GOOD-quality dairy cows sold at firm or slightly dearer rates at Victorian saleyards last week.
National Livestock Reporting Service analyst Tom Mannix said most grades and weights held their value or improved, with the exception of medium-weight D2 and E1-score cows and poorer-conditioned heavyweights, which were 1-2c/kg cheaper.
Up to 1107 dairy cows were offered during four days of selling last week, less than half of the total state cow yarding of 2532 head.
Dairy cattle made up most of the 477-cow yarding at Camperdown, where lightweight cows commanded 93-101c/kg, depending on quality.
Medium-weight cows averaged about 108c/kg, while most heavyweights returned 115-127c/kg, to a top of 135c/kg.
Dairy cows accounted for 209 of the 627-cow offering at Warrnambool. Medium D1-score cows commanded 110-127c/kg and averaged 114c/kg.
Heavyweight D1-score cows averaged 117c/kg, while heavy D2-score cows were 5c/kg dearer and sold from 120-145c/kg, to average 131c/kg.
Prices remained unchanged at Mt Gambier, in South Australia. Up to 93 dairy cows sold, from 114-140c/kg.
In Gippsland, medium-weight cows at Bairnsdale dropped in value by 8c/kg and sold from 105-113c/kg.
Prices remained firm to 3c/kg cheaper at Leongatha.
Heavyweight cows sold from 112-145c/kg, to be 3-10c/kg dearer at Shepparton last week.
Heavy D1-score cows averaged 122c/kg, while D2 and D3 heavyweight cows averaged 135c/kg.
Heavyweights dominated the 54-cow dairy yarding at Wodonga, averaging 131c/kg, up 6c/kg from the previous week.
