year and a half ago. Since then, it has become an essential part of how the farm operates.
Animal movements — compliant, instant, and done from the yard
Given the nature of the beef operation — buying calves in bulk in winter and selling animals out after 24 months — animal movements are a critical and regular part of farm life. Department time restrictions mean nothing can be left to chance. Before Herdwatch, managing that process was more time-consuming and prone to delays. Now, however, it is handled on the spot.
As a result, buyers get their paperwork faster, the farm stays fully compliant, and there is no risk of missing a department deadline. Moreover, everything is logged automatically in the app — so there is no additional record-keeping required afterwards.
Cloud-based records — safe even if you lose your phone
Another benefit Judy highlights is the security of having farm records stored in the cloud rather than on a single device or a notebook. All herd information is accessible anywhere, at any time — and because the data is cloud-based, it is protected even if a phone is lost or damaged.
For a busy farm where multiple family members are involved in the day-to-day running, that shared, always-available access to records makes a genuine difference to how the operation works.
Judy and the O’Toole family use Herdwatch for:
- Animal movements — cert codes issued instantly from the yard
- Department compliance — movements completed within time restrictions
- Cloud-based record storage — accessible anywhere, protected if phone is lost
- Herd information — every animal’s records available at any time
You can read more real farmer stories on our farm case studies page.
Vital from day one — and free to try for 30 days
For Judy and the O’Toole family, Herdwatch has become a vital part of how the farm runs — making animal movements instant, records secure, and compliance one less thing to worry about.
“It’s been kinda vital ever since.”
Join Judy and over 22,000 farmers using Herdwatch to simplify farm records and make better decisions every day — try it free for 30 days.