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Agriculture · head to head

DairyComp vs Valley Irrigation

DairyComp logo

DairyComp

Agriculture

Command-line dairy herd management software used by large North American dairies

From
On request
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Valley Irrigation logo

Valley Irrigation

Agriculture

Smart irrigation management systems

From
$29/month
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Each has a real cost: DairyComp the command language interface takes weeks to learn and effectively ties the dairy to whichever staff member knows it, so losing a herd manager can strand the herd record until someone else is trained.; Valley Irrigation the technology products are tied to Valley irrigation hardware such as center pivots and ICON control panels rather than sold as standalone software
  • They diverge on capability: DairyComp covers Command language reporting, Valley Irrigation covers Remote monitoring.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 1 September 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which DairyComp and Valley Irrigation actually diverge.

Attributes where DairyComp and Valley Irrigation differ
AttributeDairyCompValley Irrigation
Starting priceOn request$29/month
Pricing modelquotesubscription
PlatformsWindowsWeb, Ios, Android, Hardware
FoundedUnknown1946

Identical on both: free tier (No), user rating (Not yet rated), category (Agriculture).

What each one covers

Drawn from each product's published feature list. An absence here means we hold no record of it - not that the product lacks it.

Only in DairyComp

  • Command language reporting
  • Complete lactation records
  • Parlour and meter integration
  • Reproduction management
  • Health event tracking
  • Genetic evaluation import
  • Benchmarking exports

Only in Valley Irrigation

  • Remote monitoring
  • Variable rate irrigation
  • GPS guidance
  • Water management
  • Pump control
  • Climate FieldView
  • John Deere
  • Soil sensors

What people use each for

The jobs each tool is most often brought in to do.

DairyComp

  • A 3,000 cow freestall dairy whose herd manager needs to build an arbitrary cull or breeding cohort in secondsnot Valley Irrigation
  • A dairy consultant working across a dozen client herds who needs identical reporting on all of themnot Valley Irrigation
  • A dairy integrating parlour milk weights and conductivity into the animal record for early mastitis detectionnot Valley Irrigation
  • A veterinary practice running repro audits and protocol compliance checks across a client basenot Valley Irrigation

Valley Irrigation

  • Remotely monitoring and controlling center pivot irrigation machinesnot DairyComp
  • Variable rate irrigation applying different water depths across a fieldnot DairyComp
  • Diagnosing pivot faults and pump status without driving to the fieldnot DairyComp

Where each one falls short

Documented limitations, not opinions. Every one is a constraint you would hit in normal use.

DairyComp

  • The command language interface takes weeks to learn and effectively ties the dairy to whichever staff member knows it, so losing a herd manager can strand the herd record until someone else is trained.
  • It is a Windows desktop application at heart rather than a cloud service, so multi-site access, remote working and mobile data entry are bolt-ons rather than native, and back-ups are the dairy's own problem.
  • Zoetis ownership puts a pharmaceutical company in control of every treatment record on the farm and biases the integration roadmap towards Zoetis sensors and services rather than the best available.
  • No pricing is published anywhere, so herd-size-based quotes vary by dealer and there is no way to benchmark what you are being charged without asking neighbouring dairies.
  • It assumes North American dairy conventions, so European dairies dealing with different milk recording bodies, national herd databases and statutory reporting formats find the fit poor and often need local software alongside.

Valley Irrigation

  • The technology products are tied to Valley irrigation hardware such as center pivots and ICON control panels rather than sold as standalone software
  • No price is published for any product; the site routes buyers to a Get a Quote form and to local dealers

Pricing, plan by plan

DairyComp

On request
  • DairyComp$undefined/year
    • Licensed per dairy, priced on herd size
    • Support and update contract quoted separately
    • Parlour and meter interface modules quoted per system

Valley Irrigation

$29/month
  • BaseStation3$1200/year
    • Remote monitoring
    • Basic control
    • Alerts
  • AgSense$2000/year
    • Full VRI
    • Advanced analytics
    • API

Which should you pick?

Choose DairyComp if

  • You need command language reporting.
  • You work on Windows.
  • You also want complete lactation records.
DairyComp review

Choose Valley Irrigation if

  • You need remote monitoring.
  • You work on Web, Ios, Android, Hardware.
  • You also want variable rate irrigation.
Valley Irrigation review

Questions people ask

Is DairyComp or Valley Irrigation better?
Neither clearly leads. DairyComp starts at On request and Valley Irrigation at $29/month, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, DairyComp or Valley Irrigation?
DairyComp starts at On request and Valley Irrigation at $29/month.
Does DairyComp or Valley Irrigation run on more platforms?
DairyComp runs on Windows. Valley Irrigation runs on Web, Ios, Android, Hardware.
What is DairyComp best used for?
DairyComp is most often used for a 3,000 cow freestall dairy whose herd manager needs to build an arbitrary cull or breeding cohort in seconds, a dairy consultant working across a dozen client herds who needs identical reporting on all of them, a dairy integrating parlour milk weights and conductivity into the animal record for early mastitis detection, a veterinary practice running repro audits and protocol compliance checks across a client base. Of those, a 3,000 cow freestall dairy whose herd manager needs to build an arbitrary cull or breeding cohort in seconds and a dairy consultant working across a dozen client herds who needs identical reporting on all of them are not what Valley Irrigation is typically brought in for.
What can DairyComp do that Valley Irrigation cannot?
DairyComp covers Command language reporting, Complete lactation records, Parlour and meter integration, Reproduction management. Valley Irrigation covers Remote monitoring, Variable rate irrigation, GPS guidance, Water management.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

DairyComp: Who owns DairyComp now?

Zoetis, through its acquisition of Valley Agricultural Software. It sits in the same portfolio as the Smartbow cow monitoring system.

Valley Irrigation: Does Valley Irrigation publish pricing on their website?

No, Valley Irrigation does not display pricing publicly. The company directs customers to work with local dealers who 'can give you the best advice on which irrigation equipment and options are right for you.'

Source
DairyComp: Is it hard to learn?

Yes, genuinely. It is driven by a typed command language rather than menus, and most new users need weeks of practice before they are productive.

Valley Irrigation: How do I get a quote for Valley Irrigation equipment?

You can request a quote directly through their 'Get a Quote' link on their website, find a local dealer using their dealer locator, or contact them at (402) 359-2201 or [email protected].

Source
DairyComp: Does it run in the cloud?

It is fundamentally a Windows application. Hosted and multi-site arrangements exist but the software is not a browser-native cloud product.

Valley Irrigation: Does Valley Irrigation sell directly to customers or only through dealers?

Valley Irrigation emphasizes working with local dealers rather than direct sales. Their website states that customers should connect with regional representatives for equipment recommendations and pricing discussions.

Source
DairyComp: What does it cost?

Nothing is published. Pricing is quoted per dairy based on herd size, plus separate charges for support and for each parlour or meter interface.

Valley Irrigation: What support channels are available for existing customers?

Existing customers can reach AgSense technical support at 1-888-223-0595 for assistance with irrigation systems and equipment.

Source
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