A well laid out farmyard with a network of laneways leading to each paddock means a 127-acre farm for sale near Randalstown, Co Antrim, would easily suit a dairying setup.

The land, farmyard and dwelling house has a guide price of £1.7m (€1.9m) and its sale is being managed by Kilrea-based auctioneers H.A. McIlrath and Sons.

The current owner was involved in dairy farming until 10 years ago and the land and farmyard have been well maintained and leased out to a single tenant for heifer rearing and silage making since then.

The farm is laid out in 26 fields and the land ranges from medium to heavy soils in places. Although the property is all grassland at present, around 124 acres are suitable for arable farming and the other three acres to rough grazing. The land is in one elongated block and a comprehensive series of concrete and hardcore laneways lead to a gap for access to every paddock.

The farm is well fenced with sheep wire and there is no mains electric fencing in any fields at present. Well-maintained hedgerows in most paddocks provide good shelter for livestock. Each paddock has at least one drinker and all water on the farm is supplied from a private bore well. Mains water is also connected to the farm and is available if needed.

Yard

For potential buyers interested in milking, the existing 12-unit swing-over parlour needs to be modernised and a bulk tank is also needed in the dairy. However, the pit is in an ideal location within the main cubicle house and it could be easily extended if required. There is also three-phase electricity on site.

The main cow shed has 110 cubicles with two feeding passages. There is also a slatted 60ft x 30ft beef shed and two round-roof houses with solid floors. This includes one shed that is currently being leased out to a separate tenant as a workshop.

There is a 60ft x 20ft roofed silo and an above-ground slurry store. There were previously two outdoor silage clamps which could be easily reinstated by building an earth bank or shuttered concrete wall.

A separate yard is located at the other end of the farm along the main laneway. A disused silo and cubicle shed is also located here and needs to be repaired for use.

There are two derelict cottages near the second yard, which could be eligible for a replacement dwelling subject to planning permission. There is access to the main Portglenone road through a separate lane for the two cottages.

House

The property is located approximately six miles from Randalstown, Portglenone and Ballymena. The five-bed dwelling house is accessed from the Glebe Road by a private laneway separate to the main farmyard, and has electronic gates at the entrance.

The dwelling house is positioned on an elevated site with distant views of the Slemish mountain. The house was renovated and rewired three years ago. It has PVC double glazing at the front of the house and hardwood window frames at the back. A four-oven AGA heats the domestic water and there is also a boiler for oil-fired central heating.

Downstairs rooms include a spacious kitchen with a dishwasher and fridge, a TV room with a log burning stove and semi-solid oak floor, a lounge with a brick fire place, a dining room with a semi-solid oak floor and an office.

The five bedrooms are located upstairs and include the master bedroom with an en suite and built-in wardrobe. There is also a bathroom and a box room upstairs. The renovation three years ago left pipework available for additional en suites. CL