New app functions like Tinder for cows
Tudder is a new app released in the UK that allows producers to “swipe right” on bulls and heifers for sale, just like on Tinder, the popular dating app for singles.
February 18, 2019
Yesterday, we launched a new photo contest with Boehringer Ingelheim titled, “Next Generation Females.” We are seeking images of the best heifers and cows you have on the ranch. Already, we have received some outstanding entries!
You can view the collection of images, which will be updated daily, by clicking here.
For complete contest details, click here.
When it comes to building your cowherd to include females that are high performing, maternal, docile and excellent milkers, there are many avenues to explore. From artificial insemination and embryo transfer to developing ranch-raised replacement heifers or purchasing bred females, there are many paths to developing a herd that meets and exceeds your production goals.
However, there’s a new avenue to identifying top producing females that may soon be coming to the United States.
It’s called Tudder, and it’s an app that may change the way we source cattle genetics in the future.
Developed and launched in the UK for dairy and beef cattle, Tudder is just like the human dating app, Tinder. Tudder allows producers to “swipe right” on bulls or heifers for sale, just like you swipe right or left to view photos on your phone.
Released in 2014, Tudder is used by one-third of all UK farmers, who list their available livestock for others to consider.
According to Smithsonian magazine, “This isn’t exactly the first time humans applied dating apps to the animal kingdom: Zoos began converting their studbooks to a digital platform in 2018, a female orangutan swiped right her mate on a tablet at a Dutch zoo in 2017 and a wildlife refuge partnered with actual Tinder to raise money to breed the last male white rhino. But, as far as the makers know, this is the first app ever developed to match livestock, Reuters reports.
“With its ‘swipe left, swipe right’ system, the app functions almost identically to Tinder; even its logo — a cleanly-stylized pink cow udder on a black background — is reminiscent of Tinder’s iconic flame emblem. Users can choose whether they’re searching for male or female cows, then swipe through profiles that have a picture of each cow along with their breed, age, location and owner name.”
“Once users get a match, they have the option to check out a cow’s full profile where they can view more pictures along with details about health, price and availability. Tudder gets specific with the data, going so far as to provide information about milk yield, protein content and calving potential, ensuring users have all the information they need before setting up the big date.”
While it may sound cheesy, I envision this app might function similarly to the many available online sites that producers can use for listing cattle such as Craigslist, Facebook and Steer Planet, just to name a few.
However, this one is certainly unique in its replication of the popular dating app, Tinder, and I could see it being popular here in the United States.
The industry is in a constant state of motion, ever changing and evolving to meet the needs of producers and consumers. An app like this would have been hard to imagine or envision 20 years ago, and yet here we are. What will producers think of next?
By the way, which apps do you use in your business? Perhaps it’s time for another blog post sharing the best apps for beef producers. Email me at [email protected] with your favorites. Thanks!
The opinions of Amanda Radke are not necessarily those of beefmagazine.com or Farm Progress.
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