Working dairy farms all in the heart of Scotland

Three dairy farms in the heart of Scotland are being sold by Strutt & Parker and have already caught the interest of farming buyers from England, Northern Ireland and Holland.

Claylands, near Balfron in Stirlingshire, and Sandhill and Glenconner farms in the heart of Ayrshire are all established dairy units, but have interesting sporting and residential potential, too.

“Claylands is by far the largest,” said Strutt & Parker’s James Butler. The farm supports 800 head of stock with a 250-cow milking herd, followers and a beef finishing enterprise. Cows are milked through a 16:16 Fullwood herringbone parlour and there are several traditional sheds and some modern steel-framed cubicle buildings. “The cows would be sold separately, but may be available if there was a buyer who wanted to take the whole thing lock, stock and barrel.”

There are three residential properties – a four-bedroom Victorian farmhouse with attached cottage in need of modernisation and an additional detached dwelling. “It’s fair to say that all the buildings, agricultural and residential, would benefit from some investment,” said Mr Butler.

Additional value lies in Claylands’ sporting credentials. The farm has 2000m of single-bank salmon and trout fishing on the River Endrick, which forms its northern boundary. There is also potential for some rough shooting. “Single farm payment income last year was £72,000,” said Mr Butler.

Strutt & Parker is also marketing Sandhill Farm (pictured) at Coylton, Ayrshire, an attractive 294-acre dairy farm with a four-bedroom farmhouse in good order. “Often farm dwellings on the west coast tend to be only 1.5 storeys, but this is a fairly sizeable house.” There are over 15,000sq ft of single-storey, traditional farm buildings and there are cubicles for 280 cows with a 10:20 Westfalia parlour. Nearly 270 acres are suitable for foraging and there is a small area of woodland. There are 1.2m litres of milk quota and last year’s single payment brought in £40,000. Mr Butler is looking for offers over £1.5m.

Completing the trio is the 314-acre Glenconner Farm at Ochiltree, which has 1.1m litres of milk quota and single payment entitlements worth £47,000, subject to modulation. The farm was run as a dairy unit until last year and has two dwellings as well as “some sporting potential”.

The same firm also has two other farms on the market in Scotland. “Few farms have come to the market since the turn of the year and finally to have five on our books is welcome news,” said Mr Butler.

Airyolland Farm is a 569-acre coastal stock farm in Wigtownshire while Camis Eskan in Dunbartonshire runs to 1184 acres.