Agents yarded only 950 head today, down 1540 head on the January 18 sale.

According to MLA's National Livestock Reporting Service there were around 750 young cattle, mostly medium weight vealers with a greater percentage of steers yarded.

The overall quality of the vealers was fair to good and the regular trade orders were in place. The wet weather and lower numbers resulted in reduced competition from restockers, the NLRS said.

According to the NLRS the decline in supply saw the market for the better quality light and medium weight trade vealers remain firm.

Light weight C2 trade vealers sold from 235c to 247c/kg. Medium weights sold from 228c to 248c with a small number of heavy vealers selling from 197c to 213c/kg.

Lightly muscled trade vealers received the benefit from the low numbers, and pressure to secure requirements resulting in a dearer trend of 2c to 4c/kg.

The D muscle vealers to the trade sold from 197c to 228c.

The NLRS said restocker demand was weaker with the low numbers resulting in a couple of orders not competing. This resulted in a firm to slightly cheaper market trend. Light weight steers sold from 214c to 296c/kg, while the medium weights sold from 230c to 252c/kg.

Cows dominated supply in a reduced offering of export cattle. The market was firm to dearer with supply issues contributing.