5 tips to help you buy & sell animals

At Herdwatch, we understand the importance of buying & selling animals at this time of year for our members, whether you are selling stores or buying in breeding stock. 

Did you know Herdwatch is the only app where you can see the number of movements for your animals right on your phone?

Our recent member survey of over 1,100 farmers highlighted a couple of key points that may help you when buying or selling this year:

1. Nail the basics 

85% of buyers want animal information when searching with age, gender, breeding & number of movements being the most important. If you are buying or selling animals, this information is easily accessed using the Herdwatch app. Before completing any transaction, you should also ask for the passport(s) and check their validity. 

2. The more information, the better

84% of farmers prefer to buy animals from other farms where potential buyers want more data than ever before including vaccines, treatment history, eurostar ratings and quality assurance status. Ask the seller about these and if they are on Herdwatch, ask to check these in their app.

3. Be aware of the number of movements  

Also called “Residency Count”, this is shown on the animal’s profile in Herdwatch (see below) to support your selling and finishing decisions. Quite simply, this can affect your bonus, so don’t get caught out.  

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4. Advertise for FREE   

There are now hundreds of listings on the Covid Cattle Exchange. If you have animals to sell or are looking to buy, just let us know and we will post it on our dedicated web page for FREE. It could not be easier:

Also, don’t wait for buyers to come to you, you can now apply filters on the listings page to find farmers who are looking to buy animals and more. 

5. You can do your movements in Herdwatch in seconds

Once you’ve bought or sold animals, the easiest way to do your movements is through Herdwatch. Even if the buyer is not on Herdwatch, they can set up a free-basic account which allows them to notify movements in on the spot. Click on the following link to see how easy it is: 

Should you need any help with any of the above, please feel free to contact us through the Message Centre in the Herdwatch app or call us on 0505-34400.