There’s an app for just about anything these days and the world of agriculture is no different. Whether your life involves sheep, dairy, beef or crops, there’s an abundance of technology to help make your life on the farm easier and more efficient. We’ve compiled a list of the must-haves, all of which are available on iOS and Android, so everything you need is just a couple of clicks away.
Buying and selling
Done Deal Probably Ireland’s most popular buy and sell site among farmers. It’s an easy to use app that sells everything from cars to cows. You can place your own advert, save adverts as you scroll to come back to later, have your own profile and directly contact the sellers of the goods right across the country in just a matter of clicks.
iOS - https://itunes.apple.com/ie/app/donedeal-ie/id428330596?mt=8 Android - https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=sandhills.tractorhouse.app&hl=en&gl=US
Tractor House This straightforward, easy to navigate app allows farmers to buy and sell machines, vehicles and other farm related materials. From tillage, planting and harvest equipment to chemical applicators, turf equipment and trailers, your whole farm is covered. There’s a quick find option if you’re looking for a specific advert and you can also key in details for the manufacturer and model you’re looking for. You can also search for parts and attachments as well as being able to peruse previous auction results, giving you an indication of the going price of farm machinery.
iOS - https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/tractorhouse/id380177623?mt=8 Android - https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=sandhills.tractorhouse.app&hl=en
Weather
Met Éireann Whatever about Irish people’s obsession with the weather, farmers actually need to know the forecast and where better to look than our very own Irish Meteorological Service. This app has a regional forecast but also a section dedicated to farming weather. It includes information on rain, sunshine, temperature, drying conditions, spraying and field conditions.
iOS - https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/tractorhouse/id380177623?mt=8 Android - https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=net.fusio.meteireann&hl=en_IE
AccuWeather The beauty of this app is it can give a forecast for weeks away giving famers a greater understanding of what to expect and be in a better position to plan. It’s a highly detailed app with easy access to not only daily and hourly but weather by the minute in your chosen location.
iOS - https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/accuweather-weather-alerts/id300048137?mt=8 Android - https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.accuweather.android
News
Irish Farmers Journal With a long and strong history serving the latest agricultural news to Irish farmers, the app is no different. This publication keeps everyone in the know about all things farming, from news in tillage, machinery, beef, sheep, agribusiness and opinion.
iOS - https://itunes.apple.com/ie/app/farmers-journal/id963726555?mt=8 Android - https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=iguide.com.farmersjournalapp
Agriland Another fantastic news source that should be in the diet of every farmer in Ireland. Covering all the standard sections like dairy, beef, tillage and sheep, it also includes special features on rural life, schemes, grass and forestry as well as updates on factory prices and grass growth.
iOS - https://itunes.apple.com/ie/app/agriland-news/id912366362?mt=8 Android - https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.agriland.agriland
Compliance
Herdwatch This is an incredibly handy tool when it comes to managing records for dairy, dry beef, sheep, tillage, arable and suckler farmers. It takes the hassle out of tasks like calf registration, herd management and reports, for example, and offers features like fast weight recording and analysis. The cherry on top is that it doesn’t require the internet to work.
iOS - https://itunes.apple.com/ie/app/herdwatch/id801110894?mt=8 Android - https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.frs.hwprodie
ICBF Web Application The Irish Cattle Breeding Federation now have an app version of their website. You can access a variety of HerdPlus services such as reports, animals’ details and submit BDGP data.
iOS - https://itunes.apple.com/ie/app/icbf-web-application/id1199462143?mt=8 Android - https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.icbf.webapp
Others Worth Noting
GEO Measure Keeping it simple, this is an accessible measurement tool allowing farmers to accurately assess the size of any property or land by using the app.
iOS - https://itunes.apple.com/ie/app/geo-measure-area-calculator/id1099413961?mt=8 Android - https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.bmac.geomeasure
Fence Detective This is one of those clever creations that solves a genuine problem. When you come across an electric fence and aren’t sure if it’s on, this app can detect whether it is before you proceed. There’s even an additional antenna which is an optional purchase to improve its accuracy.
iOS - https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/fence-detective/id1055243723?mt=8 Android - https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.mulimobile.fence
While installing new apps on your smartphone, why not check out AXA's farm insurance and see how we can make life on the farm even more efficient? Get a quote online or speak to one of our local Agri experts today.
