In the lush, green pastures of Ireland, where agriculture is deeply rooted in tradition, a new player has emerged to transform the age-old practice of cattle trading. Meet HerdFinder, an innovative online platform that is simplifying the process of buying and selling cattle for farmers across the country.
The brainchild of Darragh Scanlon, a passionate advocate for farming with a background in organic agriculture, HerdFinder was launched in 2024 with a mission to become the premier destination for livestock trade in Ireland. Drawing from his personal experiences growing up in Co Kerry and studying finance at University College Cork, Scanlon saw an opportunity to bridge the gap between traditional farming practices and modern technology.
As Scanlon describes it, HerdFinder is not just another online marketplace; it’s a farmer-friendly platform designed by farmers themselves. With dedicated sections for conventional, organic, and pedigree cattle, the website caters to the diverse needs of farmers looking to expand their herds or find specific breeds. By providing market prices, industry insights, and even TB tracking software for different counties in Ireland, HerdFinder aims to empower farmers with valuable information at their fingertips.
“The agricultural industry has seen a significant uptake in technology since Covid, but still lacks advancement in many areas,”
notes Scanlon.
“Cattle trading, for example, is still traditionally done through marts. Our goal is to offer an alternative that streamlines the process and meets the evolving needs of both veteran farmers and younger enthusiasts entering the field.”
One of the key challenges HerdFinder addresses is making farming economically viable for a new generation of farmers who often balance full-time jobs with part-time farming responsibilities. By creating a user-friendly interface tailored specifically to dairy and beef farmers’ requirements and collaborating with industry organizations to uphold quality standards on the platform, HerdFinder has quickly gained traction within the farming community.
Reflecting on his entrepreneurial journey so far, Scanlon acknowledges that developing the technology behind HerdFinder was no small feat but remains optimistic about its future growth.
“As Roy Keane famously said,’Fail to prepare; prepare to fail.’ We’ve put immense effort into laying a solid foundation for HerdFinder’s success,”
he remarks.
Despite being relatively new to the start-up scene, HerdFinder has already made waves on social media platforms like Facebook and TikTok, attracting over 40,000 active users monthly. With an eye on expansion and further engagement with both seasoned farmers seeking efficiency gains and tech-savvy newcomers eager to explore modern solutions in agriculture,
Scanlon emphasizes that while investment opportunities may arise down road if aligned with their values and vision.
“We’ve prioritized keeping costs low thus far,”
he says.
“But we’re open exploring strategic partnerships bring expertise experience table.”
HerdFinder stands as testament Irish innovation marrying traditional wisdom technological advancements drive positive change centuries-old agricultural practices The future looks bright this pioneering platform as continues connect empower generations forward-thinking farmers looking embrace digital evolution thriving industry
