Are Goats or Cows More Profitable in Stardew Valley?
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The age-old question for aspiring Stardew Valley farmers: are goats or cows more profitable? The short answer, surprisingly, is nuanced and depends heavily on your play style and goals. While cows are often perceived as the breadwinners due to their daily milk production, goats offer a compelling alternative that can be equally, if not more, lucrative under specific circumstances. Let’s delve into the details to determine which barnyard buddy truly reigns supreme.
Cow vs. Goat: A Head-to-Head Comparison
Production & Base Values
Cows produce Milk daily, while goats produce Goat Milk every two days. At face value, this puts cows in the lead, as each Milk sells for 100g, compared to Goat Milk’s 180g. However, the story doesn’t end there.
- Cow Milk: 100g per day.
- Goat Milk: 90g per day (average, as it’s 180g every other day).
When processing these into Cheese, the differences become more pronounced:
- Cow Cheese: 200g per day (160g * 1.25 from artisan profession, using one milk daily )
- Goat Cheese: 150g per day ( 300g every other day)
The Impact of Artisan Goods
The Artisan profession significantly alters the profit equation. With the Artisan skill, cheese and other artisan goods sell for 40% more. This impacts goat cheese more.
- Cow Cheese (Artisan): 200g * 1.4 = 280g per day.
- Goat Cheese (Artisan): 300g * 1.4= 420g every other day or 210g per day average
This is where Goat Cheese truly starts to shine, overtaking the base output of cow cheese.
The Importance of Aging
Both Cow and Goat Cheese can be aged in Casks in your cellar to increase their quality. Each tier (Silver, Gold, Iridium) increases the sale price, with Iridium quality doubling the base value. This is the most profitable way to sell cheese, with the iridium quality increasing to:
- Iridium Cow Cheese: 200g * 2 = 400g or 560g with Artisan profession, per cheese sold or 280g per day.
- Iridium Goat Cheese: 300g * 2 = 600g or 840g with Artisan profession, per cheese sold or 420g per day.
While both benefit from aging, the higher base value of Goat Cheese allows it to reach a higher ultimate profitability. This means that the longer time you take in Stardew Valley, the more profitable goats become.
Beyond the Bottom Line
Profit isn’t everything. Goats have certain advantages over cows:
- Lower Upfront Cost: Goats are slightly cheaper to purchase than cows.
- Lower Feed Consumption: Goats consume less hay than cows, reducing the cost of upkeep.
- Smaller Size: This translates to less space needed per animal in the barn and potentially less work moving around them.
- Gift Preference: Goat Cheese is a loved gift for Leah and Robin, making it useful for relationship building.
Cows, however, offer a steadier stream of income due to their daily milk production. This is extremely useful in early game. They also offer more variety as their milk and cheese is often used for several cooking recipes.
So, Which is Better?
- Early Game: Cows provide a consistent daily income, making them easier to manage during early game progression.
- Mid-Game: If you’ve unlocked the Artisan profession, the higher base value of goat cheese allows for greater short-term profits from selling the cheese. However, this will require more work as it is sold every other day.
- Late Game: With a fully upgraded cellar and a stockpile of casks, the Iridium Goat Cheese provides the greatest profit per animal.
Ultimately, there isn’t a single “best” choice. The optimal path depends on the player’s preferences. A good approach could involve a mix of both cows and goats to utilize the advantages that they both provide. However, if only given one choice to prioritize then goats are more profitable in the late game.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
1. What is the base sell price of cow milk and goat milk?
- Cow Milk sells for 100g and Goat Milk sells for 180g.
2. How often do goats and cows produce milk?
- Cows produce Milk daily, while goats produce Goat Milk every two days.
3. Does the Artisan profession affect milk sale prices?
* No, the Artisan profession only affects the value of the cheese, as a result it is much more beneficial to process the milk to get greater profits.
4. Are cows or goats better for the community center bundles?
- Both are needed. You must have cow milk and goat milk for different bundles.
5. Is it worth it to age Goat Cheese in casks?
* Yes, **aging cheese or goat cheese is always profitable**. Aging to Iridium quality doubles the base sell price of Goat Cheese.
6. How does the Auto-Grabber work with cows and goats?
- The Auto-Grabber works in barns and will collect all the milk from your cows and goats.
7. Are there any other benefits to raising goats besides profit?
* Yes, Goat Cheese is a **loved gift for Leah and Robin**.
8. Is it more profitable to sell raw milk or cheese?
* With the artisan profession it's better to **always sell cheese**.
9. How much does a goat and cow cost to buy?
- A goat costs 4000g to purchase from Marnie and a cow costs 1500g from Marnie.
10. How much hay does a goat and cow eat per day?
* Both a **cow and a goat eat one hay per day** if they do not have any grass to eat outside.
11. Does friendship level affect the quality of milk produced?
* Yes, **friendship level and happiness** can affect the quality of milk produced. Higher friendship levels lead to Large Milk/Large Goat Milk.
12. What are the best things to age in casks?
* The most profitable things to age in casks are **cheese and wine**. Starfruit and Ancient Fruit Wine can also be profitable but cheese is better for most players due to shorter aging times.
13. Are animals more profitable than crops in Stardew Valley?
- While animals are a solid income source, crops (especially when processed into wine) often have higher profit potential, but they are more work. Both animal farming and crop farming are good options and can be combined for good results.
14. Do animals destroy crops?
* No, **farm animals never trample or destroy crops**.
15. What is the most profitable animal product in Stardew Valley?
* While pigs can generate a lot of profit through Truffles, the most profitable *single* animal product to sell directly (with the Rancher profession) is an **Iridium Ostrich Egg** which can be worth up to 1440g.