Large-scale stock finishing farm near Huntly

Puketotara's 1145ha block encompasses native bush and wetlands. Photo / Supplied

A farm which carried grazing stock that once produced wool used by one of New Zealand's foremost carpet manufacturers has been placed on the market.

Puketotara, near Huntly, was previously owned by Douglas Bremner, who founded the Bremworth Carpet brand in 1959. Wool from the Drysdale sheep farmed at Bremner's Puketotara farm was used in the production of carpet at the company's mill in South Auckland.

The Bremner family sold the property in 1989, and soon after it was converted into an intensive breeding and finishing farm, stocking beef and sheep and producing cash crops.

The 1145ha block has a grazing area of 970ha of fertile soils, with native bush, wetlands and rock outcrops features of the property.

The freehold property at 577 Bain Rd, 18km northwest of Huntly, is being marketed for sale through Bayleys Hamilton, with tenders closing at 2pm on May 8.

Bayleys Hamilton salesperson Mike Fraser-Jones says buyers also have the option of securing the lease interests in an additional 19ha.

"Puketotara is capable of wintering up to 12,000 stock units in 171 paddocks — with electric fencing subdividing the land into more than 400 paddocks over winter."

"Water is pumped from a stream running through the centre of the farm to 17 storage tanks. The property has an average recorded annual rainfall of 1200mm spread relatively evenly throughout the year.

"Pasture renovation through the cropping regime and the implementation of drainage on the peat flats has seen a major lift in the effective farmable land size and consequential productivity.

"In addition to the grassed farm area, an average of 410 bales of baleage is grown annually. Puketotara also grows some 40ha of chicory and brassica crops as supplementary feed."

Sheep sold from Puketotara in the year to June 30, 2018, hooked at an average of 19.46-kg, while bulls hooked at an average weight of 315kg.

Building infrastructure consists of:

● a five-stand 462sq m woolshed with 900-animal night pen capacity;

● four half-round steel-framed hay barns;

● a 355sq m concrete floor high stud implement shed;

● two sets of stock yards; and

● a 200sq m open top fertiliser bin delivering a 300-tonne storage capacity.

The site has four dwellings, including a 249sq m five-bedroom/two-bathroom homestead with games room, offices, and a swimming pool.