Agriland caught up with Sean Leahy, manager of Corrin Mart, in Fermoy, Co. Cork to see how the dairy trade is holding up.

On the day, Corrin Mart was holding a 100-head dairy sale, 64 of which were part of a local clearance sale.

The top price fetched on the day was an astonishing €3,600 for a four-year-old cow with an Economic Breeding Index (EBI) of €167 weighing in at 645kg, showing that the dairy trade is well and truly alive in Co. Cork.

Prices were averaging just over €2,600 on the day, with plenty of animals going under the hammer for north of €3,000.

Leahy said calved cows are still selling at higher prices than those in calf, stating that people whan an animal ready for the parlour.

He also noted how domestic trade is 'driving' dairy prices, as well as TB, with many people ringing the mart in advance to see if animals have their 30-day test.

Leahy said they were sceptical at the beginning of the year with the way milk prices were looking, but as dairy stock has become so scare, prices have held, with the mart manager stating he would not be surprised if they even strengthen.

Some more of the top prices from the sale are as follows;

€3,540 for three-year-old cow with an EBI of €204 weighing in at 585kg;
€3,500 for a three-year-old cow with an EBI of €134 weighing in at 655kg;
€3,480 for a three-year-old cow with an EBI of €220 weighing in at 525kg.

Calf trade

Leahy said the current calf trade is 'extraordinary', saying the money calves are selling for is on a 'different level'.

Leahy highlighted how good beef calves are making up to €1,000, while Friesian bull calves are easily making €200-€400.

The manager noted how the average price of calves in the mart this time last year was €166, while this week it was sitting at €440.

The mart also held a calf sale during the week, with some of the top prices including;

€450/head for two three-week-old Friesian bull calves at 63kg;
€460/head for two one-month-old Friesian heifer calves at 59kg;
€430/head for five one-month-old Friesian bull calves at 61kg;
€405/head for three one-month-old Friesian heifer calves at 62kg.