Project Spotlight On The Weatherbys Stallion Book Application

A presentation of the Weatherbys Stallion Book Application showcased on multiple devices

THE CHALLENGE

Weatherbys had a joint venture running a Global Stallions Mobile App for Flat Stallions to allow stallion owners to publicise their stallions along with the offspring from these Stallions. This App is a showcase of the lineage of these stallions and the progeny they produce.

Weatherbys wanted to develop a modern mobile first website to house all Flat & National Hunt stallions in one location for Ireland, GB, and France and leverage the Weatherbys held information on these animals.

THE SOLUTION

TEKenable have been working with Weatherbys for the past few years and I would have no hesitation in recommending them. Their professionalism, technological delivery and customer service is exemplary. I look forward to continuing our partnership with TEKenable to complete our current projects and explore new opportunities.

Russell Ferris

Weatherbys CEO

We built a mobile-first modern website (https://www.nhstallions.co.uk) and integrated it with Weatherbys data to provide this stallion list. The system also allows stud farms to provide advertising information as part of the site. The backend was delivered using Power Platform. The project was delivered in just under 3 months.

Weatherbys – Digital Transformation

Weatherbys Ltd is a UK-based company, established in 1770 and responsible for the administration of horse racing in the United Kingdom. It also publishes the General Stud Book, the recognized authority on racehorse pedigree for the UK and Ireland. In Ireland, Weatherbys operates Europe’s premier DNA and genomic testing laboratories, offering a range of tests for multiple animal species. With its Headquarters in Wellingborough, Northamptonshire, Weatherbys employs 450 people in offices in London, Edinburgh, and Ireland. Weatherbys’ group of companies includes a bank, insurance company, commercial asset finance company, and a DNA laboratory.

THE CHALLENGE

The General Stud Book is a breed registry for horses in Great Britain and Ireland, which is published by Weatherbys every four years. Until recently, breeders wishing to register foals with Weatherbys could only file documents in paper format. With over 14,000 foals registered in the UK and Ireland each year, manual registration was a very labor-intensive operation, consuming a lot of time and incurring high costs associated with record-keeping and maintenance. The potential for error in this manual registration process was higher than desired and breeders had to wait for a significant time for foal their registration to be completed. Weatherby’s required a solution that allows members of the public to more easily complete animal registrations via an online portal which is then fully integrated into the backend databases via API’s that hold the core registration data.

THE SOLUTION

Weatherbys approached TEKenable to streamline the registration process for foal breeders. TEKenable working closely with Weatherbys, designed a new digital registration portal to handle details of foal births online. 

This new digital platform allows for owners and keepers to register foals, broodmares and stallions and also update any information regarding change of ownership or transfer of horses. It also helps Weatherbys maintain a record of gelded, retired and dead horses. Moreover, this platform also helps maintain the record of thoroughbred and non-thoroughbred horses. This new platform is present both in website and mobile application form and allows users to register and review records from anywhere with just a simple click. 

THE OUTCOME

This new digital platform helped Weatherbys eliminate 99% of paperwork from the registration process. Now breeders can simply use this website or mobile application at their convenience without needing to visit a Weatherby office. This led to a 90% reduction in the level of paper-based registration applications and provides prompt and accurate information to users. The core administration team no longer have to rekey data into the back office systems because the registration data is validated at point of entry the need for Weatherbys staff to engage in following up applications with issues which consumed huge resource has been removed from the process.

To date the platform has been very well received by those breeders who have made their foal registrations via the new system. It is our objective to incorporate new technology into the General Stud Book, to create user friendly, mobile and efficient systems to meet the demands of the modern breeder.

Brendan O’Brien

Russell Ferris, CEO Weatherbys

Digital transformation made the registration process more efficient and time saving. The solution is now live in the UK and Ireland on desktop and mobile phone, accepts payments on both credit and debit card and is already saving breeders and Weatherbys valuable time.

Russell Ferris, chief executive of Weatherbys Ireland explains: 

To date, the platform has been very well received by those breeders who have made their foal registrations via the new system. It is our objective to incorporate new technology into the General Stud Book, to create user-friendly, mobile, and efficient systems to meet the demands of the modern breeder”. Russell Ferris, CEO Weatherbys

DairyGold Supplier Relationship Platform

Dairygold Limited is an Irish dairy cooperative based in Mitchelstown, County Cork, Ireland. With 2,850 milk suppliers, Dairygold processes an annual volume of approximately 1.4 billion liters of grass-fed pastureland milk, making it Ireland’s largest dairy co-operative and the island’s second largest milk supplier.

With approximately 7,000 shareholders and a net asset value of €338 million, Dairygold reports an annual turnover of around €992 million. Employing more than 1,200 employees, Dairygold produces some of the world’s most advanced and innovative nutritional solutions. Dairygold exports to over 50 countries and has production facilities in Ireland and the UK, as well as sales offices in Germany, Spain, and China.

THE CHALLENGE

Dairygold approached TEKenable with the objective of designing a web-based platform to enable smooth and seamless engagement with their suppliers. At that time, suppliers did not have quick access to the Dairygold business information relevant to them. For instance, they had to keep a manual record of monthly milk sales, did not have quick access to milk sample tests, could not manage their finances with a single click, and had to go through a series of steps to access financial records and statements.

The suppliers’ relationship with Dairygold is one of bi-directional trading in which Dairygold was not only buying milk from farmers but also supplying them with products like feed and fertilizers. Dairygold needed a single marketplace to manage the business with milk suppliers and at the same time supply their own products to them.

Although Dairygold had a platform in place since 1998, it had become outdated creating technical costs and risks, lacked many innovative and unique features, was functionally inefficient, and was incompatible with the overall branding of Dairygold. The platform’s outlook and features completely contradicted Dairygold’s newly revamped website. 

Suppliers also complained about the unfriendly user interface which made it difficult for them to understand and use certain features. Overall, the existing platform was in dire need of improvement. At a time when the market sector is investing heavily in online and mobile services, revamping the old platform was a key priority for Dairygold to enhance relationship management with suppliers.

THE SOLUTION

TEKenable replaced the existing Dairygold Supplier Extranet with a secure, state-of-the-art, high-performing portal connected to underlying ERP and trading platforms. TEKenable has worked with Dairygold previously, to deliver a mobile app ‘MyMilk’ for their suppliers providing access to real-time information about their milk quality, sales, forecasts, payments, and other financials. TEKenable integrated these mobile app features into the web portal as well. This new platform is mobile responsive and can be accessed with ease on mobile devices as well as PCs.

The platform helps suppliers easily access information specific to their business with Dairygold. This includes a monthly record of milk sold to Dairygold, milk volume forecast, milk sample tests, financial statements, and collection details.

It also helps suppliers place orders for the products they bought from Dairygold with a single click, maintain a record of purchase & delivery, gain information on the products like nitrates, view their payment history and balance scorecard at their convenience.

THE OUTCOME

This new dynamic platform provides Dairygold suppliers access to real-time information without any delays. The portal is easy to use, provides detailed reporting regarding every single order and purchase made by suppliers. It also enables Dairygold to forecast product (milk) purchase volumes and plan for future demands in advance, thus adding efficiency to the business.

The platform reduces overhead administrative expenses as many of the earlier manual processes have been automated. Access to timely information enhanced the productivity of Dairygold and improved customer perception and experience.

This robust and easily accessible platform reduced maintenance costs, improved supplier engagement, enabled Dairygold to optimize its processes and maximize its business outcomes.

Get in Touch with TEKenable

Get in Touch with TEKenable