Is Selling Animals Profitable in Stardew Valley?
Yes, selling animals in Stardew Valley can be profitable, but it’s not as straightforward as simply buying and then reselling them. The profit primarily comes from the goods they produce rather than their resale value. While you can technically sell animals, the profit margin on the initial sale is minimal, focusing more on the heart level of the animal than the animal itself. This article dives deep into the economics of animal ownership in Stardew Valley, exploring when selling animals might be a viable option and focusing on the best approaches to maximize your earnings.
The Nuances of Animal Selling
The base mechanics of selling animals in Stardew Valley are simple: you can sell any animal you own to Marnie, who you originally purchased them from. However, the resale price isn’t about how valuable the animal’s product is, it’s tied to their happiness level (measured by hearts). A max heart cow, for instance, might sell for 1,950g, which provides a profit if you bought them at 1,500g. However, the increase in value for this sale comes from your dedication to caring for the animal, not necessarily the breed of animal.
Selling for Profit: Not the Main Strategy
Selling animals as a core profit strategy is generally not recommended. Instead, the real money lies in what they produce daily – milk, eggs, wool, truffles, etc. These goods can be sold raw or processed into high-value items like cheese, mayonnaise, and truffle oil. These processed items are where a large portion of your income should come from with animal ownership.
Early Game Animal Profits
In the early game, animals can be a vital source of income. Chickens providing eggs, and cows providing milk, can quickly generate gold and help you get your farm up and running. Even the animals themselves can help when you have a few of them and need to sell one, it’s nice to see some extra gold. When beginning, the gold per day from these basic products is quite good. However, as your farm develops, you will find that other methods of income greatly surpass animals, namely the production of wine and truffle oil.
Mid to Late Game Animal Focus
As you progress through the game, you’ll realize that animals are not the best source of raw money per day. The space and energy (time) required to manage them may not be worth it for direct animal selling. Once you begin to get crops like Starfruit and make wine or create Crystallariums, they beat animals for overall monetary gains. However, they are worth keeping for the processed goods, which can bring in great value. It’s important to focus on animal product processing in mid and late-game, which can be a great source of income, especially when used with the Artisan profession.
Maximizing Animal Profits
Here are the best ways to get value from your Stardew Valley animals:
- Focus on High-Value Animal Goods: Prioritize processing products like eggs into mayonnaise and milk into cheese. These products will help significantly boost your profits.
- Invest in Upgrades: Make sure you have the deluxe versions of coops and barns so you can unlock the more profitable animals like pigs.
- Pigs for Truffles: Pigs are by far the best money makers amongst the animals because of their ability to find truffles, which are themselves very profitable, but they can also be crafted into the higher-value truffle oil.
- Maximize Heart Levels: While hearts are only a small factor when selling the animal itself, a happy animal will produce better quality goods, which in turn greatly affects your overall income. So make sure you pet them daily, let them outside to get some sun, and make sure they have enough food and hay in the winter.
- Utilize the Artisan Profession: The Artisan profession, unlocked at level 10 Farming, will boost the sell price of artisan goods, further increasing your profits. This will make all of your processed goods from animals, such as cheese and mayonnaise, sell for even more!
- Have Some Pasture: Let your animals outside for the sun as much as you can, this will keep them happier, and you will not use up as much hay.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
1. What is the best animal for profit in Stardew Valley?
Pigs are the best animals for profit in Stardew Valley because they can find truffles, which can be sold directly for a good price or turned into truffle oil for even more profit.
2. Are there any animals that are not profitable?
All animals in Stardew Valley can be profitable in their own way, but some are less efficient than others. For example, ducks and rabbits can be profitable, but the profit margin of pigs is significantly higher in the long run.
3. Is it worth selling chickens?
It’s generally not worth selling chickens directly. The real profit from chickens comes from their eggs, which can be used to make mayonnaise. Incubating and raising your own chickens can provide a steady and consistent income, making selling them unnecessary.
4. Are cows or goats more profitable?
Cows tend to be more profitable than goats because cow’s milk produces two cheeses, whereas goat milk produces only one. This makes them a better choice in the long run for dairy production.
5. Can I sell animals at a profit?
Yes, you can sell animals at a slight profit if their heart level is high. However, the profit margin isn’t significant, and it is better to keep them for the production of goods, such as eggs, milk, wool, etc.
6. Do animals ruin crops in Stardew Valley?
No, farm animals do not trample or destroy crops in Stardew Valley. However, they may get in the way while you are planting or harvesting.
7. Should I let my animals outside?
Yes, letting your animals outside is beneficial. They will eat grass, which saves hay, and being in the sun improves their mood, which leads to higher quality goods.
8. What do I do with animal products?
You can sell animal products raw or process them into higher value goods, such as mayonnaise, cheese, cloth, and truffle oil. Investing in the proper tools and buildings to do this is a significant source of income.
9. How do I increase an animal’s heart level?
Petting them daily, feeding them, and letting them outside when possible will help increase an animal’s heart level. Make sure you do not close the doors at night, so the animals can return home themselves, or they will not give you the extra affection needed to raise their heart level.
10. What is the most profitable item to sell in Stardew Valley?
The Sweet Gem Berry, at iridium quality, is the most profitable crop to sell in Stardew Valley at 6,000g. But, it’s not the most sustainable option. For daily selling, truffle oil is one of the most profitable items.
11. How can I make a lot of money early game?
Early on, focus on fishing, foraging, planting crops, and raising chickens for eggs. The sell price from these is a good start for getting your farm up and running.
12. Is it more profitable to sell raw crops or processed goods?
Processed goods are generally much more profitable than selling raw crops. You should be focusing on turning everything you can into wine, pickles, cheese, jam, etc., before selling them.
13. What is the fastest way to make money in Stardew Valley?
The fastest ways to make money are through wine production, truffle oil production, and placing Crystallariums. But, the use of ancient seeds and the greenhouse can also be fast and produce high-value goods.
14. What are the best ways to make money with animals?
The best way to make money with animals is by processing their products. Turn milk into cheese, eggs into mayonnaise, and truffles into truffle oil. This can all be boosted by having the Artisan profession.
15. Can pets fight with me in the mines?
Yes, both dogs and cats can accompany you to the mines and assist you in combat. Their attack damage will increase as their heart levels increase with you. They cannot die in battle.
Conclusion
While the initial sale of animals themselves in Stardew Valley is not very profitable, animal husbandry is a critical aspect of your farm’s economy. By focusing on the production and processing of animal goods, you can establish a steady and substantial income stream. Understanding the value of your animals will take you a long way in your journey to farm profitability. So, raise those animals, process their goods, and watch your profits grow!