Two dairy farms were merged many years ago to form a larger unit, hence its proliferation of sheds and ample housing while still a good-shaped property to manage.
Shari McLaughlin from Farmlands Real Estate said no money needed to be spent on the farm which achieved consistent production from a herd of 360 cows without any meal or palm kernel, though they did get whey product from Westland Milk Products.
"They're running a really basic grass system with no hidden meal. They make pit silage and get whey from the dairy factory to feed the cows nutrients through the season and most seasons produce between 127,000 and 130,000kg MS.
"The other good thing about this farm is the lime works is literally at your back door so you can pick it up with a tractor and spreader.
"And something the owners are really proud about is the awards they have won for water quality in the two creeks that run through the farm."
Three bridges have been built over the spring-fed creeks with another to be built this winter. Another factor that has helped water quality in the creeks are the two stand-off pads – one earth and one earth and concrete – that McLaughlin said were basic, but built right for the environment. One has its own effluent pond.
The farm is 20 minutes inland from Hokitika and is a mix of river gravels and silts over flat contour that has been split into 75 paddocks and well raced, including some ring races.
Races lead to the 28-aside herringbone with a 400-cow yard, electronic pulsators and automatic teat spraying. Whey is stored in a 25,000 litre tank and gravity fed to the dairy and troughs beyond.
The three homes the farm has accumulated from the original two merged dairy farms include the three-bedroom weatherboard homestead, a three-bedroom Hardiplank home and a three-bedroom home with an extra single bedroom and sleepout.
This coming season, 369 cows will calve and apart from 88 leased from the contract milkers, the remainder of the C10 herd, including 51 R2 heifers, will be available for sale. Through winter, the R1s and 100 cows will be wintered on the dairy unit, with 260 cows and the R2 heifers on a runoff.
For further details on the farm contact McLaughlin on 0800 278 583 or 0272 666 850.
