DEMAND for dairy cows did not match the increased numbers that came on to the market in Victoria last week, with the situation unlikely to improve in the near future.
Total cow numbers rose 24 per cent to 2835, while the number of dairy cows yarded increased 30 per cent, to 1080.
In a similar way to a fortnight ago, National Livestock Reporting Service analyst Henry Holcombe said the hot weather continued to "flush" out cattle.
However, he attributed some of the increase in numbers to the number of cows "ready" for sale that had to go "no matter what the market was doing".
Mr Holcombe said the heat had also kept restockers out of the market.
Due to the increase in numbers, prices fell across the state by 1-5c/kg, however, the quality of the cows being offered prevented values from dropping further.
Cows made up 405 head of the Camperdown yarding last week, where demand suffered as fewer buyers were in attendance.
Plain-conditioned lightweight cows sold from 80-101c/kg, while medium and heavy one-score cows sold from 90-115c/kg.
Prices remained firm at Warrnambool for medium and heavyweight cows, while lightweight prices dropped 2c/kg and ranged from 88-110c/kg.
It was a different story at Colac, where cows averaged 2-3c/kg more than the previous week.
Up to 155 cows were yarded and most of the D2-score dairy cows made between 110-122c/kg to top at 128c/kg.
Quality was "good to very good" at Pakenham, however, demand did not match supply.
Most dairy cows sold from 110-128c/kg.
Cow quality was also high at Bairnsdale, but prices either remained firm or dropped 4c/kg.
Good-quality cows sold from 108-129c/kg.
Prices ranged from unchanged to 3c/kg down, for a good-quality offering of 420 cows at Leongatha.
Demand was also down at Shepparton, where prices dropped 4-7c/kg.
In South Australia, 348 cows were yarded at Mount Gambier and prices remained firm to 1-3c/kg down.
D2 to D4-score dairy cows sold from 112-124c/kg, down 1c/kg.
