A free app promises to help beef farmers boost profits by í100 per animal by finishing more cattle on time and to specification.
Breedr measures and monitors individual cattle data and predicts optimum finishing times based on actual growth rates. It is also helping farmers form private integrated supply chains, removing unnecessary costs and improving transparency.
“We already have 900 farmers using the app, and analysis of their kill-sheets shows that 79% of their cattle hit top specification versus an industry average of 55%,” explains
Breedr founder Ian Wheal. This means a better product for the customer. Breedr farmers also finish their cattle five months earlier than the industry average, saving 1.8 tonnes of feed per animal and reducing their carbon footprint by 20%.
Mr Wheal says: “Our app facilitates that flow of information so that finishers, store producers and calf rearers can all identify the best genetics, best management and best suppliers to improve productivity every step of the way.”
The phone app syncs with the British Cattle Movement Service. Producers can scan an electronic ID or enter passport details to see everything about an animal – and record medicine usage to Red Tractor standards.
But the most valuable feature is weight recording and predicted finishing dates, says Mr Wheal. These are based on actual growth rates – making it easier to plan feeding, sales and business cash flow.
