Farm Smart: Using An App To Tighten The Calving Spread

Niall Mason farms in Ballyseedy, Co. Kerry, in partnership with his parents John and Carol. When he first went into partnership three years ago, Niall was determined to do things right from the start. In particular, keeping the calving spread tight was central to that ambition. As a result, he needed a reliable system for managing breeding records — and Herdwatch quickly became essential to that plan.

Niall Mason on his dairy and beef farm in Ballyseedy, Co. Kerry.

Spring is the most demanding time of year on the farm. Between feeding calves, spreading fertiliser, calving the last cows, and managing the breeding season, there is always more to do than there is time. Since joining Herdwatch three years ago, Niall has found that period significantly easier to manage.

Starting with the basics — then discovering breeding management

When Niall first signed up, he used Herdwatch mainly for calf registrations and Bord Bia remedy records. However, over time, his use of the app has deepened significantly. Three years on, it is the breeding management section that he considers priceless. It is the feature that has had the greatest impact on the farm.

Pre-heat detection — knowing which cows to watch before AI begins

For a full month before his cows are due to be served, Niall records heat detections in Herdwatch. This allows him to build up a picture of each cow’s cycle in advance. Consequently, when AI season begins, he always knows which cows to keep an eye on during milking. This is particularly helpful because tail paint can sometimes be hard to read — especially if it has been partially rubbed off.

Recording AI serves on the spot — and syncing to ICBF

Niall performs his own AI on the farm. As each cow or maiden heifer is served, the record goes straight into Herdwatch. In addition, a stock bull — one of two easy-calving Aberdeen Angus bulls — cleans up any repeats, and those serves are recorded in the app too. Furthermore, because Herdwatch is linked directly to ICBF, all breeding records are sent on automatically without any additional work.

Tightening the calving spread — year by year

The impact of recording heat detections and serves consistently has been clear in the calving spread. A few years ago, calving ran from mid-January all the way through to June. This year, it finished in May. For next year, the target is April. The improvement has been steady and deliberate — Niall is clear that moving too fast creates its own problems.

The goal is a ten-week calving spread. Moreover, for Niall, it is about more than farm efficiency. A tighter spread means a defined busy period — and a life outside of farming on the other side of it.

Experience and data — working together

Niall attributes the improvement to two things working in combination. First, recording heat detections and serves on the spot gives him the right information when he needs it. Second, three years of experience on the farm has built the knowledge to act on that information correctly. Neither alone would have delivered the same result.

Niall uses Herdwatch for the following on the farm:

• Pre-heat detection — recorded for a month before AI season begins
• AI serves — recorded on the spot as each cow is served
• Bull serves — logged in the app for all clean-up matings
• ICBF sync — all breeding records transferred automatically
• Calf registration — completed from the phone at calving
• Bord Bia remedy records — logged as medicines are purchased and used

You can read more real farmer stories on our farm case studies page.