Deflated dairy markets and the late spring have combined to hit dairy sales, with demand for calved heifers and young cows described as steady rather than sharp.
Mart managers report plenty of buyers for dairy replacement animals, but there is an absence of fire in the sales.
Strong cull cow prices are the one positive in the trade, with farmers willing to spend on replacements as they are being well rewarded for those animals exiting the herd.
Denis Kirby of Kilmallock Mart said there was good demand for calved heifers at a special sale this week. The top price paid was €2,120/hd, with the general run of prices being in the €1,900-2,100/hd bracket.
A recent dairy sale at Enniscorthy Mart saw an average price of €2,500/hd for first-, second- and third-calvers.
While mart manager Kevin Murphy said the trade “was definitely not as strong as last year”, he pointed out that there was still plenty of buyers for stock.
Murphy maintained that the strong prices being paid for cull cows was keeping a “high floor” under the value of replacements.
Seán Leahy of Corrin Mart in Fermoy, Co Cork admitted that the dairy trade was “a slight bit more difficult” in recent weeks.
He said a recent clearance sale of 50 cows saw prices range from €2,000/hd for the older animals to a top of €3,600/hd.
Leahy maintained that prices for in-calf heifers were particularly struggling.
“Farmers want calved heifers,” he said.
Prices ranged from €1,500/hd to €2,300/hd.
Maiden heifers are scarce on the ground, Leahy maintained.
Around €1,000/hd is being paid for lighter types, with good heavy heifers with strong EBIs making €1,500 and over.
A recent sale of calved heifers from commercial herds at Kanturk Mart saw 20 heifers from the one herd average €2,640/hd. A further 18 from another herd averaged €2,850/hd, while another 12 from a third herd averaged €2,210/hd.
Deflated dairy markets and the late spring have combined to hit dairy sales, with demand for calved heifers and young cows described as steady rather than sharp.
Mart managers report plenty of buyers for dairy replacement animals, but there is an absence of fire in the sales.
Strong cull cow prices are the one positive in the trade, with farmers willing to spend on replacements as they are being well rewarded for those animals exiting the herd.
Denis Kirby of Kilmallock Mart said there was good demand for calved heifers at a special sale this week. The top price paid was €2,120/hd, with the general run of prices being in the €1,900-2,100/hd bracket.
A recent dairy sale at Enniscorthy Mart saw an average price of €2,500/hd for first-, second- and third-calvers.
While mart manager Kevin Murphy said the trade “was definitely not as strong as last year”, he pointed out that there was still plenty of buyers for stock.
Murphy maintained that the strong prices being paid for cull cows was keeping a “high floor” under the value of replacements.
Seán Leahy of Corrin Mart in Fermoy, Co Cork admitted that the dairy trade was “a slight bit more difficult” in recent weeks.
He said a recent clearance sale of 50 cows saw prices range from €2,000/hd for the older animals to a top of €3,600/hd.
Leahy maintained that prices for in-calf heifers were particularly struggling.
“Farmers want calved heifers,” he said.
Prices ranged from €1,500/hd to €2,300/hd.
Maiden heifers are scarce on the ground, Leahy maintained.
Around €1,000/hd is being paid for lighter types, with good heavy heifers with strong EBIs making €1,500 and over.
A recent sale of calved heifers from commercial herds at Kanturk Mart saw 20 heifers from the one herd average €2,640/hd. A further 18 from another herd averaged €2,850/hd, while another 12 from a third herd averaged €2,210/hd.
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