Is it profitable to keep a cow for milk: reviews and calculations

Keeping cows is really hard.Caring for farm animals of this group always takes a lot of time. In addition, the technology itself itself content of cattle, in contrast, for example, from the same rabbits or chickens, is quite complicated. In order for the cow breeding business to become profitable, the farmer needs to know and be able to do a lot.

Basic content of cattle

Growing cows includes the following main activities:

• feeding animals and watering them in stalls;

• grazing;

• harvesting hay;

• milking;

• breeding (mating);

• periodic veterinary examinations and prophylactic vaccinations.

Each of these procedures, of course, requires not only the availability of certain knowledge, but also financial costs.

Is it profitable to keep a cow: farmers reviews

According to most household owners, keep cattle for milk today pretty profitable. But only if the owner of the barn with full responsibility comes to the choice of breed and will accurately comply with the technology of animals. Reduction in the number of cattle in Russia in the lasttime, according to many farmers, is not due to the fact that it has become unprofitable to raise such animals, but simply with the commonplace laziness of our compatriots. After all, keeping a cow, unlike the same rabbits or chickens, requires an enormous amount of time and effort. It is necessary not only to feed such animals correctly and in time, but also to milk them at least twice a day. Also, a cattle farmer should know how to take birth properly at a cow, how to care for calves and much more.

Thus, cattle are bought for maintenance only by people who are not afraid of all sorts of difficulties and are also permanently residing in rural areas. For such farmers, the question of is it profitable to keep a cow in the economy, in principle, not worth it.Having spent maximum effort on caring for cattle, such people really get a good profit. It’s just that, in the country, a cow, in contrast to the same chickens or rabbits, is not only unsuitable to keep, but in most cases even impossible.

How much does it cost to care: feed

Before you buy a cow, of course, you needmake a calculation of the future costs of its maintenance. It is also worth trying to determine the estimated profit. Keeping a cow in any case involves using:

• roughage (grass and hay);

• concentrates (grain and bran);

• succulent feed (roots, silage).

The most expensive type of feed are, of course, concentrates.On average, one cow requires about 1 ton of barley per year. The cost of this type of feed is about 8500-9000 rubles. Also, the farmer will need to purchase about 500-600 kg of bran. It will cost them to buy about 3000-4000 rubles. That is, in total, concentrated feed will have to spend a minimum of 11,500 r. in year.

Many farmers in specialized forums are interested in is it profitable to keep a cow if you buy hay. Similar feed for one animal about 50 bales per year are usually required, the cost of each of which is 80-85 rubles. That is, the cost in this case will be at least 4000 p. В принципе, это немного и покупка сена особого in most cases, it does not affect the final profit on keeping cows. But, of course, if desired, the farmer can save on hay and mow it on his own (if there is where).

Juicy feed, according to the technology of the content, one cow requires about 900-1000 kg per year. Beets, for example, cost about 3000 p. per ton. For the same amount of silage you need to give about 4,200-4500 rubles.

Thus, in total, a year for feed for one cow has to spend:

• 11,500 + 4,000 + 3,000 = 18,500 rubles.

And this is only the minimum amount.

Additional expenses

In addition, the maintenance of a cow implies, of course, the cost of grazing. On average, the price of the shepherd’s services is 600 r. per month. The total amount for the warm period of the year, therefore, will be about 2500-3000 rubles.

The cost of electricity (lighting of the barn) and fuel (delivery of milk to customers) must also be attributed to the additional costs of maintaining a cow. All this will cost an average of about 10-15 thousand r. in year.

Thus, the total amount of the cost of maintaining a cow will be already 18 500 + 2500 + 10 000 = 31 000 R. in year. Based primarily on this, it is necessary to determine whether it is advantageous to keep cows on milk.. Of course, the farmer will have to pay back with time and the cost of the shed, which in this case should be large enough.

Vet Services

The answer to the question of is it profitable to keep a cow in the villagedepends, among other things, and from the cost of all sorts of preventive measures aimed at preventing diseases. ATthe owners of small household farms containing one-two cows usually pay onlyl for vaccinations. A total of vaccinations in small farms aboutIt costs about 5-6 thousand rubles a year.That is, to the previously received costs in the 31 000 p. need to add another 5 thousand. p. Thus, the average number of expenses for the maintenance of one cow per year will be 36 000 r. in year.

Mating costs

Of course, in the project of the future farm shouldinclude this item of expenditure. After all, if a cow does not have calves, it’s impossible to get milk from her. The cost of mating a cow with a bull depends primarily on the pedigree of the latter. Thus, the services of a champion can cost 10-15 thousand rubles. But most often the owners of homesteads pay behind mating yet no more than 2000 p. in year. That is, the total amount of expenses will amount to 38,000 p.

Possible profit

So, we found out what amount of money farmers spend on feed, prevention of cattle diseases, mating, etc. So Is it beneficial to keep a cow in household?To answer this question, among other things, one should, of course, also know how much money itself can be gained from selling the main product produced on a farm of similar specialization.

High-yield cows, with proper feeding and adherence to keeping technology, are able to produce on average 3500-6000 liters of milk per year.In Russia, a liter of such a farmer's product on average costs about 53 rubles. That is, from one cow in a year, you can get about 318,000 r. If spent on maintenance will be 38 000 p., Income, therefore, will be 318 000 - 38 000 = 280 000 r. from one cow.

Is it possible to actually get 280,000 rubles profit

So the answer to the question of is it profitable to keep a cow for the sale of milkclear With the right choice of breed and compliance with the technology of care from one animal, you can get 280 000 r. income per year. However, this amount mayyt earned unfortunately only subject to the sale of milk directly to the consumer. Meanwhile find buyers the owner of the backyard often not so and simply. Of course, you can sell milk on the market or summer residents if there are gardening partnerships near the village. But not the fact that in this way it will be possible to realize the entire product.

In case you find enoughBuyers for milk will not succeed, it will most likely have to be handed over to the dairy plant. And the profit at the same time will decrease, and very much. The fact is that the food industry takes milk at a price of only 12-15 rubles per liter. That is, the income from one cow in this case will be 15 x 6,000 = 90,000 maximum.

A large number of animals: is it profitable?

One or two cows in their own farmstead are kept by many villagers. In principle, this business can be quite profitable. But many Russians are wondering about is it profitable to keep 5 milk cows, 10 or 20.Of course, a cattle breeding farm, like a small backyard farm, can also become a fairly profitable enterprise. However, the organization of a business of such specialization, of course, will require additional costs. For 5-10 cows you need a much larger barn. In addition, the owners may have to hire an assistant. Yes, and milk in this case, most likely, will still have to pass to the factory, which will greatly affect the profits. The only way to reach the consumer directly in this case would be to open your own shop. And this, of course, will entail additional costs for renting the premises, hiring the seller, etc.

Sale of calves

The answer to the question of is it profitable to keep a cow on the farm, depends not only on how much milk the animal can produce, and on the prices of these products. Of course, farm owner specializing in growing Cattlecan make a profit and from the sale of offspring. Particularly good income from the sale of heifers are herders, containing popular breed cows with documents. Such animals are usually bought very willingly and also at a high price.

Breeds of dairy cows

At what price do farmers sell heifers and how much profit can they get from selling them? The best breeds of dairy cows in Russian cattle breeders at the moment are:

• red steppe;

• ayshir

• Holstein;

• Kholmogory.

You can find out how much a chick of a particular breed costs and whether it is beneficial to keep a cow from the table below.

Farmers reviews about the red steppe cow

So, the answer to the question of whether it is beneficial to keepa cow in a private house depends primarily on how correctly the breed of the animal will be chosen. Red Steppe cattle enjoys well-deserved popularity among Russian farmers. A cow of this breed gives a little less milk than, for example, the same Holstein. However, this cattle is considered by farmers and much more durable and resistant to diseases. This breed is bred mainly in the Krasnodar Territory, Altai, South Ural and Kazakhstan. Today it is perhaps the most common variety of cattle in southern Russia.

The average annual milk yield of cattle of this breed is 3500-4000 l. That is, with the cost of milk at 53 rubles per liter from one red steppe cow, you can get up to 212,000 r. income per year.

Yishirskiy KRS Reviews and Possible Profits

This breed, many farmers call thisthe pearl of the dairy direction. In addition to high yields, many farmers include the harmonious physique, easy adaptation to any climatic conditions, good health and unpretentiousness in the benefits of Ayshir cows. The disadvantage of the cattle of this breed is only a few aggressive and difficult.

Конечно же, многие фермеры задаются вопросом о whether it is advantageous to keep dairy cows of the Ayshir breed in a village or on a farm. In one year from one such animal get up to 4000-5000 liters of milk. Thus, a farmer containing cows of this breed can help out 53 x 5000 = 265 000 rub. / Year. Which, of course, will most likely be beneficial.

Holstein cows

From cattle this breed can get more milkthan from any other. It is the Holstein cow that is most popular with farmers in Europe, Israel and the USA. Recently, it has become widespread in Russia. Domestic farmers praise this breed not only for high milk yield, but also for relative unpretentiousness. With the observance of technology content from one such cow, you can get up to 7.5 thousand liters of milk per year. Thus, the income from the maintenance of Holstein usually amounts to 53 x 7500 = 397 500 r.

Opinion of farmers about Kholmogorsk cattle

Many farm owners are interested in profitableDo keep cows on the milk of this particular breed. Kholmogorsky cattle are divorced in our country since ancient times, and in terms of simplicity it is not inferior to the popular red steppe variety. The main advantages of these cows, farmers, among other things, include ease of acclimatization, endurance, resistance to disease and high milk yield. Up to 3300-4000 liters of milk per year can be obtained from one Kholmogorsk individual per year.

Is it profitable to keep a cow: the pros and cons of shopping

A conclusion from the above can be madeonly one. The profit to the farmer, the maintenance of cattle with the right approach to business can really bring relatively good. Herders earn the highest income if they have direct milk buyers. If they are, the farmer should definitely buy 1-2 or even 3 cows. With a herd content of 4-10 or more heads, the milk will most likely have to be handed over to the company at a rather low price. In this case, the availability of profit and its size will depend primarily on how well the farm itself is organized.