Dowra Mart held its weekly cattle sale last Saturday, with a big entry of dry cows along with a special sale of store bullocks.
The cattle trade has eased back a little in recent weeks, with plainer cattle in particular meeting reduced demand.
Cattle numbers have also slipped back considerably over the last week, with a big drop in numbers, especially across some of the marts in the south.
Dairy-bred stock have taken the biggest hit, with some dipping under €2/kg and less over the last week.
Housing has taken place in the west and northwest and this will likely impact marts a little in terms of numbers in the next few weeks.
Once housed, it generally takes animals a week or two to start thriving again.
'Heavy cows a super trade'
Speaking to Dowra Mart manager Terry McGovern on Saturday’s sale, he said: “We have probably seen the best of the dry cows come out over the last two months. Some of the cows we are seeing now are a little lighter and not weighing that well.
"Heavy cows are still a super trade, with over €2/kg being paid for that top-quality heavy suckler. The trade to the North for these cows was very strong, but we have seen that eased off a little in recent weeks and that has probably taken a bit of a sting out of the tail.”
Factory price for cows in the south has held pretty steady in the last week, with P grade cows being the exception and meeting reduced demand in a lot of locations.
The dry cow trade remained firm in Dowra on Saturday. Good-quality cows hit €2/kg and over it, with lesser, lighter cows back at €1.70/kg to €1.80/kg.
Very bare older-type cows could be bought back at €1.50/kg to €1.60/kg.
The special show of bullocks brought in a few choice lots, with feeders still hungry for good-quality stores.
A few very heavy bullocks in the 700kg to 800kg bracket hit as high as €2,000/head.
Bull weanlings were back on the previous week, but, again, quality is coming into question with some of the later-born weanlings.
Bull calves in the 300kg to 400kg bracket were hitting €2.50/kg to €2.80/kg, with a few exceptional lots making more.
Heifer weanlings held firm, with lots of farmer buyer activity and were a little better trade than the bulls, with 300kg to 400kg heifer calves coming in at €2.60/kg to €2.90/kg.
Dowra Mart will hold a special sale of 100 sucklers and in-calf heifers on Wednesday 3 November at 7pm.
