Farm Smart: Milk Vending Machine to Dairy Award Success
West Cork dairy farmers Michael and Sally Cahalane built a mobile milk vending machine business from their Jersey herd — and rely on Herdwatch to keep the farm running smoothly behind the scenes.
Michael Cahalane is a dairy farmer from Clonakilty, West Cork. His wife Sally Kearney is a family support worker. Together, they have built something genuinely unique — Bó Bainne Úr. It is a mobile milk vending machine that brings fresh Jersey milk directly to consumers around West Cork.
The business caught national attention in 2024. As a result, the couple were shortlisted for the National Dairy Awards 2024. Meanwhile, behind the scenes, Herdwatch keeps the farm records, calf registrations, and milk performance data organised — so Michael and Sally can focus on what they do best.
From dairy farm to mobile milk vending machine
The idea for Bó Bainne Úr came from Michael’s interest in micro dairies. After extensive preparation, he purchased a nine-metre modular dairy unit from Unison in Limerick. Specifically, it is a prefabricated unit capable of pasteurising milk. It also met the stringent requirements of the Department of Agriculture.
The business operates from a converted horsebox. It travels around Clonakilty and the surrounding area. The vending machine dispenses lightly pasteurised, non-homogenised milk from Michael’s purebred Jersey cows. Jersey milk is well known for its high calcium and protein content. Customers can buy it in reusable glass bottles or bring their own containers.
In addition to plain fresh milk, Bó Bainne Úr offers flavoured options. These include Nutella, Oreo, and Kinder Bueno. As a result, the product is popular with both children and adults.
Sustainability and community at the heart of it
Sustainability is a core principle of Bó Bainne Úr. For example, the business uses reusable glass bottles and operates on a small, local scale. As a result, it aligns with the farm-to-fork concept. Furthermore, it reduces environmental impact and strengthens the connection between consumers and local producers.
The direct sales model also ensures freshness. Milk goes from Michael’s herd to the customer with minimal steps in between. Consequently, that level of freshness is simply not possible through conventional retail channels.
How Herdwatch keeps the farm running
Michael and Sally run a busy dairy farm. On top of that, they manage a growing business. Therefore, they rely on tools that cut down time on paperwork. Herdwatch is central to that. Michael uses it every day — most importantly for calf registration. He can complete it instantly from his phone in the yard.
Tracking herd performance with Milk Insights
Bó Bainne Úr depends directly on milk production from Michael’s herd. As a result, monitoring individual cow performance is especially important. The Herdwatch Milk Insights feature allows him to track changes in production cow by cow. In particular, it helps him catch any issues early — before they affect output or quality.
Having those insights on his phone makes a real difference. He can check performance quickly and make informed decisions. Moreover, he can do it without leaving the yard or sitting down at a desk.
To view Milk Insights in the Herdwatch app:
- Tap on Performance.
- Tap on Milk Recordings.
- Tap on Per Cow.
From there, each cow’s record shows:
- Date of the milk recording
- Calving date
- Days in milk
- Milk KG
- Milk Solids
You can read more real farmer stories on our farm case studies page.
Farm smarter — from registration to milk performance
For Michael and Sally, Herdwatch handles the paperwork so they can focus on running a busy dairy farm and a growing business. From calf registration to Milk Insights, everything is on their phone and ready when they need it.
“Makes my life as a farmer and full-time worker so much easier.”
Join Michael, Sally, and over 22,000 farmers using Herdwatch to simplify farm records and make better decisions every day.