Vistamilk has given the nickname ‘Tinder for cows’ to a matchmaking service helping Irish dairy farmers increase performance and reduce each cow’s environmental hoof print.

Sire Advice, which is part of the HerdPlus service and developed by the Irish Cattle Breeding Federation (ICBF), is being used by more than 4,000 farmers.

The technology delivers very serious economic, social and environmental benefits, according to director of Vistamilk Donagh Berry.

The service allows farmers to swipe left and right to find the perfect sire for their cows, producing offspring which deliver more valuable milk or beef and, in the case of dairy cows, fewer emissions per litre of milk.

Match the right cow

It works through the ICBF national database using information such as weight, fertility, ancestry, milk production and quality to help farmers match the right cow with the right bull using the breeding application.

This information can then be transmitted to farmer-used apps and AI technician devices to ensure the best and balanced matings are made by Irish dairy females.

We can increase productivity and profitability, while at the same time reducing the carbon footprint

Berry said: "Breeding programmes are, by their very nature, ‘cumulative and permanent’.

"Vistamilk’s research has already proven that by adopting best practice in this area of farming, we can increase productivity and profitability, while at the same time reducing the carbon footprint of Irish dairy produce."

Berry added that Vistamilk's findings to date show that these breeding activities alone are reducing emissions per litre of milk by close to 1% per annum, with a 14% reduction in the last two decades.

Dan O'Riordan of the ICBF said: "HerdPlus has benefits across both the beef and dairy industries. By generating higher genetic merit females for farmers, this will help future dairy profitability and help breed more sustainable dairy cows for future generations with a reduced impact on the environment.

Maximise potential

"The new beef-on-dairy mating options in Sire Advice will help maximise the beef potential of dairy-beef calves born and will facilitate better overall integration of the dairy and beef systems in Ireland.

"For consumers, it means they continue to have access to high-quality, affordable, nutritious dairy and beef products secure in the knowledge that they are produced sustainably."

He added that the cows themselves are more efficient, more productive and individually emit less biogenic methane per litre of milk, thus helping to achieve the nation’s climate goals.

Uptake

Vistamilk expects uptake of HerdPlus to keep increasing as the service continues to prove itself.

With many other positive innovations (in the areas of soil, pasture cow and food) being developed through co-ordination and collaboration by several hundred PhD and postdoc researchers, Vistamilk believes the future is bright (green) for Irish farming.

Professor Berry added: "When this type of practice is combined with other research projects under way at Vistamilk, different plant mixes in the pasture, carbon capture studies, proper measurement of emissions and nutritional supplements to reduce those emissions, the sustainability of the Irish dairy sector can be further enhanced."