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Tinder-style app for livestock breeding

Feb 12, 2019

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A British startup developed Tudder for farmers

By Diego Flammini
Staff Writer
Farms.com

A British startup is helping local producers find suitable livestock for breeding.

SellMyLivestock designed Tudder, a free mobile app that “seeks to unite sheepish farm animals with their soulmates.”

The app works like Tinder, the popular dating app.

About 42,000 farms across the UK are using the app.

Farmers scroll through images of an individual or group of cows. Swiping right on a profile takes the user to a website where they’ll find information on the animal’s character, health issues and location. Producers can also contact the owner for further details.

Swiping left on a profile moves the user on to the next cow.

Producers who use the app are pleased with how it speeds operations up.

iPhone screenshots

“Going to market is a nuisance,” Marcus Lampard, a Welsh producer with a pedigree beef shorthorn bull listed, told Bloomberg. “If I go to an open market with a bull, and then maybe bring it back, it shuts everything down on the farm for at least two weeks.”

The app isn’t for all livestock producers, however.

It might work for a small operation but not for large commercial farms, said Laura Baxter, an 200-head Angus cattle farmer from Bassano, Alta.

“An app is probably more useful to those who have less numbers to deal with,” she told Farms.com. “And if they’re all purebred, then they know what they’re bringing to the game.

“Everything is hard copy here and we know everything about them from their birth weight. That information we have goes into a database and it calculates expected progeny differences.

“We probably wouldn’t use the app” if it became available to Canadian producers.

Visit the Farms.com apps directory for more apps to help manage your farm.

Video: How a Desire to Lead Brought This Wheat Breeder to Canada

Gurcharn Singh Brar is a wheat breeder whose path meandered from the breadbaskets of Punjab, India, to the sprawling fields of the Prairies. In a candid conversation, Brar shared insights into his journey, the challenges faced, and the undying passion that fuels his quest for better crops.

It all began with a childhood rooted in the wheat fields of Punjab, where agriculture isn’t just a livelihood but a way of life. His fascination with wheat and its potential led him to pursue a bachelor’s degree in agricultural sciences at Punjab Agricultural University. It was during this time that he encountered the spectre of rust diseases, particularly stripe rust, which plagued the region’s wheat crops. Determined to combat this menace, he set his sights on a journey that would take him across continents.

Venturing abroad for his graduate studies, he found himself in Saskatchewan at the Crop Development Centre (CDC), working under the mentorship of renowned researchers like Randy Kutcher and Pierre Hucl. Here, he delved deep into the world of wheat genetics, focusing on stripe rust resistance — a quest that would shape his academic pursuits for years to come.

After completing his master’s and Ph.D. in six and a half years, he embarked on a professional journey that would see him traverse academia and research. From brief stints as a research officer to landing his dream faculty position at the University of British Columbia’s Plant Science program, his career trajectory was marked by a strong drive to make a difference in the world of wheat.

Despite the allure of British Columbia’s unique agricultural landscape, he found himself wanting to return to the vast expanses of the Prairies, where wheat reigns supreme. He recently returned to the Prairies and is the new wheat breeder at the University of Alberta in Edmonton.

“The opportunity to lead an established wheat breeding program at the University of Alberta was a dream come true. With the necessary resources and infrastructure in place, I’m excited to drive innovation and develop high-yielding wheat varieties tailored to the unique conditions of northern Canada,” he says.

Brar, one of Seed World Canada‘s 2024 Next-Gen Leaders, has become known for identifying novel sources of resistance to priority diseases and his efforts in developing wheat germplasm with multiple disease-resistant traits.

In addition to his groundbreaking research, Brar is committed to mentoring the next generation of agricultural scientists.

“I believe in nurturing talent and empowering students to pursue their passions,” he says. “Watching my students grow and thrive in their research endeavours is hugely rewarding.”

As he looks ahead, Brar’s vision for the future of wheat breeding is clear: “My number one target is to develop high-yielding wheat varieties adapted to the northern climates of Canada. By focusing on early maturity and strong straw traits, we can maximize yield potential while ensuring resilience to environmental challenges.”

His decision to also join the Prairie Recommending Committee for Wheat, Rye, and Triticale (PGDC) executive as member-at-large came from a desire to play an even more important role in the world of Canadian cereals.