Farm Smart: Beef Farmer introduces technology to his West of Ireland Farm
Corofin, Co. Galway beef farmer Eoin Burns took over the family farm at 23 and built a store-to-beef system across 75 acres — discovering Herdwatch through his girlfriend and describing it as “vital ever since”.
Eoin Burns farms in Corofin, Co. Galway, running a store-to-beef enterprise across 75 acres — 44 owned and 21 hectares rented from his grandmother next door. He buys cattle at six or seven months and sells them to the factory approximately 18 months later. His father Gerard transferred the farm to him in 2015. However, as Eoin is quick to point out, Gerard is still very much involved in the day-to-day decisions.
A new shed — built with health and safety in mind
One of the first things Eoin did after taking over was invest in a new four-bay slatted unit. The main driver was health and safety. As the years went by, he became increasingly conscious of the risks involved in his father going in with cattle — feeding, throwing in straw, and working in close quarters. The new shed has eliminated those risks almost entirely. Furthermore, it has made the partnership between Eoin and his father considerably more straightforward.
Finding Herdwatch — through a Facebook scroll
Eoin found out about Herdwatch in an unlikely way. About six or seven months before the interview, his girlfriend Karen was scrolling through Facebook and came across the app. She suggested it might make his life easier with paperwork and Bord Bia. He gave it a go on a 30-day free trial. Since then, it has become a vital part of running the farm.
Eoin is open about the fact that he does not consider himself particularly tech-savvy. Nevertheless, Herdwatch’s design made it accessible from the start.
TB testing — knowing which cattle are out of date before going to sell
One of the most practical benefits Eoin describes is using Herdwatch to check TB test dates before moving cattle for sale. When cattle of similar ages arrive at different times, it can be hard to keep track of which ones are current. Previously, he would have had to go through cards and paperwork. Now, he simply checks his phone.
Recording feed, medicines, and SBLAS compliance — all on the phone
Beyond TB testing, Eoin uses Herdwatch to record feed purchases, medicine purchases, and treatments. As soon as cattle come in, details are typed into the phone and he does not have to worry about them again. In particular, the app has proven valuable for Bord Bia’s Sustainable Beef and Lamb Assurance Scheme (SBLAS) compliance — where accurate, consistent records are essential.
Eoin uses Herdwatch for the following on the farm:
- TB test date tracking — check which cattle are out of date before selling
- Feed purchase recording — logged at the point of purchase
- Medicine purchases and treatments — recorded on the spot
- SBLAS compliance records — all data in one place for inspections
- Animal movements — movement certs managed from the phone
Watch Eoin’s story
Eoin walks through how Herdwatch fits into running his store-to-beef enterprise — from the Facebook discovery to TB testing and SBLAS compliance.
You can read more real farmer stories on our farm case studies page.
Vital from the first month — and getting better from there
For Eoin, Herdwatch went from a 30-day free trial to an essential part of running his farm — making TB compliance, SBLAS records, and medicine tracking all faster and simpler, even for someone who does not consider himself tech-savvy.
“I started on the 30-day free trial — that was six or seven months ago — and it’s been vital ever since.”
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