Agriculture Information : iCow Mobile App for Animal Husbandry by Green Dreams Ltd

iCow was developed by Su Kahumbu of Green Dreams Limited. iCow, a mobile app that sends text messages to African farmers on animal husbandry and best practices. Number of farmers throughout Kenya are now receiving text messages each week with guidance to help them breed, feed, and care for their cows and maximize their health and value.

Farmers who register a cow on iCow are kept abreast of the cow’s estrus cycle, and when to breed the cow and test her for pregnancy. Subscribers also receive regular updates about care during gestation, birthing tips, and information on nutrition. These alerts remove much of the guesswork on breeding, saving farmers time and money and resulting in more efficient breeding and healthier and more valuable animals.

iCow also conveys veterinary and market information, helping farmers and related services and buyers in Kenya work together, and sends alerts when diseases such as hoof-and-mouth disease break out in the country.

Initially in Kenya, iCow assists small-scale dairy farmers and provides agricultural information through the use of SMS phone applications. It offers three distinct products: Kalenda Cow Calendars, Veternari, and Mashauri. Farmers can register their lactating cows and receive alerts on important dates when farmers should be aware of providing particular care and treatments for their impregnated cows.

There is also a calendar subscription for receiving alerts that contain content for treatment of calves once they are born, following the same principles of the Kalenda Calendar. iCow is currently available in English and Kiswahili

Source: http://www.greendreams.co.ke/