Livestock-Live Software has released a second platform which “could open all Irish marts within days”.
The company, which launched Ireland’s first virtual livestock mart, has released a second platform to “fast track the opening of all marts”.
The process and software platform comply with the Government’s National Public Health Emergency Team, Public Health Protocol.
The new platform reorganises the order of process in which animals are normally sold at marts by using technology, according to the company’s CEO, Brendan Hannigan.
Farm management app
Livestock-Live currently offer a free-to-use and free-of-subscription farm management section called ‘Herd Monitor’ as part of their LSL App and website.
The Herd Monitor app is connected to the Department of Agriculture Food and Marine (DAFM), Animal Identification & Movement (AIM) database.
The herd owners can download their entire herd into the app which includes breed, date of birth, last TB test, number of movements etc verified by the DAFM.
The software is also connected to Bord Bia for quality information and Irish Cattle Breed Federation (ICBF). “Basically, all the information needed for sale at a mart.”
How will the new platform work?
The company have installed a feature in the ‘Herd Monitor’ area called ‘My e-Mart’. This new feature allows herd owners to select a mart, set up a lot and choose the animal for sale from their herd.
The owner takes a video of the animal and tag number and uploads it to the app. “Videos must include the animal’s tag number clearly displayed or the lot will be void.”
“The seller will enter an estimated weight of the animal or if the herd owner owns a weighing scales, they can enter the animal’s exact weight.”
When the lot is saved it is sent to the ‘My e-Mart Auction’ feature and the bidding can commence; the auction will last 24 hours.
“If the seller’s local mart is not registered on LSL, they can simply request their mart to contact LSL and we will register them on the LSL mart network within hours.”
Buyers log into the ‘My e-Mart’ auctions and can choose a mart or type or breed of animal they wish to purchase and start bidding.
“The buyer is bidding on a price per kilo [basis], which will be confirmed when the animal is brought to the mart and weighed after sale.”
The buyer sees the same information as the virtual mart auction screen but instead of a live video feed from the mart, they see a video of the animal on-farm.
“All the information normally displayed on the mart board for the lot is displayed.”
Bidding
The company are using their same bidding technology platform, as seen this week in virtual mart sales. The bidding platform is in real-time, according to the firm.
“Once the seller is happy with the level of bidding and price per kilo, the seller clicks the ‘accept bid’ option.”
If the seller has not accepted the offer at the end of the auction, all bids are removed, and the auction starts again for another 24 hours. The mart, selected by the seller, is informed of the sale and the mart arranges for the buyer and seller to attend by appointment.
Once the animal is purchased
“The animal is weighed, and the total lot price is amended based on the exact kilo weight of the animal. The buyer only pays the price for the lot based on the exact kilo weight per the mart’s weighing bridge.”
The mart facilitates the payment transactions and the buyer collects purchasers. “The mart typically charges their normal commission to buyer and seller for their service.”
The new platform, Hannigan concluded, does not require the mart to install any equipment and, therefore, marts that signup to the LSL ‘My e-Mart’ to facilitate their buyers and sellers, can be up-and-running within 24 hours.
Information
The system is available on LSL app and website.
