Substantial Dairy Farm With Subdivision Potential Placed On The Market For Sale

A highly-productive low-input dairy farm on the outskirts of Hamilton – and encompassing a substantial quantity of lifestyle block sized sections - has been placed on the market for sale.

Drumlea Farm in Ngahinapouri some three kilometres south-west of Hamilton’s metropolitan boundary is a 336-hectare block comprising 17 combined titles – 14 of which are lifestyle block proportions. In addition, Drumlea Farm leases an adjoining 27 hectares of land on its northern boundary which is used mainly for grazing replacement cattle.

The farm currently milks some 750 cows – with all replacement stock carried on the property.

At its peak, the farm has carried up to 920 cows. Production records from the past decade show the unit has milked between 252,000 and 353,000 kilogrammes of milk solids annually.

The freehold property at 99 Livingstone Road is now being marketed for sale by tender through Bayleys Hamilton, with tenders closing on December 10 – unless sold prior.

Bayleys Hamilton salesperson Mike Fraser-Jones said the topography of Drumlea Farm was flat to gently rolling - with an underlying mix of fertile Hamilton clay loam and sandy loam soils. The property is divided into 100 paddocks which are separated by a mix of boundary fencing and hedges, with two or four-wire electric fencing internally.

“This intensive subdivision provides efficient grazing and pasture utilisation. A well-maintained all-weather central race with lateral routes running off the spine provides good access to all compass points within Drumlea,” said Fraser-Jones.

A lined effluent pond within the farm has the ability to hold up to 44,000 cubic metres – with green water irrigation across 34 hectares through an Easy Tow Valley pivot irrigator which has the capacity to empty the reservoir in four days from six different anchor points. A back-up travelling irrigator also has capacity to cover an additional 28 hectares.

Analysis from agri’ fertiliser supplies firm Ballance show Drumlea has regularly maintained soil and pasture quality through a mixed input of potash, selenium, cobalt, and sulphurgrain.

The farm is fully compliant with the Supply Fonterra Waterway Management Programme which excludes stock from all waterways which permanently contain water. Drumlea also received a favourable Farm Source/Fonterra 2019/2020 Environmental Report which closely scrutinized all aspects of the property’s operations.

“Farm water is pumped from six bores located across the farm – supplying stock, the dairy shed, and the houses,” said Fraser-Jones.

Meanwhile above ground, the Ngahinapouri district records an annual rainfall of approximately 1,395 millimetres.

Building infrastructure on Drumlea consists of:

• A centrally-positioned 50-bale rotary milking shed with Protrack auto’ draft and Gallagher weighing system, in-shed meal feeding system, and rectangular yard with capacity to accommodate 500 animals
• A six-bay gable shed with three bay workshop at one end
• A two-bay gable shed
• A substantial ten-bay concrete floored half-round barn for calf rearing
• Cattle yards and loading ramp off Livingstone Road, with additional bobby calf handling pens at the dairy shed
• A 350 cow concrete feed pad with three rows of feed storage bins

Meanwhile, accommodation on the farm encompasses five dwellings:

• A large 260-square metre four-bedroom/two-bathroom homestead which was completely renovated in 2011
• A trio of three-bedroom homes – two with sleepouts, and the other with a separate outside office/workspace
• A two-bedroom 150-square metre open plan single person’s quarters.

Fraser-Jones said supplementary feed was mostly grown on the farm, and a small amount brought in. The property has produced between 600–640 tonnes of maize silage annually, in addition to 50 tonnes of dry matter grass silage. Meanwhile, Drumlea had also brought in between 80–130 tonnes of palm kernel mix feed and 200 tonnes of dry matter maize.

The titled lifestyle block sized sections within Drumlea range in scale from 3,727 square metres up to 2.35 hectares.

“These individual sections which currently are part of Drumlea’s dairying operation, may give the purchaser an immediate return on investment. Potential uses for the balance in the future are horticultural production, equine activities, sand mining or residential development – particularly as the location is so close to the urban outskirts of Hamilton,” said Fraser-Jones.

The property is for sale by tender, closing 2pm, Thursday 10 th December. Interested parties can contact Mike Fraser Jones at Bayleys on (027) 475 9680 mike.fraserjones@bayleys.co.nz

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