East Cork dairy farm can take ‘a cow to the acre’
IT SEEMS to be the year of the big farm with many of the holdings on the market exceeding the 100ac mark. One of the largest to come for sale is a 358ac grass farm located at Walshestown Beg, 9km north of Midleton in East Cork. It is to be sold by tender with a guide price of €3m.
Mike Brady of the Brady Group consultants is handling the sale in conjunction with Dominic Daly. According to Mr Brady, this is one of the biggest farms to come on the market in Cork in recent times.
“Most certainly it is the biggest farm with livestock/ dairy potential I have seen,” he said.
“There have been farms with forestry or farms with planting potential but this is one of the biggest grass farms I have seen for sale in Cork for a long time.”
Located in elevated country, the land has been extensively rather than intensively farmed for over a decade and while in essence it is good ground, Mr Brady describes it as in need of some TLC and good husbandry.
Laid out in about 15 fields, one of which extends to 100ac, the farm is divided by traditional hedgerow in need of attention.
It also comes with extensive road frontage and while selling the property in lots isn’t ruled out, Mr Brady believes that as a unit it will make a fine independent farm, especially suited to dairying.
“The land is elevated and typical of ground at the north side of Midleton.
“It wouldn’t be described as the warmest of ground but, as a consultant, I work with many dairy farmers who have land of exactly this type and this ground could take a cow to the acre.”
The farm comes with two farmyards and a dwelling house. All the buildings are dated but have great potential.
The facilities include a large traditional hayshed with two spacious leant-tos, a slatted shed, a loose shed for beef cattle, and a wide range of stone sheds and a wide range of stables.
The house is a traditional two-storey farm house in need of extensive renovation and given its proximity to Midleton, it has great potential.
“I reckon the house on 3ac is worth about €250,000 as it stands,” says Mr Brady.
“And if you take that amount from the €3m guide, it gives a price for the land of €2,750,000 or €7,800/ac. This is a very good price for east Cork ground,” he said.
Mr Brady says that land like this in its prime would make in excess of €10,000/ ac.
“It won’t take a huge investment to bring this place to its full potential and turn it into a fine grass farm for dairying or drystock,” he said
The property comes with generous entitlements of approximately €40,000 per year until 2019.
Mr Brady adds that there is strong interest in the tender process to date and he expects to close a deal in the not too distant future.