Farm Smart: ‘I’ll Never Go Back’: The App One Farmer Says Took the Guesswork Out of His Suckler Farm
When Donal Canniffe took over the family suckler farm in Ballinasloe, Co. Galway, paperwork was his biggest challenge. Herdwatch changed that — and he says it’s “one of the best investments I’ve made on the farm.”
Donal Canniffe farms between Portumna and Kilmere in East Galway. He took over the family farm from his father in 2020. He also farms alongside his wife, who runs a separate dairy herd — and both of them use Herdwatch.
Donal runs a straightforward suckler system. He keeps Hereford cross cows, a few Limousines, Shorthorns, and Belgian Blues, all running with a Red Angus bull. He chose the Red Angus deliberately — easy calving matters when you can’t always be there.
When paperwork was the biggest problem on farm
When Donal took over in 2020, he was honest with himself about one thing. Paperwork was not his strong point. Records were kept on paper — sometimes on loose sheets, sometimes in notebooks. The problem was that paper has a way of disappearing.
He first came across Herdwatch while watching Farmer Phil videos online. That was all the convincing he needed.
Stress-free Bord Bia audits — every time
As a member of the Bord Bia Quality Assurance Scheme, Donal has to keep accurate records of calf registrations, medicine usage, movements, and compliance requirements. Before Herdwatch, audit preparation meant weeks of stress.
Now, the process takes minutes. As long as everything is logged in the app in real time, generating audit reports is straightforward.
Remedy tracking: no more guesswork
Out of all the features Donal uses, remedy tracking stands out as the one he values most. The process is simple. As soon as he buys a product, he logs it in Herdwatch. When he treats an animal, the app updates the stock automatically and records which animal received the treatment.
As a result, he always knows exactly how much product is left. Withdrawal periods are tracked automatically. There is no guesswork and no risk of missing a compliance requirement.
A full toolbox for suckler farmers
Herdwatch is not just a record-keeping tool for Donal. It is the all-in-one system that keeps the whole farm ticking over. Here is what he uses it for regularly:
- Calf registration
- Breeding records
- Weight recording & insights
- Movement certs
- Remedy purchases & usage
- Bord Bia audit paperwork
Everything is logged in real time and safely stored. Furthermore, both Donal and his wife use the app — she for her dairy herd, he for his sucklers. That consistency matters.
From white cards to smart farm management
Before Herdwatch, Donal relied on a mix of handwritten white cards and the AgFood system. It worked after a fashion. However, with data scattered across different places, it was easy to miss things or spend time digging for the right details.
Now, everything is in one place and accessible instantly from his phone. Breeding records, treatment history, weight gains, calvings — all of it logged in real time and ready when needed.
Hear it from Donal himself
In his own words, Donal explains how Herdwatch changed the way he manages his suckler farm — from audit prep to remedy tracking to everyday record keeping.
You can read more real farmer stories on our farm case studies page.
Once you start using it, you won’t go back
For Donal, Herdwatch is not just another app — it is the tool that ties everything together. Whether it’s tracking calves, logging treatments, or preparing for a Bord Bia audit, it keeps him organised, compliant, and in control.
“I’d recommend Herdwatch to any farmer. It takes serious pressure off. It’s one of the best investments I’ve made on the farm.”
Join Donal and thousands of other farmers using Herdwatch to simplify farm management and stay audit-ready every day.