Friday, March 29, 2024

Canterbury feed factory

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The combination of good soils and ample water for irrigation has enabled Taha Farm in mid Canterbury to be a “feed factory” that winters 1500 dairy cows, grows out young stock and produces supplements from its surplus.
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Now for sale at $47,000 a hectare, Taha Farms with its quality Lismore shallow silty loam soils and reliable water for irrigation has the potential for just about any option, from dairying to cereals and cropping.

The 231ha farm lies just 10 minutes from Ashburton on the Rakaia Highway. It has been used as dairy support for a large dairy operation.

Mike Preston from Bayleys Real Estate in Ashburton says the farm is carrying 450 R1 heifers that arrive as weaned calves, and 400 in-calf R2 heifers that go back to the dairy farm for calving. The 1500 mixed-age cows start arriving from May for winter. During winter the heifers and cows graze on fodder beet and this year it has 68.7ha planted, with the balance in grass.

“All the cows are wintered on fodder beet, so they have a big surplus of grass in front for spring which is made into balage for the support block and dairy unit. They have to produce a lot of feed to support the farm and do it comfortably.

“It’s basically been a feeding factory. It has particularly good soils, so while it grows good crops and pasture, it’s got the diversity to do anything within reason. There’s lots of arable and cropping in the immediate area.”

Fodder beet crops are rotated with grass so the farm has been extensively regrassed in recent years. The farm is entirely flat and subdivided into 56 paddocks that have been set up for the dairy support operation.

“Thought and planning has ensured the property is well laid-out and developed, with recent fencing and a good laneway system throughout the farm.”

Established trees and trimmed pine hedges offer shelter for many paddocks, with stock water sourced from bores. Two groundwater bores on the farm provide most of the stock and irrigation needs, with top-ups from the Barrhill Chertsey Irrigation Scheme. The infrastructure set-up for irrigation includes a 505m Valley centre pivot with a cornerarm and end gun, a 210m Valley wiper pivot and two 250 Rotorainers.

“The soils and the water are the key to the property – it’s well-watered with good irrigation infrastructure.”

A good set of cattle yards handles the large cattle numbers that come and go between Taha Farm and the dairy farm, while multiple implement and hay sheds cater for every need. There’s also a three-bay grain shed and a two-stand woolshed with covered yards.

Taha Farm has been run by a manager who lives in a three-bedroom, two-bathroom Summerhill stone home set in an established garden with mature trees.

“The location of the farm is very good and it’s a good size and shape for multiple land use options.”

Taha Farm can be viewed at www.bayleys.co.nz/552197. For further information contact Mike Preston on 027 430 7041 or George Morris on 027 212 8668.

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