Agtech software company, Herdwatch, has announced the acquisition of ComTag in Ireland and Lilac Technology, renowned for their TB Master software in the UK, in a deal believed to be worth seven figures.
Herdwatch expects the acquisition to accelerate its plans to provide software solutions in the veterinary space, adding to its existing portfolio of veterinary practice management software from another recent acquisition.
The company has said that this latest acquisition will see over 1,000 Irish and British veterinary professionals join the Herdwatch platform.
Herdwatch acquisitions
Founded over 25 years ago by Jim McGreevy, ComTag supplies tuberculosis (TB) and blood testing software solutions for veterinary practices across the island of Ireland.
Lilac Technology was founded in the UK over 20 years ago by Andrew Cobner and Ian Lorraine, offering its own TB and blood testing software, TB Master, to customers in England and Wales.
They have attracted a client base of over 1,000 veterinary professionals and Herdwatch said that they are known for their focus on speed and reliability, with their easy-to-use software running on military-grade rugged devices.
These devices are built to cope with the harsh environment that is the farmyard. ComTag and Lilac became part of the Highfield Veterinary Group in 2019.
Herdwatch was co-founded by Fabien Peyaud and FRS Network (Farm Relief Services) in 2012 and provide software solutions to over 20,000 farms, including dairy, beef and suckler farmers as well as sheep and goat farmers.
The company recently released a pasture and field management solution, Grass & Crops by Herdwatch.
The platform is now available in over 170 countries worldwide, with a specific emphasis on North America, where the establishment of a dedicated team has led to significant traction and promising growth, according to the company.
With this latest acquisition, Tipperary-based Herdwatch continues its rapid expansion less than a year after the company completed its acquisition of Farmplan’s livestock software customers in the UK and eight months after acquiring well-known Irish farm software company Kingswood Computing.
The company has said that it is planning further expansion in the coming months and is developing a specific research and development (R&D) roadmap and team for new products that will enhance the vet-farmer relationship and make it easier for them to collaborate in the digital world.
This will include the ability for vets to create and manage digital prescriptions and the ability for farmers to request prescriptions and advice from their vet directly on the Herdwatch platform.
The deal will see ComTag and Lilac employees join Herdwatch’s team of more than 80 people.
Andrew Cobner, founder and manager of Lilac Technology said: “Having been a practicing vet myself for over 30 years, I know first-hand how tough, but also how important, a job it is.
“With TB Master, we helped make vets’ lives easier for over 20 years, and I am very confident the Herdwatch team will take it to the next level.”
Fabien Peyaud, CEO and co-founder of Herdwatch said: “ComTag and Lilac were pioneers in the agtech field, and the leadership of their respective founders resulted in some of the earliest tech solutions for vets.
“The vet/farmer relationship is one of the most critical in food production, so it makes sense for Herdwatch to join the dots and be the first software platform in the world to bring farmers and vets together in the same digital ecosystem.
“This will also help us in other areas such as environmental, social and governance (ESG) and carbon footprint management.”
