One of the standout observations on primary agriculture, both in Ireland and across the globe is the gulf that exists between those at the top and bottom from a performance point of view. What this highlights is the potential that is out there to drive the majority of farm businesses.

The principles that will allow a farmer to do this are measurement and precision – two areas currently in the midst of technological revolutions.

Smartphones have become fifth limbs for many of us and the revolution has not stopped at farming. Aidan Brennan details what is available in terms of smartphone-compatible farm management software.

These tools often include a variety of features, from herd registers to data recording, grass management to farm accounts. Peter Varley also outlines some of his favourite mobile apps to use on the farm, including a handy field area calculator for someone contemplating a paddocking system.

While we can fathom registering calves or recording field areas in the palm of our hand, what about producing a crop from establishment to harvest without setting foot in the field or putting a bum on a tractor seat? A team at Harper Adams University is doing just that with their Hands Free Hectare project, in which a spring barley crop is being produced autonomously with robots and modified machinery. We catch up with their progress here.

Grassland measuring

In recent years, success on any Irish livestock farm has largely been on the back of growing and utilising big amounts of grass. Grassland measuring is crucial in this regard. However, many are put off the idea of measuring their farms, given the time that the process can eat up.

We look at two new tech devices that have the potential to streamline the grass-measuring process.

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