DAIRY cows made up half Victoria's cow yarding last week, causing a slight drop in prices.
Up to 5 per cent more cows were yarded in Victoria, for a total of 3475 head, comprising 1571 dairy cows - up 12 per cent on the previous week.
The lift in dairy cow numbers was mostly due to a 56 per cent increase in heavy weight cows, according to the National Livestock Reporting Service's Henry Holcombe.
The number of medium-weight cows dropped, while light-weight cow yardings remained similar to the previous week.
As a result of the larger yarding and the high Australian dollar, prices eased an average 2c/kg.
Medium-weight D1-score cows sold to a top of 137c/kg and averaged 118c/kg, to finish 1c/kg cheaper.
Heavy-weight D1-score cows remained firm, averaging 125c/kg and topping at 140c/kg, while similar-weight D2-score cows eased 1c/kg to a top of 150c/kg and average of 135c/kg.
At the individual markets, the highest dairy cow price for the week was at Leongatha, where the better-quality, mainly heavy weight yarding sold from 128c/kg to 150c/kg, an improvement of 3-5c/kg.
A reduced yarding at Pakenham of just 63 dairy cows resulted in prices increasing 2-5c/kg.
Quality was described as better, with strong competition registered for the "lean" one and two-score heavy weight cows.
Further north at Shepparton, 57 per cent more cows were yarded.
The higher numbers were mostly the result of an increase in the number of heavy weight cows, with 400 yarded, compared to 200 medium weights and 44 light weights.
Mr Holcombe said competition was "erratic" on dairy cows.
Prices were firm to 2c/kg cheaper.
Heavy weights sold from 115c/kg to 146c/kg while D2-score cows averaged 123c/kg and the D3s averaged 136c/kg.
An 8 per cent drop in cows at Warrnambool resulted in the light-weight offering remaining firm, selling to 120c/kg.
Medium-weight one-score cows sold to 127c/kg, while two-score cows topped at 142c/kg.
Dairy cow prices improved 1-6c/kg at Mount Gambier in South Australia.
