The Courier & Advertiser (Angus and Dundee)
App delivers vet updates from the field
Anew mobile app has been designed to allow beef farmers to update their vets with livestock health information direct from the field.
The Herd Health Planning app can also be used to update cattle records such as births, deaths and movements as it is connected to the British Cattle Movement Service’s tracing system (BCMS).
Also, in places where there is no internet connection, the data is stored on the app and then sent to both BCMS and Scotland’s Animal Health Planning System (SAHPS) as soon as wifi or mobile data is available.
The app, which was created by the veterinary services team at Scotland’s Rural College (SRUC) – and which is now downloadable for Android and Apple devices – was funded by the Scottish Government and is free for farmers who are registered to SAHPS.
Others not registered can subscribe to the app for a small fee.
Dr Foteini Manolaraki, the SRUC’S animal health planning development manager, acknowledged that time is a precious commodity for the nation’s farmers.
“Rather than taking notes while out in the field or in the shed and then copying them into the computer, this new app allows them to share their cattle data with their vet while on the move,” she said.
“This information can then be shared multiple times via the BCMS and SAHPS software, which could allow for earlier intervention by vets if necessary.”
Among its uses, the app allows farmers to record the dates of bulls in/out, download all cattle on the holding through BCMS, record animal treatments, and record disease incidents and production data.
The SRUC says the app will allow vets to analyse the information and help farmers set priorities, improve efficiency and animal health.
The app includes an e-medicine book, which complies with farm assurances and other statutory requirements.
To sign up to the app, go online to sahps.co.uk