Raumati dairy farm northwest of Napier

The 458ha property at 3629 Puketiritiri Rd milks 730-750 cows. Photo / Supplied

Agents say a high-end dairy farm for sale 41km northwest of Napier, deserves close attention from farmers and dairy sector investors.

Bayleys Napier's Tony Rasmussen and Gavin Franklin say Hawke's Bay land values are about half of that of some other districts.

The property for sale — Raumati Dairy — has consents in place to increase output by 30 per cent for at least the next 10-years.

And they list excellent infrastructure, sound environmental management and a reputation for being well-watered; as sitting 260-450m above sea level the property receives 1700mm rainfall annually.

Over the past three seasons a once-a-day milking programme had produced up to 252,230 kg of milk solids annually.

However, when operated under a twice-a-day milking programme, it produced up to 300,474 kg of milk solids annually.

"So most recently this operation has been run on a low-input model, milking just once a day and having a herd size substantially below its capacity," he says.

The property goes to auction at 2pm on March 29.

The 458ha property, at 3629 Puketiritiri Rd, it milks between 730-750 cows, with a 60 bail rotary and a 600-cow feed pad. However, it is run as much as possible in harmony with the environment, for example, having riparian areas fenced-off.

Rasmussen highlights an extensive pasture renewal fertilisation programme through annual application of calcium, magnesium, potassium, sodium and sulphur nutrients in addition to the effluent spread.

"Water is drawn from two springs on a neighbouring farm through a consented easement arrangement allowing for extraction of 865cu m daily. Water is stored in a trio of 30,000 litre tanks before being gravity-fed to eight additional 30,000 litre tanks servicing both the dairy shed and paddocks."

Topography comprises 319ha of easy contour ryegrass and clover paddocks, 25ha of medium contour land, 37.7ha of medium-to-steep hill country, and 77.3ha of steep country.

Combined, the property has an effective milking area of 330ha of sandy loam-based soil.

Raumati Dairy is subdivided into 108 free-draining paddocks, with some 23km of fencing erected since 2005, much of it along the 10.6km of gravelled stock movement lanes.