Shetland farm for sale with stock and machinery

The chance to buy a profitable dairy farm including its herd and a share in an island dairy comes at Noss Farm on Shetland.

For sale as a going concern, the offer includes the 676-acre holding incorporating some of the island’s best land and 117 acres of common grazing. Owner John Mainland is selling the business on a lock, stock and barrel basis to include a good range of modern machinery as well as the livestock.

Aberdeen & Northern (Estates) has set a guide price of offers of more than £1.3m to include the milking herd of 80 Holstein Friesians and all replacements bred on the farm – 19 heifers, 27 bulling heifers and 24 youngstock.

Milk quota of 591,300 litres is included in the sale as are 550 mainly Texel cross Shetland ewes and single farm payment entitlements. The dairy buildings at Noss Farm include a Fulwood 8×16 herringbone milking parlour and a 90-cubicle shed.

All the land is registered LFA, but the farm includes deep black loam in the arable areas. Prior to the dairy being set up in 1993, the holding also produced potatoes, turnips, carrots and barley.

The farm lies at the southern end of Shetland, six miles from Sumburgh Airport and alongside the RSPB nature reserve at Loch of Spiggie. It is one of the most northerly dairy units in the UK and one of six on the island which collectively own and supply Shetland Farm Dairies in Lerwick, which pays 37p/litre for milk.

“This is a very profitable farm and offers a unique opportunity to take on a going concern in a wonderful location,” said John Rhind of Aberdeen & Northern (Estates).

A recently built Norwegian-style four-bedroom bungalow in separate ownership may be available by separate negotiation. (Aberdeen & Northern (Estates) 01467 623 800)