An expected surge in cull cow numbers in the marts has not materialised, with sales in the south holding close to last year’s levels.

Seán Leahy of Corrin Mart in Fermoy said cow numbers were back this week, and tighter supplies were also reported at the other Cork Mart centres at Bandon and Dungarvan.

Denis Kirby of Kilmallock Mart in Limerick echoed Leahy’s comments, with cow numbers holding at similar levels to the same week last year.

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Kevin Murphy of Enniscorthy Mart said cow numbers to-date have been “close to normal”.

“I don’t see the dairy lads panicking and offloading big numbers. A lot of lads tidied up their herds over the last couple of years,” Murphy maintained.

Where numbers have been cut on dairy farms, it has been the dry cattle that have been moved early. Forward stores that are usually sold in October-November were offloaded in June or July this year, he explained. Staying in the southeast, Jim Bushe said cow numbers at New Ross Mart have been on a par with 2025 levels over the last month, but he predicted a jump in the coming weeks as more farmers get scanning results.

“I think you’ll see a lot of lads moving cows in the coming weeks once they see where they stand after scanning,” Bushe said.

“There are a lot of cows being fed by day and night,” he added.

Meanwhile, cow numbers going directly to the factories are up compared to last year, but not massively.

There was a 30% increase in the cow kill last week compared to the corresponding week in 2025, with the number jumping from 5,199 head to 6,792 head.

The number of dairy cows killed in July this year was up around 10% on the three-year average for 2023 to 2025. A total of 25,461 dairy cows were slaughtered in July this year, compared to the three-year average of 22,961 head – a difference of 2,500.