This weeks dairy trade has continued to hold strong, with one mart in Co. Tipperary averaging over €3,000/head at a recent clearance sale.

There was a number of dairy sales around the country, with fair prices being given all around.

Mart mangers have said that there is plenty of demand for good quality milking cows.

Tipperary Town Mart

Tipperary Town Mart held a dairy clearance sale during the week, with more than 50 head of stock on offer.

In 2025, the herd averaged 534kg milk solid (MS) at 4.34% fat and 3.7% protein.

It was noted on the day that the entire herd had been milk recorded the previous week, with the data showing yields ranging from 5.9-8.1 gallons.

It was also highlighted how the milk recording showed a low somatic cell count average of just 77.

There was a top price of €3,600 made on the day, however that price was paid four times.

The first time it was hit was for a January-2023-born heifer with an Economic Breeding Index (EBI) of €133, she had a €52 milk sub-index and a €18 fertility sub-index.

A January-2021-born cow then made the same value in the ring, she had a €95 EBI with a milk sub-index of €12 and a fertility sub-index of €41.

€3,600 was quickly achieved once again when another January-2021-born cow entered the ring, she had a €71 EBI, with a €33 milk sub-index and a €-16 fertility sub-index.

The final time the figure of €3,600 was dished out was for a January-2022-born cow who boasted a €90 EBI with a €10 milk sub-index and a €32 fertility sub-index.

Overall, the whole herd of cows sold to an average price of €3,066 on the day. However, it was noted three of the cows in the sale only had three teats.

32 cows surpassed the €3,000 mark, while a low of €1,850 was also paid out.

Mart manager, Mark Donovan said: "This was an exceptional bawn of well-presented commercial cows which were a credit to their owner.

"There was a lot of disappointed buyers going home empty-handed, which goes to show there are plenty of customers for genuine cows from a clearance sale."

Carnew Mart

Meanwhile, Carnew Mart in Co. Wicklow held annual production sales for local farmers during the week.

The first group up for sale had an average EBI of €141, with a milk sub-index of €44 and a fertility sub-index of €53.

The herd is averaging 6,879L at 4.41% fat and 3.68% protein.

On the day, that first group of calved cows averaged €2,529/head with a top price of €3,300.

The seller is however kindly donating the proceeds from that top seller to cancer research in memory of the late Bob Staples.

The second group averaged €183 in terms of EBI, with a €42 milk sub-index and a €82 fertility sub-index.

Over the last four years, the herd has being averaging 6,542L of milk at 557kg milk solids (MS), broken into 4.52% fat and 3.77% protein.

That group averaged €2,522/head with a top price of €3,200 for a January-2023-born heifer weighing in at 527kg and boasting a €152 EBI.

The heifer is producing 439kg/MS at 4.47% fat and 3.96% protein.

The final group on the day was a fine shot of early 2025 born heifers who had an average EBI of €180 with a milk sub-index of €49 and a fertility sub-index of €78.

They averaged €1,150/head with a top price of €1,520 given for a March-2025-born heifer weighing in at 354kg and boasting an EBI of €167.