Dairy cow trade is holding up in the county’s auction marts, despite falling farmgate milk prices.

Five months ago uncertainty in the milk markets was having a knock-on effect, with animals fetching prices almost identical to those in 2005.

But Glyn Lucas, leading dairy expert at Carlisle’s Borderway Mart, said dairy cow prices at the moment were holding up reasonably well considering the downturn in milk markets.

“Farmers’ budgets have altered, there are restraints, but the demand for dairy animals is still strong,” said Mr Lucas.

At the monthly Border and Lakeland Holstein sale in July auctioneers saw a top call of 1,500gns and a sale average of £1,336.

But Mr Lucas said a recent sale had seen prices just above £1,500.

“The good end heifers are £1,700 to £2,000, with the bottom end at £1,300.”

Mr Lucas conceded the market was down on last year, but firmer than a couple of months ago.

With more milk price cuts forecast, and the last two Global Dairy Trade auctions seeing consecutive falls, the world dairy market remains depressed.

“We are not seeing any dramatic herd expansion. That was where we were about 14 months ago,” said Mr Lucas. “There’s been a big swing to dairy farmers using a beef bull.

“Culling rates are increasing. Farmers are not keeping the ‘old’ cow.” Mr Lucas encouraged farmers wanting to secure animals to look at the home markets first, before importing.

“It is a buyer’s market,” he added.

Meanwhile, more protests were planned this week with Farmers For Action (FFA) calling on producers to demonstrate outside milk processor Meadow Foods’ Chester plant on Tuesday evening.

FFA chairman, David Handley said none of the profits made by the company recently were finding their way back into farmers’ pockets.

West Cumbrian farmer and National Farmers’ Union official, Alistair Mackintosh, had called on the union to communicate the demonstration details to members.

“The demonstration is about the decent profit made by Meadow Foods, and the frustration felt by suppliers is that this is not being passed on,” said Mr Mackintosh.

“The union is not engaging in the protests, but we need to get the message out there that this is happening.”