🐄 FS25 — Animal Husbandry Deep Dive
Data version: FS25 1.5 | Covers all animal types, feed chains, products, and advanced management
🐔 Animal Types & Housing
| Animal | Purchase Cost | Building | Building Cost | Capacity |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Chickens | $480 (6 chicks) | Chicken Coop | $18,000 | 48 |
| Large Coop | — | Chicken Coop (L) | $32,000 | 96 |
| Dairy Cow | $2,500/head | Cow Barn | $42,000 | 20 |
| Beef Cow | $1,800/head | Cow Barn (L) | $85,000 | 50 |
| Sheep | $1,200/head | Sheep Barn | $28,000 | 30 |
| Pig | $1,000/head | Pig Sty | $35,000 | 40 |
| Horse | $3,500/head | Horse Pasture | $22,000 | 6 |
Tip: Start with chickens — a full coop costs $18,480 and pays for itself in under 2 months.
🌾 Feed Production Chains
| Feed | Composition | Production Method | Used By |
|---|---|---|---|
| Grass | Fresh cut | Mow meadow | Sheep, Horses, Beef Cows |
| Hay | Dried grass | Tedder → Windrow → Bale | Cows (winter), Sheep |
| Silage | Fermented grass/corn | Forage harvester → Silo | Cows (TMR ingredient) |
| TMR | Silage 50% + Hay 30% + Straw 20% | Mixer Wagon ($18K) | Dairy Cows (max yield) |
| Grain | Wheat/Barley/Oats | Harvest → Silo | Chickens, Pigs, Horses |
| Root Crops | Potatoes, Beets | Harvest → Root Silo | Pigs only |
TMR (Total Mixed Ration) boosts dairy cow milk yield by +40% over hay. Prioritize a Mixer Wagon once you have multiple cows.
🥚 Daily Products & Profit
| Animal | Product | Daily Qty | Sell Price | Revenue/Month | ROI |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Chicken | Eggs | 0.5–1 L | $2,200/1000L | $96/mo | 0.8 mo |
| Dairy Cow (TMR) | Milk | 30–55 L | $450/1000L | $1,500/mo | 1.7 mo |
| Dairy Cow (Hay) | Milk | 20–35 L | $450/1000L | $936/mo | 2.7 mo |
| Sheep | Wool | 12–20 L | $3,800/1000L | $672/mo | 1.8 mo |
| Horse | Riding | $150/day rental | — | $1,800/mo | 2.0 mo |
Product yield depends on feed quality, cleanliness (−25% if dirty), and health.
Tip: Dairy cows with TMR generate the highest absolute monthly profit. The extra 40% yield easily justifies the Mixer Wagon investment.
🚛 Animal Transport & 🐖 Manure Management
Transport
| Equipment | Cost | Capacity |
|---|---|---|
| Animal Trailer (Small) | $6,500 | 8 chickens / 2 cows |
| Animal Trailer (Large) | $14,000 | 16 chickens / 6 cows |
| Loading Ramp | $4,200 | Required for all |
Workflow: Park ramp at pen → back trailer to ramp → press R → load → unload at destination.
Manure → Fertilizer Chain
| Manure Type | Source | Equipment | Field Value |
|---|---|---|---|
| Liquid Slurry | Pigs | Slurry Tanker ($12K–$24K) | Saves $150/ha |
| Solid Manure | Cows + Pigs (with straw) | Manure Spreader ($8K–$35K) | Saves $200/ha |
| Compost | Solid + Straw | Compost Heap ($16K) | Saves $300/ha |
🤖 Automatic Feeding Systems
| System | Cost | Labor Saved | Payback Period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Auto-Feeder (Chicken) | $6,000 | 100% feeding | 2.2 years |
| Auto-Feeder (Cow) | $12,000 | 100% feeding | 4.4 years |
| Auto-Feeder (Sheep) | $5,000 | 100% feeding | 1.8 years |
| Robotic Milker | $85,000 | 95% milking | 8 years |
| Manure Removal Bot | $22,000 | 80% cleaning | 3.5 years |
Tip: The Robotic Milker enables a 50+ cow dairy run solo. Without it, large dairies are unmanageable. Buy auto-feeders before the milker.
🌿 Pasture Rotation & Winter Prep
Grass regrowth stages: Short (1d, 1,000L) → Medium (3d, 2,500L) → Long (5d, 4,000L) → Flowering (7d, 5,500L max).
4-paddock rotation: Graze 1 paddock for 3 days, rotate. By day 12, paddock 1 regrows to Stage 3+. Mow excess in summer for winter hay/silage.
Winter: Grass stops Nov–Feb. A 50-cow herd needs 720,000 L of stored feed for 4 winter months. Stockpile hay bales in summer.
Quick Tips
- Chickens first — fastest ROI, learn feed mechanics cheaply
- TMR for dairy — 40% yield boost over hay alone
- Pigs are fertilizer makers — their value is in the manure cycle, not direct sales
- Auto-feeder before milker — feeding is the bigger time sink
- Clean barns = healthy animals — dirty barns lose 25% production immediately
- Sell wool at seasonal peaks — prices fluctuate like grain