'Cutting-edge' dairy farm in Lake District on market for £1.8m

The farm has 'cutting edge' DeLaval robotic technology
The farm has 'cutting edge' DeLaval robotic technology

A 'cutting-edge' dairy farm on the edge of the Lake District has been put up the market for £1,880,000.

Whitbarrow Farm, a ring fenced 200 acre dairy farm with 'cutting edge' DeLaval robotic technology with modern farm buildings, traditional farmhouse and modern bungalow is up on the market.

This is believed to be the first dairy farm complete with robotic milking systems to be brought to the market in Cumbria.

As such, agents H&H Land and Property is hoping the property will provide a unique opportunity for a keen dairy enthusiast to invest in the future of dairy production.

With the current owner operating a fully housed dairy system, the farm is entirely sustainable in terms of forage as all of the high quality land is utilised for silage production.

Whitbarrow Farm, which is located near Berrier on the outskirts of the Lake District National Park, is available by Private Treaty with an overall guide of in the region of £1,880,000.

Whitbarrow farm is a modern dairy complex
Whitbarrow farm is a modern dairy complex

The farm is being offered for sale through as a whole or in four lots.

'Futuristic technology'

Thomas Armstrong, Associate Director and Chartered Surveyor at H&H Land and Property, said: “For those seeking a future in the dairy industry, they need look no further, as this is a dairy farm which has already embraced futuristic technology.

“This farm really does provide someone with a keen interest in dairying with a once in a lifetime opportunity to invest in a productive, modern dairy enterprise with a robotic milking system already installed.

“Currently we are finding the market for farms across Cumbria to be very good with demand exceeding supply, and as Whitbarrow is such a productive farm, ready for the buyer to simply move in and begin farming, and we are expecting a keen interest.”

Modern dairy complex

Whitbarrow’s modern dairy complex, with four DeLaval VMS Milking Robots, was installed in 2008 and updated to the latest software in 2016.

A bulk tank room contains a 16,000 litre DeLaval bulk tank. The adjoining buildings contain a total of 240 cubicles with slatted floors and automatic scrapers.

In addition, there is a cattle handling shed complete with facilities, a youngstock shed, calf shed, machinery shed, workshop, slurry storage, garage, two old dairy buildings with brick walls and fibre cement roofs, and slurry storage with a total capacity of 170,000 gallons (slatted channels and Simplex steel tower).

Furthermore, there is also a dry cow shed, loose box calving pen, a lean to suitable for loose housing, calf shed, two general purpose implement sheds, a large indoor silage pit and a smaller indoor silage/straights pit, as well as an area of open yard.