Farm Smart: Say goodbye to scraps of paper or the back of your hand as a notebook!

Nigel Flannery farms on the shores of Lough Gara in Co. Sligo, running a mixed suckler and sheep enterprise. He also works full time off-farm. As a result, time for record-keeping is extremely limited. Before Herdwatch, even the basics were becoming a problem.

Nigel Flannery on his suckler and sheep farm on the shores of Lough Gara, Co. Sligo.

The offline problem — and the solution that works in the west of Ireland

For Nigel, finding the right tool had one critical requirement that ruled out most options. Living in the west of Ireland, poor internet connection is a daily reality. On a bad day, there is no phone signal at all — never mind a reliable internet connection. Therefore, any software that required a constant connection simply would not work on his farm.

Nigel needed something that worked offline and stored data in the cloud for when connectivity returned. In September 2014, he found exactly that. After seeing Herdwatch launch at the National Ploughing Championships, he signed up and has not looked back since.

Calf registration — tagged and registered as he goes

One of the features Nigel uses most is calf registration. Previously, the process involved writing down details and entering them later — with all the scope for errors that brings. Now, he tags each calf and registers it straight away on his phone. The scanning method removes the risk of entering the wrong breed or sex, and the card comes back correctly without any chasing up.

Recording remedies before he gets out of the van

Remedy recording is another area where Herdwatch has made a significant difference. Rather than leaving it until later — when receipts can get lost and details forgotten — Nigel records every purchase before he even gets out of the van. Furthermore, withdrawal dates are recorded at that point too. As a result, even if a remedy sits unused for a few months, the withdrawal information is already there when it is needed.

Medicines are scanned directly into the app using the phone camera. Consequently, records are always accurate — and in the event of a farm inspection, all Nigel has to do is pull up the reports in Herdwatch and show them to the inspector. No paperwork. No searching.

Breeding management — serves, repeats, and calving reminders

Herdwatch also plays a key role in Nigel’s breeding season. He uses the app to track which cows were served and when, and to monitor repeats. In addition, the app links directly with the Irish Cattle Breeding Federation (ICBF) and scan dates are recorded through the system. During springtime, the Watchboard generates a calving report — giving Nigel a clear view of which cows are due and when, so nothing catches him off guard.

Nigel uses Herdwatch for the following on his farm:

• Calf registration — tagged and registered on the spot, correct every time
• Animal movements — managed from the phone, compliant with Department requirements
• Remedy purchases — scanned at the point of purchase, withdrawal dates recorded immediately
• Farm inspection reports — generated from the app, fully paperless
• Breeding records — serves, repeats, and scan dates tracked with ICBF
• Watchboard calving reports — due dates visible in advance each spring
• Offline capability — records stored locally and synced when signal returns

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