Dairy farm buyers have the choice of three strong-performing units in Marlborough’s Canvastown-Rai Valley district.
Local Bayleys Marlborough salesperson Harrison Martin says the closing date for tenders on all three properties have just been extended to November 23 to give potential buyers more opportunity to consider their bids.
“Given the smaller scale of dairy farming in the Marlborough region, having three dairy properties for sale together like this is a little unusual,” Martin says.
All three units offer reliable and high production thanks to the investment made by the current owners in irrigation, infrastructure and re-grassing programmes supported by regular fertiliser applications.
Start your property search
At 190.8ha, 422 Kaiuma Road near Canvastown is a medium-scale dairy operation with a great family home, recently renovated to a high standard, plus a second dwelling for staff.
Production has averaged just under 291,000kgms/ha off the 141ha milking platform over the past five seasons from milking between 580 and 600 cows which are supplemented with maize and pasture silage, grown on nearby leased land, plus grain and palm kernel.
“A real feature of this property is the milking platform is more or less fully irrigated by a K-line system and all the sheds and feed pad are centrally located so the herd is only walking a short distance to and from the paddock each milking,” he says.
“The feed pad is really impressive and could hold more than 600 cows if needed, and there’s a modern herringbone dairy shed with 32 sets of cups plus a range of calf rearing and implement sheds alongside,” Martin says.
One of the lease blocks used for support is also coming up for sale in November.
Buyers looking for a self-contained dairy unit will be attracted by the 184ha of flat-to-rolling country for sale at 99 Opouri Road, just east of the Rai Valley township.
Currently milking a herd of about 385 cows and producing more than 200,000kgms for the season, a new owner could maintain the same system or trim cow numbers closer to 300 head and graze young stock and winter cows on the property.
“This is a blue-chip dairy unit with a flat milking platform of about 100ha and the balance is rolling hill with large areas of flats suitable for growing maize crops or making baleage, and running young stock or wintering the cows if that appeals to anyone looking for a self-contained unit,” Martin says.
It features a modern 32-bail rotary dairy shed, installed less than two years ago, in-shed feeding system, and a modern irrigation system that covers the milking platform.
“A real feature of this property is the nice, newly refurbished family home complete with inground swimming pool,” Martin says.
A second home for staff is also in good order, set in established grounds.
Anyone looking for exceptional pasture production should be interested in viewing the third dairy unit at 212 Ronga Road, also close to the Rai Valley township.
At just over 160ha and consistently producing between 170,000 and 180,000kgms per season from 380 cows, this farm is also set up for the future with one of the best feed pads in the region.
Bayleys Marlborough salesperson Kurt Lindsay says the Ronga Road property is reputedly producing up to 16t/ha of pasture thanks to a regular re-grassing and fertiliser programme.
“The 400-cow feed pad is second to none in the Rai Valley with its flood-wash system and weeping wall which filters out the solids for spreading out on the platform to top up on fertiliser inputs,” he says.
It has 110ha of K-Line irrigation, with water pumped from bores on the property. The current owners winter cows off the milking platform but all young stock remain on the property.
The dairy shed has a 44-bail rotary milking system, with automatic cup removers and teat spraying technology installed, plus an in-shed feeding system.
This property also features a large, five-bedroom home with fresh carpets and flooring throughout, plus a new kitchen, Lindsay says.
A second dwelling ideal for staff offers two double bedrooms.
Improvements on all three properties have been well maintained. Effluent and irrigation infrastructure is all consented and well built.
Martin says the Rai Valley-Canvastown districts are renowned for dairying in the Marlborough region. All three farms are located at the gateway to the Marlborough Sounds with all its fishing and lifestyle activities.
“Within 20-25 minutes from any of the three farms, you can be launching the boat at Okiwi Bay and soon after you could be hauling in your first blue cod for the trip around D’Urville Island which offers some of the best fishing in the country,” Martin says.
