In further evidence of how the internet of things is spreading to new industries, a new app is helping sheep farmers keep track of their flock via a smartphone app. The app, from Welsh government-funded TAG project, lets users record everything from the weight of a lamb to the medicines it is being given, all […]
In further evidence of how the internet of things is spreading to new industries, a new app is helping sheep farmers keep track of their flock via a smartphone app.
The app, from Welsh government-funded TAG project, lets users record everything from the weight of a lamb to the medicines it is being given, all without leaving the fields.The app also works out when sheep are ready for market.
The BBC has followed two sheep farmers that are using the app monitor and record their flocks.
Huw and Guto Jones, who farm at Mallwyd, Gwynedd, and Llandre, Ceredigion, told the BBC that the app saves them time.
The brothers now carry detailed information about their 1,300 flock of sheep in their hand while shepherding in the fields.
“This new technology is a breath of fresh air,” said Huw Jones. “It has made the recording of sheep and lambs’ details so much easier and quicker. If a problem arises in the field with a lame ewe or a sick lamb, we can search for an ear tag number on the phone and find their medical history.
“The other advantage we’ve seen is that we can register and read EID (electronic identification) tags for our 800 Welsh mountain sheep at Talyglannau, and do exactly the same with the Llŷn flock of sheep we have on our second farm Elgar in Llandre, Bow Street, even though we have no broadband connection there.”
Source: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-wales-34211541
