Smart companies, smart farming

Multi-award-winning Herdwatch is no stranger to the agricultural world. Launched in 2012, it introduced in 2014 the first iteration of its mobile livestock management app – the first of its kind at the time. It allowed farmers to record their compliance requirements 'on the go', with a cloud-based system that also functions fully offline. In 2020, it was back with version two, Herdwatch NextGen, the result of two years of R&D and a €1m investment. Last year, it celebrated its tenth anniversary with more than 22,000 producers worldwide using its platform which encompasses cattle, dairy, sheep and pasture-management solutions.
The company recently unveiled the Herdwatch Enterprise Suite which connects and digitises the agri-food supply chain providing antimicrobial oversight, sustainability insights, AI-powered predictive analytics and is QA scheme compatible.

It also recently revealed details of its new AI assistant, Herdi. This facilitates farmers being able to speak into the app on their phones and record important info and updates making the gathering and inputting of information even more convenient. The company also recently opened its new state-of-the-art global headquarters in Roscrea, Co. Tipperary, which will be focused on innovation and will support the company’s growth and expansion plans, it says.

Last month, AgNav was awarded Sustainability Initiative of the Year at the Grocer Gold Awards in London, UK, beating six other finalists in the sustainable products and services category. This marks AgNav’s second UK award this year. In June, it won the Sustainability Award at the British Culinary Federation Awards.

Developed through a partnership between Bord Bia, Teagasc, and the Irish Cattle Breeding Federation (ICBF), AgNav is a free, easy-to-use online tool designed specifically for Irish farmers. It provides reliable, science-based insights to support farmers’ environmental and economic goals. Using AgNav, farmers can create customised farm sustainability action plans helping to reduce emissions, improve water quality, and enhance farmland biodiversity.

In 2022, Micron Agritech won the Best Overall Start-up Award at the Enterprise Ireland Innovation Arena at the National Ploughing Championships for its product that provides rapid on-site parasite testing for grazing animals. The company’s rapid liver fluke test allows farmers to easily test livestock for liver fluke on-site through its Micron Kit app, with results delivered in minutes using AI analysis. Infections in livestock by liver fluke are a major economic problem for farmers, reducing yield and leading to significant treatment costs, as well as representing a serious animal-welfare issue, so Micron Agritech’s innovation provides an efficient, reliable solution to this issue. Recently, Micron Agritech has introduced new offerings; Micron Analytics and Predictive Animal Welfare System (PAWS). The former, the company says, will revolutionise how vets, animal health professionals, and animal owners track and manage patient health. It allows users to monitor test results, track trends and make data-driven decisions for better animal-health management. The latter allows the user to stay ahead of disease outbreaks and the first phase of this is the nematodirus forecasting system, which has an interactive map that shows real-time risk levels across different regions. Last year, Micron Agritech was included as part of Think Business’s top-100 list of hot young Irish start-up companies to watch in 2025. Earlier this year, the company received a special commendation at the RDS Sustainable Agriculture & Rural Development Awards under the Sustainable Rural Innovation category. And it is understood that a partnership is underway with veterinary pharmaceutical company, Dopharma.