Founded by North Wales farmer Sam Pearson to ease the time pressure of training on busy dairy units, the Tirlun.ai app is being rolled out to support training and delegation across farm businesses.
Based in Abergele, North Wales, Sam is part of a farming partnership that runs two significant dairy enterprises, each milking around 500 cows. Calving is split between spring and summer, and an average output of 5,000 litres/cow/year, with most of the feed coming from grass.
The added complexity of a split calving system, combined with the additional income streams of a bed and breakfast for local cattle, meant that Sam’s time was spent repeating instructions. “We don’t have a high staff turnover, but you can lose hours covering the same systems,” he explains.
“Knowledge also walks off the farm when people move on. I searched and couldn’t find any agricultural training apps that were quick and easy to use, and I wanted a way to keep that learning on farm.”
He joined up with agritech developer Johnson Badda. Based in the UK, Johnson comes from a Nigerian farming background and very quickly got on board with the idea.
“We started with the idea of building something specific to this business, but quickly realised that this was a niche in the market that other farms could benefit from,” Sam says.
The software is designed for mobiles, first and foremost, specifically developed to standardise training practices. Short clips explaining the task are uploaded, with artificial intelligence running in the background to generate a written Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) for each clip. This allows staff to follow the preferred way of working.
“Users can film a task, upload it and assign it to a category. Most jobs only take minutes to record, which cuts repeat briefings,” he says.
Building a database
After the initial idea, Sam and Johnson secured Innovate UK funding to continue development towards commercialisation. Each farm has its own library of videos that show how to complete tasks safely and in the way that the business prefers.
“We’re all working towards the same goals, but each farm has its own way,” Sam says. “This is why we didn’t go with a single, central database of best practice. We also plan to add accredited content later with industry-recognised teaching institutions”
Short-term staff and students are expected to benefit the most. New starters can be invited before their first day and sent the correct modules in advance. Farms hiring seasonal labour from overseas will be able to share training in workers’ languages once translation is added.
Adding functionality
The app is live in open testing with early users, and development continues. Planned improvements include recruitment tools, task preview videos for applicants and short quizzes as part of applications.
“It takes less time to refine skills if people have the basics. It also reduces the dependency on experienced staff, who can carry on with their work.”
Sam hopes that the wider industry will get involved with Tirlun.ai as well, including processing and distribution. “There are plans for a library of accredited videos, which can be uploaded by consultants, vets, machinery dealers, or anyone who can provide objective advice on how to perform certain tasks. This would provide options for those users who aren’t comfortable being on camera, as well as building a culture of safe, efficient work within the industry.”
The Tirlun app is in open beta and currently free to use. Farmers are invited to try the core training tools, and share feedback with the company.
An annual per-farm pricing structure will be introduced shortly, with users informed in advance so that they can choose the options that fit their business. Go to www.tirlun.ai for more information.
