Productive dairy farm in receivership for sale

Media Release
14.2.2017

Productive dairy farm in receivership for sale

Riverbend Dairy Farms, a West Waikato dairying operation, has been placed on the market for sale by auction through a receivership process.

The 142.55 hectare farm, located on Casey Road Whatawhata, has been operating as a productive dairying unit under its current format for almost a decade.

Over the past four milking season the property has run between 400 – 490 stock, while full season milk solids production to Fonterra over that period has ranged from 131,935 kilogrammes to 151,546 kilogrammes.

Bayleys Waikato has been tasked with selling the farm. The property is to be auctioned at Bayleys Hamilton office on March 9.

Bayleys Waikato salesperson Mike Fraser-Jones said Riverbend’s milk production levels had been achieved with the assistance of approximately 54 hectares of leased adjacent land – which was not included in the sale.

Building infrastructure included in the Riverbend Dairy Farms offering includes:

• A 36-aside herringbone milking shed complete with all hot water cylinders, water coolers, refrigeration units, vacuum pump and wash down hose outlets
• A concrete feed pad with a pair of 46 metre troughs
• A four bay half-round 104 square metre implement shed
• A two bay 162 square metre implement shed with workshop and mechanic’s pit
• A three bay 162 square metre calf rearing shed
and
• Two large silage pits beside the feed pad, stockyards, and an effluent pond.

The owner/manager’s residence features a modern 220 square metre three-bedroom dwelling with open plan living and dining space, lounge, rumpus room, and an in-ground swimming pool in the back lawn. The home was recently refurbished and a gas water-heating system added.

Meanwhile, the second dwelling on the property is a 91 square metre three-bedroom cottage with a double carport.

Water for the farm is drawn from two bores, then pumped to several tanks around the farm and gravity fed to troughs via a system of underground pipes to the predominantly flat to rolling grazing blocks.

Mr Fraser-Jones said the farm was well fenced and subdivided into approximately 85 paddocks accessed by a three-way race system and fenced by a mix of seven-wire post and batten and a mix of two and three wire electric fences.

He said a small amount of maize silage was currently grown on the property, although most extra feed was brought in. Fertiliser records show a mix of additives had been added to the property over the last three years – including strains of ammonium sulphate and urea. Effluent at the farm is spread via underground pipes, hydrants and a travelling irrigator.

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