Looking for a few cattle to keep grass grazed and meet ANC regulations, I am in the market for a few Angus and Hereford cattle to kill off grass. This is proving challenging to say the least with the driving force in marts behind buyers sourcing cattle for ABP and Dawn.

Factory agents are busy buying and it’s hard to compete with them.

I am more stunned to learn that some marts are sourcing cattle for factory feedlots direct from farms. It certainly questions the competitive auction ethos of marts and asks the question: which customers are the marts more loyal to?