Large-scale dairy farm at Poowong a model of efficiency

THERE’S a good chance a prospective buyer may have ­already walked on this large-scale Poowong dairy farm.

Dairy farm at 185 Ogilvys Lane Poowong for sale

THERE’S a good chance a prospective buyer may have ­already walked the tracks of this large-scale Poowong dairy farm.

They may have been one of the more than 5000 people who have admired the pastures, sat in the shed and listened to a guest speaker or even had a sausage from the barbie.

POOWONG

Property: Dairy farm

Size: 310ha

Sale: Private treaty

Price: $20,995/ha

Agent : Harcourts Warragul

Contact: John Rowe 0418 127 423

The 310ha dairy farm is owned by Peter and Elaine Notman and hosted some of Australia’s biggest on-farm field days as part of their other business venture, Notman Pasture Seeds.

The field days began 27 years ago and 13 have been held during that time, averaging about 450 people at each event.

But the time has come for the couple to put the Poowong property, which milks 550 cows, on the market.

With no family involved in this Gippsland farm, the decision to sell was made easier.

But they will still maintain a foothold in dairy, with a farm in NSW plus a seed business.

“Do we need to run two separate farms, 1500 cows, in the second half of our fifties?” Peter joked.

“One farm and a seed business will be enough to handle for the next 20 years.”

The cheapest form of dairy feed dominates the diet of the herd at Poowong.

“The farm consists of the most productive strains of ­ryegrass and ryegrass-fescue-cross ... and upgraded reg­ularly to ensure profitability and productivity,” Peter said.

The herd has used about 12 tonnes/ha of pasture a year during the past few years, with grain supplementation of 1.6-1.7 tonne/cow/year.

“A good solid pasture base is always the foundation of profitable farming,” Peter said.

Any visitor to the Poowong property would remember the state “of the all-weather lane ways”.

These wide and well-maintained tracks feed 50 “good sized” paddocks, while water is available from three dams.

A 58-megalitre irrigation water right is available with the farm, but it hasn’t been used due to the reliable rainfall.

Located 108km from Melbourne, the farm receives an average 1105mm of rain a year.

“To get a parcel of land with 1100mm rainfall and 280ha this close to Melbourne ... there’s hardly any,” Peter said.

Many milk processors collect from the region, including United Dairy Power, Murray Goulburn, Fonterra, Longwarry Food Park, Burra Foods and Fonterra.

Independent financial analysis and benchmarking reports for the property are also available upon request.

A buyer could also have the opportunity to maintain the current “highly skilled” management team.

The 40-stand rotary is 20 years old, but has been completely upgraded with ­all-electric milk metering, including conductivity testing for mastitis.

It also includes automatic cup removers and an automatic teat spray, and has a 29,000-litre milk vat capacity, with access for B-double tankers.

Four silos and permanent augers make up the dairy feed system.

There’s also a calf-rearing shed and a feeding system.

The farm includes eight ­titles, but is for sale as a whole.

Two brick-veneer homes are included and the Notmans are open to discussions about also selling the herd.

“The farm is well set up. We have always tried to make it better,” Peter said.

The Notmans said they still loved dairying and didn’t want to leave it totally, but it was time to lighten their workload.