By ICBF
Report updated May 13, 2026
ICBF HerdPlus
For dairy farmers and agricultural professionals requiring mobile access to herd health records and breeding database services.
ICBF HerdPlus is an established business app that is completely free.
What is ICBF HerdPlus?
ICBF HerdPlus is a mobile herd management tool for dairy farmers to record health and breeding events directly into the national cattle database.
Farmers hire this app to ensure accurate genetic and health record-keeping, which is required for profitable and sustainable herd management decisions.
Current Momentum
v1.26 · 2mo ago
Maintenance- Last major release Feb 2026.
- Ships stability-focused updates.
Active Nemesis
Herdwatch Livestock Management
By Herdwatch
Other Rivals
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Gathering signals...
What makes this app unique?
What Does It Look Like?
How Is The App's Momentum Right Now?
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What Are The Key Features?
Log animal health events directly into the database via mobile interface
Filter herd data to identify cows with high Somatic Cell Count issues for targeted antibiotic treatment
Automatic upload of recorded events to the central ICBF cattle breeding database
How much does it cost?
- Free to all users
The app is provided as a free utility to support the ICBF cattle breeding database and promote genetic gain across the agri-food industry.
Who Built It?
Enrichment in progress
Publisher profile available very soon
What other apps does ICBF make?
What do users think recently?
Analysis in progress, available soon
What is the competitive landscape for ICBF HerdPlus?
How's The Business Market?
How does it evolve in the Business market?
ICBF HerdPlus occupies the niche of national database-linked herd management. It lacks the commercial scale of map-centric competitors like AgriWebb, which limits its growth in the broader farm-management market.
| Country | Category | Chart | Rank | Change |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 🇮🇪 Ireland | Business | AndroidFree | #164 | NEW |
The rivals identified
The Nemesis
Head to Head
ICBF must prioritize mobile UX modernization and offline capabilities to prevent churn to Herdwatch's more agile, field-ready platform.
What sets ICBF HerdPlus apart
Deep integration with the national ICBF cattle breeding database provides unmatched genetic insights for herd improvement.
Stronger alignment with national agricultural policy and sustainability reporting requirements for Irish farmers.
What's Herdwatch Livestock Management's Edge
Superior mobile-first user experience designed for high-frequency field use compared to the ICBF legacy interface.
Aggressive feature deployment cadence keeps the product ahead in general farm management and compliance tools.
Contenders
Native Agate-Login integration provides secure, localized access to Swiss national agricultural databases for streamlined regulatory reporting.
Specialized Brunstkalender (heat calendar) features cater specifically to the breeding management needs of European dairy farmers.
Dedicated NZFAP and NZFAP Plus dashboards automate complex compliance reporting, saving farmers significant administrative time annually.
Extensive third-party hardware integration ecosystem allows for broader connectivity with scales, sensors, and automated drafting equipment.
Geolocated task management provides a unique way to assign and track work based on specific farm locations.
Mobble Connect feature enables seamless data sharing between farmers and their advisors, simplifying external consultation workflows.
Interactive farm mapping allows for precise paddock-level management and grazing rotation planning not found in ICBF.
Unlimited user access model facilitates better team collaboration for larger farming enterprises with multiple staff members.
Peers
Advanced field health analysis tools provide visual indicators of crop or pasture performance using satellite imagery.
Direct John Deere integration allows for seamless data transfer from machinery, enhancing the accuracy of farm records.
Satellite vegetation monitoring provides advanced crop health insights that could be adapted for pasture management analysis.
GPS machinery integration allows for automated tracking of field operations, providing a level of precision currently missing.
Collaborative workflow tools enable real-time communication between agronomists, farm managers, and owners on a single platform.
Standardized reporting templates ensure consistent data output for compliance and performance analysis across various farm operations.
Integrated farm accounting tools allow users to manage financial records alongside livestock data in one application.
Multi-species management capabilities support diversified farms that raise more than just cattle, unlike ICBF's specialized focus.
New Kids on the Block
PDF timesheet export functionality simplifies payroll processing for farm owners managing seasonal or full-time labor staff.
The outtake for ICBF HerdPlus
Strengths to defend, gaps to attack
Core Strengths
- National cattle breeding database integration provides unmatched genetic insights
- Free utility model removes cost barriers for national farmer adoption
Critical Frictions
- No offline mode prevents data entry in remote rural areas
- Legacy mobile interface lacks map-based herd oversight
Growth Levers
- Wearable sensor integration could automate health event logging
- Satellite pasture monitoring would bridge the gap to map-centric competitors
Market Threats
- Herdwatch's aggressive EID reader integration cadence drains manual-entry users
- Compliance reporting automation in rival apps reduces the value of ICBF's manual recording
What are the next best moves?
Ship offline data entry mode because lack of connectivity is the primary churn driver to Herdwatch → retain rural users
Competitor analysis identifies offline mode as a key differentiator for Herdwatch.
Trade-off: Push the UI redesign sprint to Q4 — offline stability is a higher retention priority.
Integrate EID reader support because manual entry is the top friction point against Herdwatch → reduce data entry errors
Competitor analysis highlights EID reader integration as a major efficiency gain for rivals.
Trade-off: Deprioritize the new reporting dashboard — EID integration has a more direct impact on daily usage.
A counter-intuitive read
The app's lack of commercial features is actually a defensive asset, as it keeps the focus on national database integrity rather than diluting the product with generic farm-accounting tools.
Feature Gaps vs Competitors
- Offline mode (available in Herdwatch but missing here)
- EID reader integration (available in Herdwatch but missing here)
- Interactive farm mapping (available in AgriWebb but missing here)
Key Takeaways
ICBF HerdPlus maintains a strong position through its exclusive national database access, but the lack of offline capabilities and map-based management leaves it vulnerable to agile, field-ready competitors, so the PM should prioritize offline-first data entry to defend the user base.
Where Is It Heading?
Mixed Signals
The farm management market is consolidating around platforms that offer both compliance reporting and field-ready hardware integration. ICBF HerdPlus is currently exposed because its reliance on manual data entry and online-only access creates a friction gap that competitors are actively exploiting to capture the daily-use habit.
Lack of offline functionality forces users toward competitors like Herdwatch, which accelerates churn in rural areas with poor cellular coverage.
Recent updates focus on stability and database sync, indicating the team is prioritizing core reliability over aggressive feature expansion.