A 2021 Successful Farming feature profiled five founders whose companies participated in the Pearse Lyons Cultivator: Matthew Rooda of Swinetech, John Wisbey of Chordata, Conan Condon of InTouch, Bethany Deshpande of SomaDetect, and Ian Wheal of Breedr. Their products targeted different points in livestock production, from piglet care and dairy monitoring to feed management and cattle traceability. The descriptions below reflect what the feature reported at the time; they do not establish which companies or products remain active or available in 2026.
What the five companies were developing
The technologies ranged from barn hardware and biological sensing to farm-management software. The feature did not use a common test method or provide comparable performance results, so these examples are best understood by the farm problem each was intended to address—not as a ranking.
| Company and founder | Farm focus | Technology described in 2021 |
|---|---|---|
| Swinetech — Matthew Rooda | Piglet safety in farrowing barns; worker task management | SmartGuard paired a sow-worn pad with a controller that detected piglet distress squeals and triggered a vibration intended to prompt the sow to shift. PigFlow, then in development, was a mobile task-management system for swine-farm workers. |
| Chordata — John Wisbey | Animal health monitoring, initially planned for dairy | An injected chip was intended to measure species-specific biomarkers and relay data through a wearable device, such as an ear tag, to a cloud platform. Proposed dairy uses included progesterone-based fertility monitoring and alerts related to energy, nutrition, health, and movement. |
| InTouch — Conan Condon | Feed mixing and delivery | A feed-wagon monitor and controller measured ingredients and mixing, shared information with managers and nutritionists, and supported feed management through a mobile app. InTouchGo was described as a future vision for combining controller and production information to automate ration adjustments. |
| SomaDetect — Bethany Deshpande | Dairy milk analysis and cow-level information | A flow-through optical sensor fitted to a milk line used light and a predictive model to assess properties including somatic cell count, fat, protein, and reproductive indicators, with cow-level data supplied through a cloud system. |
| Breedr — Ian Wheal | Cattle records, traceability, and marketing | A mobile app for animal records and traceability could integrate with electronic identification devices such as ear tags. The feature also described predicted future weights and values, buyer-facing animal listings, marketing tools, and Breedr Impact, a financial service intended to release value to producers before cattle sales. |
What each approach was intended to solve
Swinetech: responding to piglet distress
Rooda’s farm experience led him to focus on piglet crushing in farrowing barns. The feature reported that tests of SmartGuard showed it could save more than 30% of pigs that might otherwise be lost to crushing. That is a result reported in the 2021 article, not an independently verified or current performance figure. Rooda identified the device by name: “We call it SmartGuard.”
Chordata: using biomarkers for health alerts
Chordata’s proposed system combined an injected chip, a wearable relay, and cloud analysis. Wisbey said, “It can read health biomarkers in each species.” At the time, the company was working to validate accuracy and reliability and intended to launch first in dairy, followed by a beef version. Those were development plans, not confirmation of a completed launch or demonstrated accuracy.
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InTouch: making feed information usable
InTouch focused on consistency in feed delivery and visibility into mixing. Condon said, “Our system makes it easy to provide feed on a consistent basis.” The article reported that InTouch had been acquired by Alltech. It described InTouchGo’s automated ration-adjustment concept as a future vision; it does not establish that the automation was then available as a product.
SomaDetect: measuring milk as it moves through the line
The company’s reported sensor was designed to analyze milk during flow and provide individual-cow information through a cloud system. Deshpande characterized its method this way: “There are no chemicals involved, just the light. It doesn’t alter the milk.” These are the product capabilities described in the 2021 feature, rather than an independent assessment of accuracy or current operation.
Breedr: connecting records, identification, and sale
Breedr’s software combined animal records and traceability with tools for estimating future weight and value and presenting animals to potential buyers. Wheal described the motivation as a response to practical producer challenges: “I know firsthand the frustrations farmers face of finding the best markets, navigating the regulations, and tracking the background of their animals and the animals they buy.” The feature said Breedr was marketing in Great Britain and Ireland and testing in Australia and the United States at the time; it does not establish present-day availability in those markets.
How the Pearse Lyons Cultivator fit in
The feature said the Pearse Lyons Accelerator had evolved into the Pearse Lyons Cultivator, which was headed at the time by Alltech president and CEO Mark Lyons. It reported that the program began in 2016 and that 23 young companies had participated by December 2021. The Cultivator’s December 8, 2021 repost also described the program’s evolution and repeated the 23-company figure.
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Robert Walker, identified in the feature as the Alltech executive leading the program, said: “The goal of the cultivator is not to make money for Alltech.” He added: “It’s to help our customers find solutions to their problems.” Walker also said in 2021 that Alltech had invested “over $1 million into the program since its launch in 2016,” while emphasizing the time and resources contributed by its people and facilities. That figure is his published 2021 statement, not a current program total.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.What a farm evaluating similar tools should check
The five concepts addressed distinct jobs, so an evaluation should start with the workflow and evidence needed on a particular farm rather than with the technology label. For any present-day product based on these ideas, verify:
- Current status: whether the company and the specific product are operating and available in the farm’s location.
- Evidence for the stated benefit: the test population, comparison method, time period, and conditions behind any performance claim.
- Fit with existing systems: required sensors, tags, controllers, connectivity, data formats, and integrations.
- Operational burden: installation, maintenance, staff workflow, alert handling, and what happens if a device or connection fails.
- Data and decision use: what is measured, how alerts or predictions are generated, and whether a person must review or act on them.
For a general category such as cattle RFID ear tags, confirm the required identification standard and compatibility directly with the software or equipment provider; the 2021 feature did not specify a tag standard or model.
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