Tipperary-based software company Herdwatch, part of FRS Network, has announced the acquisition of Bullmatch, a technology that helps farmers match cows with the best bulls, gaining the ‘Tinder for Bulls’ nickname.

Herdwatch says this strategic acquisition will enable them to offer an “unrivalled level of decision support” to farmers operating in the suckler and dairy sectors, for whom breeding is a critical success factor.

The Bullmatch technology allows farmers to select one or more characteristics they look for in a calf, such as a star or EBI rating, following which the software will suggest a list of bulls for the selected cows.

This has the benefit of saving farmers hours researching and matching each individual cow to the best bull, but more importantly ensures the best chance of achieving the full genetic potential of their breeding herd, according to the firm.

Tom Kelly, divisional manager for innovation and competitiveness, Enterprise Ireland, commented on the matter, noting: “The acquisition of Bullmatch brings Herdwatch additional and complementary technological expertise to their platform.

“It provides further opportunities for growth of Herdwatch’s audience, amongst the international farming community.”

Also speaking about the acquisition, Herdwatch CEO Fabien Peyaud said:

“We recognise the value a service like Bullmatch can bring to our members, so it was a no-brainer for us to work with Brian and Teresa and bring the result of their hard work to thousands of farmers.”

Bullmatch is currently only available to beef farmers in Ireland but Herdwatch plans to expand it to dairy farmers in the very near future and bring this technology to the UK and to Northern Ireland where the company has recently launched.

Over the coming months, Bullmatch founder Brian Kelly will work closely with the Herdwatch team, which is planning to include this functionality in an update of the app; all members will receive this automatically when it is released.

Herdwatch is fully compliant with Bord Bia and EU quality assurance standards, and allows farmers to register calves and manage cattle movements on their phone. For those interested, more information can be obtained by calling: 0505-34400.