Will a Milk Cow SAVE You Money? The Surprising Truth

Owning a family milk cow can seem like a dream to some. All the farm fresh raw milk, cheese, yogurt and ice cream you can eat!
Many homesteaders want to get a dairy cow to save money on their families grocery bill... BUT does owning a dairy cow actually save you any money?
In this video we break down the expense of a family milk cow, and answer the question if it will save you money or not.
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[@greatoaksfarm4080]

The cows don’t save us money, but knowing where our fresh milk comes from and getting to enjoy all the fresh products (and unlimited butter😋) is totally worth it! 😄

[@yaima0901]

I’m trying to get a milk cow for the same reason! I want to be able to make my own butter and drink more healthy milk. But I’m afraid of the cost😭

[@helenbarrett6451]

Unlimited butter sounds great. Butter so expensive here. $13 a kilo.

[@greatoaksfarm4080]

@@helenbarrett6451 Yes! Butter is crazy everywhere right now.

[@greatoaksfarm4080]

@@yaima0901 It’s scary getting into. But there are always ways to cut costs like they mentioned in the video. If you want the cow bad enough, you can do it! We started out with a tiny shed with tarps and wonky wood. And an old, old delaval milk machine given to us by a great grandfather that used to be a dairy farmer. But hand milking is an option, and we’ve used EZ milkers for goats, (have heard their bigger models can work for cows.) Machines are the most efficient. But If in a pinch, you can make other techniques work. We were getting down to hand-milking our brown Swiss cow out in 20 mins, much more practice (and muscle) and we might have gotten it closer to 10 minutes. It’s a lot of work and commitment. But it’s worth it. And if you have kiddos, it’s a great experience for them, and great to help encourage a work ethic in them.

[@spoonikle]

How do the cows get pregnant? Do you check the status via non-consensual invasion? Do the calves get to live with mom? Do they get moms milk? When do you sell the extra calfs?

[@steveporter3929]

The time element needs to be considered too. The milk doesn't just leap into your refrigerator as the cow walks by the kitchen window, then miraculously turn itself into cheese, butter, etc. as you sleep. I would like to see you do a video on the man-hours required to get the product table ready. From building/repairing fence, working on all the infrastructure required to keep a cow, watering,feeding, cleaning milking equipment, hauling manure, finding hay to buy or baling it yourself, to the actual milking and straining the milk , separating the cream, etc. I love your video, thank you for the time you took to go through it all.

[@Homesteadyshow]

Thanks! We talk about the time involved in our most recent video Here: kzbin.info/www/bejne/rJbKoHmQiJxljLM

[@GinHindew110]

Yeah, once upon a time my dad got us a cow, it was a giant annoyance to take care of it Buying milk from the neighbor is much easier

[@mountainmama7155]

@@GinHindew110 ,I guess it depends on the mind set, and the why behind getting a cow. I have 2 very sweet Jerseys, and they are seldom annoying, plus it's a joy to receive the fresh milk and see our Mama, mother her calf.

[@_TheDudeAbides_]

Very true. So if you want to make a strictly financial comparison, you could spend all that time working an extra job and if you compare that, you end up much better, financially, working extra and then just buying dairy.

[@kathleenredick275]

​@@mountainmama7155 Jerseys are wonderful, and the most beautiful of the dairy breeds.

[@abigailgray9603]

This is such a great example of why it’s so important to crunch your own numbers and know what makes it “worth it” for you. Here in NC, I purchase 3 gallons of milk per week plus several pounds of cheese for my family of 8, and easily spend $25+. And that’s not even raw dairy products, to jump to raw products, we would need to 1) drive 45 minutes away and 2) start spending closer to $40 per week. So all that to say, the family milk cow is my next homestead goal! It’ll be worth it when the time comes.

[@Homesteadyshow]

And I really appreciated coming into it as more hobby minded. That way, any unexpected expenses (and there will always be those), don’t feel quite so discouraging.

[@promisedjubileedaniels]

Plus the relationship you build with a family milk is so special. At least, in my experience. I call my cow my emotional support cow 😆

[@AmandaIsAwesome]

@@promisedjubileedanielsI love that!!! My jersey is so sweet too!! I love her love so much! 💕

[@utubedude2842]

Buy milk goats.

[@promisedjubileedaniels]

@@utubedude2842 I've had both, and the necessary infrastructure is SO different. Our cows we only need one string of hotwire to keep them from escaping. The goats we had to have a 5ft welded wire fence to keep them from escaping (and they still escaped. OFTEN.) 🤷🏻‍♀️

[@dianeb5380]

When I was a kid in the 70's, we had one Holstein milk cow. We also had a small herd of beef cows and an Angus bull. We cut our own hay and had a few acres in corn. Also raised a few hogs, meat chickens and egg layers plus a big garden. It was a typical small family farm in the Midwest. But, there was no hay or feed being purchased. Just minerals. The cow was milked by hand into a simple bucket. She was bred to our Angus bull and her calf went into our freezer. I don't remember a vet ever being on the farm. And, her extra milk saved an orphaned calf once in awhile. And, you left out the joy of homemade ice cream on a hot summer day.

[@Homesteadyshow]

Don’t worry! That’s coming up in the next video 😁. There’s a reason I have four milk cows

[@_mamaheba1906]

جميل جدا

[@ccwriter2544]

Sounds almost exactly like my childhood!

[@howlinhairyontheprairie8261]

We had a Holstein/ Angus cross when I was a kid. We had all the milk we wanted and sold the rest for a $1 per gallon. Eggs for 50 cents a dozen. So Mom didn't have to work. Great information.

[@MagnaMater2]

We had two in the 70's, and I plan to get two again, though I don't need much milk if not for cheese. And I want two of a rare old breed, to make certain, their calfs won't be killed for meat but used for breeding. But my first try on farming will be six chickens again, we had 25 once, but those laid too many eggs for us. The neighbour said, her's don't pay, since she has rare old breeds that don't lay that many eggs, and paid more to vaccinate her chickens than their eggs are worth.

[@salemthorup9536]

We have 5 kids and we buy LOTS of dairy. Raw, grass fed dairy. We easily spend $65/wk on just dairy. Now, we'd have to learn to make lots of cheeses. We already know how to skim cream & make butter, ice cream, créme frâiche, mozzarella, sour cream, buttermilk, etc. I really think we'd end up saving lots of money and getting even better quality.

[@smitty3624]

Great video. Milk cost alone is just the tip of the iceberg too, especially with a jersey or other high milk fat breed, you can make a ton of butter that can take the place of most cooking fats, along with just putting on your toast. Then there's manure that can help grow a healthy vegetable garden, you could calf-share and raise the calf for meat, there's so much more to owning a dairy cow than just milk. Hell, might even save you money on gas for your lawn mower.

[@dmo7815]

We always raise a couple of pigs with the extra milk . Fed the pigs sowerd wheat and milk. Enjoyed spraying milk in the barn cats face! They liked it too. Angus/ Jersey

[@mandapanda7407]

My family is huge and we go through 3-7 gallons of milk a week, easily a qt of sour cream (or more), 2-3 sticks of butter, And about a half pound of cheese, depending. Coffee creamer lasts 3-4 weeks. With rising costs, and how high they already are for our area, we easily spend $40-$70 a week on dairy

[@jerrylansbury9558]

A cow can produce up to 10 gallons per day.....and your only using 3-7 gallons per week ? Average cow might produce 50 gallons per week. What becomes of the remaining milk ? A great way to get rid of it....buy a few hogs......slop them three times per day.........a cheap feed for hogs !

[@oldladyfarmer7211]

You know the old saying "Back in my day...." Well, years ago it was very profitable to have at least one dairy cow. I've been retired for awhile now (I'm pretty old)) so it was very interesting to hear your notes and quotes. Thanks for all your hard work. God bless every farmer everywhere, and every retired farmer too! ;) 👋🐂

[@boxerchick702]

I live in Florida and people actually buy cows to save on landscaping costs. If you have a cow eating year round, you save up to $100 a week on mowing costs or a few hours a week if you mow yourself. We don’t have a real winter here either, so grass grows crazy year round.

[@kathylyon8509]

Funny coming across your channel this evening. I just bought a 4 month old Jersey heifer. Looking to get another heifer in the next few weeks/months. I already raise my own beef (not cheaper but so much better). I raise my chicken/turkeys for meat and I have my layers for eggs. I have gotten into making my own butter, cheeses, and having fresh milk on hand. I pay $8 a gallon and I drive over a hour one way. Not saving anything but I know what is in my food! That is the important part for me. No chemicals, no antibiotics, or fillers added. Just wish I could have been doing this when my kids were all younger. Thank you for all your information.

[@Homesteadyshow]

That’s a HUGE motivation for us… knowing and controlling our families food! Yes! 💪

[@ThreeLittleGoats]

I wanted a milk cow, we got a milk cow. Now we have 2 milk cows and my husband wants a third! 😂

[@hazelbellefarm476]

haha can't wrong there

[@wildvillagefarm4667]

Cowculus😂

[@kalilafischer2915]

I've heard "cows are like potato chips, you can't have just one" 🤣.. We currently have one Jersey and my husband also wants a second!

[@sether2774]

cow manure, by 40 lb bag, goes for around $4.00 ($1/10lb) so you can get $10/day or $70/week selling the manure/compost to local growers....many people would love organic composted manure to add to their back yard gardens. if you compost it with worms you can also sell the worms and/or use the worms to feed chickens/fish on your farm

[@karolinakuc4783]

True. I think cows pee would also make profit. There are pharmaceutical companies that keep mares for estrogen in their pee. So why not sell them cow's pee it is also full of estrogen

[@Oldtrackfarm]

Both my husband and I was on board for the milk cow didn’t have to really convince either one of us. We have one toddler and a another baby on the way. We live in Canada and one gallon of milk is 6 dollars and i was buying 3-5 gallons a week….. let’s just say buying our current jersey milk cow was worth it. Plus she’s due to calf this summer. She’s a older cow super broke and easy to milk which is so nice. We enjoy the quality of raw milk for our family. Plus I get free therapy hanging out with my animals so it’s worth it for us.

[@TheJourneyInBetween2020]

We pay $10 a gallon....I wish we had those prices. I buy two gallons a week and only drink at breakfast and sometimes before bed....it lasts us until the next milk run....we're down to half a gallon by then.

[@suzannerichmond8677]

This is super interesting! I am from Canada, so our cost of dairy is quote a bit more especially compared with prices in Montana… I would say for 3 gallons milk, a couple pounds of butter, cream for coffee and a 700gr block of cheddar or mozzarella per week our family would spend upwards of $50 per week on dairy. But the price of a jersey is similar. Vet bills are more, as a cow always has trouble after hours in our experience. So minimum $150 to get them out here. Plus meds for an average minimum of $300. AI is roughly about the same cost. I am not sure what grain costs, but hay is more certainly. Then factor in the value of our dollar…. Considering that raw milk sales are illegal in Canada though, to have our own raw milk, where we know what is being fed to the cow, and the conditions it enjoys life in, having a family milk cow is priceless. ❤

[@plainandsimple1]

we did the math, and we're buying a jersey from calf and clover in CT for $1500, its 10$/ gallon for raw milk in NY and CT now, and 2 of us can drink 2-3 gallons a week. we eat 3-6lbs of cheese a week (8$ per lb minimum for non organic non grass fed), and 2-4 lbs of butter a week (amish roll went up to 20$ here for 2lbs). and we get high quality baleage for 60$ a round which lasts about a month for one gal during winter and have 2 acres of pasture she can graze from for spring, summer and fall.. So there is absolutely no comparison when you factor in quality grass fed and raw dairy/ butter vs high "organic" prices at the store, or the other bulk crap dairy you can purchase. Owning a diary cow made 100% sense, plus it has been my wifes dream.

[@Homesteadyshow]

Great! I love my milk cows. My best advice would be to embrace the hobby. And do one thing at a time. Cheese making is fun (especially aged cheeses) but it does come with its own set of difficulties and start up costs. And make sure you get her checked out. If she’s in milk, do a mastitis check on all four separate quarters if you can. Enjoy!

[@comradeanthony4120]

I'm a bit late to the party but I think something that isn't mentioned here that may sway things to a more favorable position is the quality of the product you get. I bet the milk, cheese, and butter you get yourself tastes so much better than anything a grocery store can get. There's a reason high quality restaurants source from local farms NOT local grocery stores.

[@jasonrobertson1284]

Surprisingly, not so much. Raw milk does to me taste better, and my kids but the local farms also supply land o lakes, rothstien(sp?) And some others. I can say I see these cows daily 6+ local farms and most of them free range and just hang out, happy and friendly cows. Cost is the main reason to direct from farm plus shelf stable duration. I will say only worked at one nice place and we just ordered milk bulk in bags from hood.

[@lexieb7053]

Thanks for your honesty. I know I definitely don’t save money on my cow either but that’s not the reason we have her. Quality counts for so much and self sustainability too. :-) We’re planning to save up for a milk pump, that’s another big expense. Looking forward to seeing Kay’s upcoming video.

[@Homesteadyshow]

Keep checking on Craigslist for a milk pump. Also, did you check out the cow milking equipment group on Facebook? Maybe you’ll find something there

[@lexieb7053]

@@Homesteadyshow i keep checking for an older surge milker. Im hoping we can find one and just buy some new parts. We should be fine hand milking for a bit (I hope). We got a heifer and she’s going to calve in the coming weeks!

[@roadschoolerusa9621]

we got ours for 70 bucks online, plastic made. not the best quality but it works for us now.

[@toobaffled_on_X_site]

Bracharia grass

[@cassalynnvictoria1496]

Most little girls want a pony when they are younger but I always wanted a cow lol. This year I will be purchasing land for my first homestead and I can’t wait to get a cow.

[@justinfowler8004]

We got our first milk cow in July 2022, and did the math (so we thought). Our family of 7 goes through a lot of milk, butter, cheese, etc. I am now trying to convince myself she is worth the cost, even though in my heart, feel that we should sell her. Hay has been through the roof for us this year.

[@Homesteadyshow]

It’s not easy. Especially with the prices of feed and hay going so high

[@JoeSmith-sl9bq]

Unless you grow your own hay and feed no farm animal pays off

[@Snappypantsdance]

Do you feel that you need to contemplate the future availability and cost of the things you now produce? I guess it depends on how you look at everything and how you see the world going…🤷‍♀️

[@michellejugao4091]

You probably *did* do the math, but the prices of feed are climbing and outrageous.

[@jvin248]

Do you have space to supplement purchased feed with what you can grow, like corn and corn stalks (silage)? Winter rye is very hardy and might be a grain option. I'm using rye as a cover crop to suppress weeds by rolling it down as mulch and planting heirloom corn into that (heirloom corn has double and triple the protein as gmo-hybrids in store-bought corn feed).

[@MattgIH]

I milk 240 cows a day. The grain bill alone a month is about $25,000. We're shipping about 16,000 lbs of milk a day at roughly $20 a hundred weight of milk. I love farming I've done it my whole life.

[@holinessredneck1]

I’m using my husbands account please ignore the name lol but wow this is by far the best video out there. I have been doing my research and this is just amazing information. I did my weekly dairy budget and I don’t think my family of four is normal my one year old alone drinks almost a gallon a day we buy eat 4 gallons a week of milk not counting yogurt, cream cheese, cheese of all forms, butter etc I think for us it would come out very close but we wouldn’t be settling for the unknown of what’s going in the milk products. I say all this to say thank you for this video it may take awhile to come to pass but this is a goal for my family for sure! Thanks again for all of this a new faithful subscriber-Jewels

[@hotliks40]

I'm sure most don't do it to save money..soo many reasons to have your own cow /cows to milk

[@BigRedRockeater1930]

Wonderful video. Very enlightening and grateful since I've been considering having a cow on my property. One thing they overlooked was the cost in labor and time required to extract value from their cow. i.e. the milking, making cheese and cottage cheese, etc. Regardless, I think the labor involved is irrelevant to anyone, like me, considering getting a milk cow. Anyone that would spend $2-$3,000 for a milk cow is doing it for the "family pet" and the fulfilment that comes with the process of producing one's own milk and dairy products, not to spend all of that money just to save $10-$20 in dairy expense. Still, it was awesome to see how you itemized the expenses. Excellent!

[@shaunhall960]

I'm not a farmer but I I'm in the process of living off grid and having livestock as well as a greenhouse. This video has given me a new appreciation of farmers and how much hard work they put in. I'm looking forward to living off the land as much as I can.

[@farmerboybill]

I grew up on a 60 cow dairy farm. I worked on several dairies in the area, and did an educational exchange in northern Germany. I’ve milked a lotta cows. We had the biggest dairy barn on our road in the 80’s and 90’s. There were 7 farms milking then. The same road now has 2 dairies and one milks more than all of us back then. Mennonites have moved in the the last 20 years and have taken over and rebuilt a lot of small dairy barns, but the prevailing trend is more cows concentrated into bigger and bigger buildings.

[@joshnuttall9185]

To be up front, I've never worked on a farm and know nothing about raising livestock. But I've always been curious about it. Even though raising livestock and having a milk cow is more expensive if it's just a hobby and not a business, I can think of a lot of reasons to have one anyway. Emotional benefits, work ethic, teaching kids so many awesome life lessons, etc. I think it would be awesome to have a milk cow.

[@somethinggreenacres6433]

Great video, very well done. Thank you!

[@promisedjubileedaniels]

We ended up with our cow on accident, so she was free. We get our feed for 1 cow essentially free because she gets offcuts from my husband's work, which we supplement with some hay during the winter, grazing in the summer, and minerals. She got an umbilical infection when she was born, so we spent about $50 on antibiotics and probiotics. Then when she was about 6-months-old we bought hoof trimming things for about $100, and two 2-gallon milk buckets for another $60. We got the shed we're converting into a loafing shed for $60. We traded farm-sitting for her breeding by a Belted Galloway bull, so that was essentially free. So all-in we're at about $1200, but that's spread over 2 years (she's calving for her first time in April).

[@rnupnorthbrrrsm6123]

Wow that is great !!! I’m a tad bit jealous 😉

[@promisedjubileedaniels]

@@rnupnorthbrrrsm6123 I still sometimes can't even believe it. All the pieces just came together 🤷🏻‍♀️ It was God. Only He can do crazy things like that.

[@aliceh5289]

​@@promisedjubileedaniels praise God! ❤

[@promisedjubileedaniels]

@@aliceh5289 absolutely! Feels like there's nobody else that could have managed it!

[@justmeandmypreferences]

We DO save money! A good reason to get a grass-only Dexter. Our Dexter milk cow is 1/4 Jersey. In her first freshening, we are getting 3/4 of a gallon every day (we calf-share and only milk once a day), which granted isn't a lot but, as a family of 6, we don't use more than that. We have to buy about half our hay and also provide minerals. Unless we are in a drought, we use very little hay in the summer months. Our costs - averages throughout the year are maybe $20/month after purchase. And we consider the purchase price being covered by the calves that fill our freezer (also on grass).

[@homesteadwithhannah]

Striking a balance between cost vs. efficiency vs. intention is so difficult when choosing what to add to your homestead! thanks for walking us through your decision making process.

[@ericamonroe5404]

The way I figured out cost (minus initial startup) was calculating per gallon cost. I am at about $6 a gallon because feed is SO high. BUT I cannot come close to that if I bought it similar quality. Raw milk sells for like $14 a gallon. Insane. So I guess my thinking is that it’s not necessarily saving me money (because I wouldn’t buy raw milk at that price), but it’s allowing it to be somewhat more affordable. Hoping this year we’ll make some money on cow shares if she ups her production after calving again! 🎉

[@drseanpatrick696]

Grass is expensive?

[@ColRubyDimplesManacha]

I'm the one trying to get a mini Jersey in my family. This is a wealth of info! Thank you both so much!

[@backachershomestead]

We have beef cattle but added a dairy calf. It will be awhile till she's ready. We use round bales. But small square range from $6-$10 here.

[@PastureGlory]

The grass goes dormant in Florida too. I live in Tampa and my parents live in Ocala and have a boarding stable. Their hay usage increases and their pasture time decreases in the winter. In Tampa I can't even let my chickens or rabbits graze the yard right now because they've eaten it down to nearly dirt and I'm waiting for enough warm weather to get it growing again. And I wish I could get my hay for $4 a bale, that must be the bulk price not the feed store price. Thanks for making the video!

[@ancestralpolitics7433]

To purchase raw A2A2 milk in my area (what I would get from the milk cow we would have) is $18/gallon. To get 3 gallons per day would absolutely break the budget. I don't currently get 3 gallons per day, usually around 3 gallons per week. That does not include cheeses, sour cream, butter, yogurt, cream cheese, and other dairy products I currently purchase. Getting 3 gallons per day would allow me to sell or give away some plus would encourage me to make all of the other dairy products I currently buy at home. I have made my own butter in the past (just put the cream in the mixer for a while and wash the butter for 5 mins afterward), yogurt (instant pot), and sour cream (instant pot). I have seen cream cheese made and the only item that takes real time seems to be making cheddar cheese. The chicken math also didn't seem to work out either when we got them, but our monthly budget somehow went down after we got them. We ended up replacing some of our other non-egg recipes with recipes that had eggs at the center. So now we buy less meat and we make meals from our eggs and veggie garden. Not to mention the chicken stock/broth and the occasional chicken noodle soup we get from after the hens are done laying or we hatch out too many roosters. I can imagine having access to that much healthy milk will have somewhat of a similar effect. There are so many little things that build long-lasting benefits from these types of moves that are nearly impossible to quantify. We haven't talked about health benefits, the community that gets built from being able to give these things freely, the connection to our roots and nature, the lessons it teaches us and our children, etc. It's a lot of up-front investment that turns into generations of benefits.

[@treyb387]

The quality of the milk fresh from a cow is probably astronomically better than store bought. Of course the bonding with the animal and family and ability to sell the milk products is great. However it is a huge commitment in time and money and people should consider if it's for them. I live in rural Pennsylvania and love driving by farms and admire the amount of work these honest and hardworking farmers put in to provide fresh quality produce to us all year round.

[@mountainmama7155]

We got our 2 Jerseys at the sale barn for about 1,100 for both. We felt so blessed to get them for this price!

[@hannahtiemstra8173]

Our average dairy bill (local grocery) $50 (Alberta, Canada). We are a family of 5, 3 kids under 6. Dairy is crazy expensive. But so is feeding any animal right now.

[@kalilafischer2915]

I was going to say, we spent an average of $50 a week on dairy as well. We're also in AB, Canada. (So that's about $35-$40 USD a week). We have 4 kids and eat a lot of dairy too. I looked at the price of butter yesterday and it was $7.89 a pound! The $6 stuff was all completely sold out. Made me thankful for our Jersey girl we've been milking since September. Our cow may not be saving us money yet, but if the prices continue to go the way they're going, I think we made a wise choice. Not to mention the health benefits of raw milk, which is illegal to buy or sell in Canada. 🤨 That's the main reason we got a milk cow, we wanted the benefits of raw milk and couldn't buy it legally/easily around here. We could also 100% make money off of selling our cow's milk, we have a lot of friends who want to drink it. Hopefully Canada changes that stupid law at some point.

[@silverfox4055]

My partner and I both want the cow 😆 We would be growing our own beef too and also hunting and gardening, so really the only stuff we will be buying are clothes, shoes, salt, and the likes. Homesteading is what we've always wanted.

[@JayneCobb88]

I make money with numbers pretty close to yours Cow produces about 20 gal/week. 4 to drinking, 3 to butter / cream, 3 to cheese. Eliminates our $37.58 / week dairy. Plus we sell 3 cow shares which means we deliver 9 gallons per week to 3 families for $6 per gallon. That pays for our cow, we get dairy for free. Saves about $2k per year. Plus we get high quality diary which would have doubled our weekly cost. Saves $4k. Plus we get manure for the garden.

[@somebodyssomethin]

I want the cow and I’ve finally convinced my partner. I’m currently working on turning a few acres of blackberry bushes to pasture so I’m a few years. So I’m keeping goats for brush control and to get some experience before moving up to cattle!

[@heathab1539]

People are kidding themselves if they think they only spend 10 to 20 bucks on all the dairy, they must just be thinking in milk 🤣

[@Michelle_M_Collins]

This video was so helpful. It’s as if you made it just for me! Thank you

[@sether2774]

cows like squash/pumpkins as well and squash and many smaller varieties of pumpkins last 6-12 months so they are great items to help supplement feeding over the winter and are very healthy. you can even feed the seeds to your chickens and the rest to your cows (or pigs/goats/sheep)

[@ThisBeautifulFarmLife]

And the seeds are also a natural wormer!

[@LorienDrechsler]

You don't save money at $52/week?! I just checked with some small local dairy farms around me (Southern Oregon prices from yesterday) and the price of raw milk is between $40/gallon to $80/gallon!!! My jaw hit the floor when I found that out. For a family of 4 that drinks a couple of gallons per week, having your own dairy cow totally makes sense. At least here, anyway.

[@lacilynwalsh6489]

You should do this with chickens! The break down cost for your laying flock. If you haven’t already, I’m new here but love y’all’s Chanel so far. Trying to talk the hubby into chickens since that or rabbits are really all we can have where we are at right now.

[@JoeSmith-sl9bq]

Chickens should cost you about a grand total of zero dollars a month

[@clairaragon2881]

We spend 20 dollars on feed every 6 weeks or so in spring and summer. We spend 40 in the winter for the extra grain so they don't freeze. Ours are completely free-range. Our chickens costs abour 3-400 dollars a year. Do we get that much from eggs? No! Definitely not even close. We have 25 chickens. Our family can't eat eggs from the store. It makes us deftly sick, so it made sense. Chickens are great to have but if you can buy chicken eggs from a store, it is much easier. And...they dont lay when you need the eggs the most during the holidays because that is when they molt here so that sucks.

[@judy3460]

I look at it as an investment into my own and family’s health. You know what the cow is fed and how it gets treated, etc.

[@hutotgab]

Unbelievable how much valuable information you are sharing with us. Can’t thank enough! God bless you!

[@Joybells06]

Loved it, I'm from New Zealand, some parts of nz do snow but I live where it doesn't, more subtropical. I do want a cow 🐄 thanks for the info and look forward to hearing more on other animals 😊

[@gracemccolley7490]

Thanks for making this. I hope to someday have a dairy cow (not sure how my hubby feels lol). I'd say we spend about $35 on dairy a week but out kids are still small so this'll be a good thing to justify getting a cow when the kids are getting into their teen years as I'm sure we'd be spending around $50 a week by then

[@censusgary]

Here in far south Texas, grass grows year-round. But farmers and ranchers still feed their cattle hay. I don’t keep cattle, so I don’t know the details of why.

[@philbalasa8056]

Spot on! You guys nailed it! I never expected to make money on my cows! Made all the errors myself! Subscriber for life guys! Love the 'stach'!

[@countcoupblessings979]

This is great , thank you guys SO much for making this one ! Hey , did I catch you say something about being in Pa ? lol i'm new here ,maybe I'm wrong or it is a well known thing . Thanks again .

[@fadedrose100]

Excellent video! I think it's great to talk about the reality of keeping animals. I know you probably have family and friends who would care for your animals if you ever wanted or needed to spend time away from the farm but for others they might need to hire a farm sitter. That seems like it could be a big expense. It can start to weigh on you over time if you can't ever be gone for even a few days.

[@Homesteadyshow]

We actually do hire a house sitter. That’s another great thing to remember!

[@orpheusthracianbard1902]

Just wanted to express my gratitude for all of the excellent content created over the years. So with that being said, thank you.

[@Homesteadyshow]

Thank you!!

[@Fleurdecarmel]

Thank you so much for this very informative video! My family and I are hoping to get a milk cow!

[@janetbradfield7146]

We just love the cruelty free aspect of having our own milk cow. Our Jersey girl still has her calf and we get to enjoy sufficient raw milk for our needs. We simply tie her to a post with a bucket of food and hand milk her. It's a rewarding exchange and we get to spend time in different paddocks enjoying the scenery.

[@moonafarms1621]

But mama cow will not produce milk forever. Do you plan on keeping every single cow she births? Baby cows are what humans call "veal." :( I don't believe that to be cruelty free.

[@valhallabound3938]

@@moonafarms1621 its not really your business lol. Most people sell the calfs as they closer to market age. Making a pretty penny. A jersey mini can breed several times in her life, giving a small homestead plenty of milk. Not all calfs become veal, but if a rancher decides to sell for veal, it's not really your place to judge. We understand someone will always come judging and giving you sht for owning and raising livestock. I guess when even the crappy store milk is 7$ a gallon, yall might just leave people alone, mind ya business.

[@tomcondon6169]

Another plus is the-I forget-AA+(?) genetics of the milk. Southern European cattle have a factor to the milk that resembles the cells of a person's heart valve. If you have intestinal issues, and any of that milk crosses the barrier to the blood without digesting, the immune system will recognize 8t as a threat, and then target the heart valve of the person.

[@davehoover8214]

Awesome video guys. Split that between 2 or 3 families and you get quite the savings!!!

[@AlvinKazu]

"Over $30, yeah i have a problem." These are Rookie numbers. TL;DR A gallon of milk where I am currently is ($15 or $18 for A2 Jersey I believe, or $12 for milk from a friend's farm that is half holstein half something else, less fat on the $12 milk). plus 45 cents per pound and the milk is capped at 3pounds each gallon, so an additional $1.35 for delivery to the drop off point. There were times I would drink a gallon a day, and would spend about $100 a week on milk, which is insanity. Last week I purchased 3 gallons non A2 and that was $45. Remember, this is just Milk. I spend $11 per pound on a 5+ pound block of Cheddar. Yogurt, which I don't buy anymore, is $6 for a quart container, $17 per pound for butter(which is an excellent price compared to other butter) which I haven't tried yet. They also have sour cream for $11 or so per pint, cream is $30 per quart, sometimes they make cottage cheese which is I think $12.50 for a quart, whey which is $5 now, but was $7 the last batch. So I could easily spend $150 a week on Dairy. ----------------------------- I will say that when I first started in 2018, I was purchasing milk for $5 a gallon at a local farm, then it raised to $6 a gallon, and then there was another farm that was 45 mins away that is chemical-free and organic that was 8$ or so per gallon (not too sure on prices there now, will have ot check, but i believe it was about the same when i went there June 2022). Then I was buying from another farm out of state and getting it delivered, and I would spend $70 or so on 3 gallons a week and I did that for 2020-2022 I believe. The farm's prices on goods went up a few times due to what's going on in the last few years, and the final nail in the coffin was when they switched from a $9 flat delivery fee, plus $1.25 per pound, to $1.65 and no extra chafge, which made milk $20 or so extra for a 6 pack of half gallons. This was after they went from Milk being weighed at 3lbs, to actual weight of 8.6lbs, which made delivery fee that much crazier when it went from $1.25 to $1.65. So now, even though their half gallon is $6.30, you're paying double that to ship it, so when I pay $18 a gallon here and it's not shipped, I'm saving money. Then I found this local farm in early 2022, but didn't start going until August or so last year, because they wouldn't answer my questions via email and I don't like calling when I have questions as it's easier to keep everything in one place, because I LIke to know what sort of farm practices they do, etc, etc, before I purchase food. I'm extremely careful with whatI buy, and I haven't shopped in supermarkets for YEARS now. I eventually just said screw it because they were selling worm castings which i needed for my new garden, so I jumped on that right away and decided to try milk and such too. After trying their farm foods and asking all sorts of questions to the delivery team (who aren't the farmers but a local farm friends who do the rabbit and some other items that the farm sells) The milk was $1 less at the start of the year, and the raised the prices recently on everything by about a dollar or so. I want a dairy cow(I want a herd) so bad!

[@lascauxpermaculturegardens9601]

I think it's complex situation and it's not always easy to quantify. Today, the price of regula food has nearly doubled in some cases, organic, wellbeing farm dairy products are more difficult to find or you have to travel further. We have a close loop system, nothing goest to waste, anything left from the dairy process goes to the pigs and chickens which reduces their feed cost. If you grow food /ornamentals then your cow is the best fertiliser producer their is! Again here , we make compost bins in the chicken enclosures and they feed or the bugs and worms whilst compost is being made. On top of that gives you an offspring to monetise or use as food. We buy large bales of hay, and the cost is halved , buy the grain from a local farmer almost half price from the shop which makes it very affordable.

[@geoffreymoore9215]

I was hoping that I could show my husband this and bring him on board for my cow😢

[@dagrimclasher1626]

We have our grain delivered in bulk by our local co-op it saves a ton on grain, then we purchase cow and chicken proteins to mix our own feed.

[@abuelitacaicedo3185]

We had chickens and enjoyed the eggs but no way did they pay for themselves. Too many sometimes $none at others but it was fun to have them😊

[@dreamcastH]

I think this is an excellent break down. Most modern cows are bred for high agricultural output. 3 gallons of whole milk a day would be way to much for my household and wouldn't justify the investment without it being a business.

[@justmeandmypreferences]

Look into Dexters and Dexter crosses. A family-size amount of production.

[@dreamcastH]

ill do that, thank you!@@justmeandmypreferences

[@LetsLiveUpstream]

Well, we had to laugh at the poll. We drink a gallon a day and travel in a RV while we look for land. We buy 14 gallons every 2 weeks and it ranges from $8-15 per gallon so I think we'll definitely save money once we have our milk cow! But I know we're probably an anomaly. 😂

[@keencreek]

Thanks for this video! I used to milk three jerseys and a holstein twice a day and sell the milk. The sales washed out costs and left us with a LOT of milk.

[@cnfische86]

Thank you for this. Honestly don’t believe I could put the pump on without puking.

[@MRC11064]

Back in the day when it there was no refrigeration and it was common for a family to have their own milk cow: They didn't go the extreme of vet visits and hoof filing..etc. They knew how to take care of a cow just the same as cleaning a barn. They knew how to harvest, dry and store their own hay and not always from a field. An unattended ground can grow plenty of grass. Is there care in having a cow: Yes, but with knowledge and a different mind set, you can bypass most of those expenses. Don't go for the cow bred for the need of all that expensive requirements. You may not get as much milk, but you will get what you need and still eat healthier. You are still falling into the need for better and dependent on others. You are starting to lose the definition of "off grid". Off grid should mean less dependability, not more.

[@cynthiag3065]

This was so helpful. Thank you for sharing your experience.

[@rickiests]

Great video! Thank you for all the hard work you did to get all the numbers down. It was very helpful!

[@Homesteadyshow]

😁 thanks for watching Rickie!

[@mosaicfarm2389]

I considered my milk cow to be an expensive pet that adds value to the farm. We spend around $5k a year (not including infrastructure & labor) to keep a herd of 3 dexter cows, a bull and 2 steers each year. It costs more than cheap meat/dairy at the store but it's much higher quality and aligns with our values. Something you didn't mention is your opportunity cost of labor.

[@Homesteadyshow]

That is a good point, that is another 'cost' IF you don't really want to be milking a cow. I know for me (Aust) I don't really like the dairy cow daily chore grind, and so yeah the opportunity cost is big for me, I would rather be hunting or fishing :) K on the other hand most of the time enjoys the dairy lifestyle, but even she will tell you that it is a grind when you are on a 2 times a day every day milking schedule.

[@brentthebloodhound]

Awesome job! i love numbers and love farming. I dont have a cow but i have thought about it. You guys have an awesome channel!

[@nybeca]

so good.. love the practical breakdown

[@anthonyneitzke2521]

If you make sure you are getting good grass into her in the summer and good quality hay in the winter you could honestly probably get by with 1 lb of grain per gallon of milk. On our herd we peak around 55 pounds (about 7 gallons) per day. The ones that peak in summer will get about 4-7 lbs of grain depending on what we have for grass. The ones that peak in winter will still only be getting around 12 lbs of grain

[@9252LIFE]

Thanks for the video. Very good information. Have a great weekend!

[@jaredmills06]

I feel quite fortunate. Being in Sydney, Australia, for $3800 US (~$5350 AU) we can get 4-6 jersey cows, tested, drenched, in their prime, along with all the automated milking machines. Of course, it is against the law here to sell raw milk so we have to pasteurise it as well before we can sell it, which adds time and costs.

[@C-Culper4874]

A good idea is to feed winter hay in one spot. It is great compost for raised beds. I feed my cows in one place for a time then move hay rings. You don't have to milk twice a day. They will produce milk in relation to how much they are milked. They will need higher protein feed to produce higher quantities. Jerseys are great cows for individuals. Holsteins eat quite a bit more.

[@allysonmurray1731]

Florida has a couple months where the grass grows slow, but never dies back totally.

[@oscarbenigsen4538]

The 2 out of 10 who reported saving money without business use of the cow are likely not factoring in the labor and energy expenses required to feed, milk, equip repair, clean, lighting, heating, milk cooling, birth care, and make products (like cheeses and butter) from the cow. All told, the cost will easily exceed $100 a week vs $20. But comparing goods from your own cow vs factory farmed goods is like comparing a ribeye steak to a McRib.

[@kmpage333]

Oklahoma - you can grow grass (wheat or rye) all winter. Summer, not so much.

[@russellaustin4988]

You get to control your milk. Priceless

[@chriscarter5846]

I farm in Canada so the law with raw milk is vary different here. It is 100% not allowed to sell raw milk or any other dairy products straight from your farm . That being said it is still profitable to have a dairy cow IF and it's a big If, first thing is a dairy cow is dirty cheap here. I can buy a good genetic dairy breed calf for $100 wait 2 years before she is bred and has had a calf but it costs me $600 a year for feed, minerals and everything needed for good health so then you have $1300 invested. Now the way to make money is to utilize the milk never have any waste, a dairy cow produces 8 gallons a day! I can have fresh milk every day so that's about 1/3 gallon a day for the household the rest is used for freshly weined piglets the milk gets them to a awesome start and fast growth then you can also use it on chickens so in the long run I'm actually getting the amount that $12,000 of feed would be if I supplemented the pigs and chickens with store bought extra feeds. That's my way

[@RealVedicAstrology]

It mainly depends on how frugally you raise the cows, if the pasture is big enough to raise the cows with almost no hay and if you just keep the cows in very basic shelters or no shelters and use only your hands and a bucket for milking, then yes you can save money with milk cows. But no if you spoil the cows and overstock the pasture then you won’t save any money lol. Plus if you buy super expensive milk cows you’re spending more money, there’s Holstein heifers around my area for $500-$1000, if I had enough pasture to add a big Holstein I definitely would.

[@nicolemcn]

I only spend about $20/week on dairy products BUT I also don't buy expensive dairy. We buy raw milk but cheese, yogurt, butter, etc is all bottom of the barrel cheaper varieties. I bet if we swapped over those options for pasture raised butter with no fillers, real real cheese with just milk and enzymes we'd easily be spending $50/week on dairy. So I'd say if food quality and eating "real" food is important to you then a home dairy cow can definitely help you save money.

[@brandynash1409]

I spend $32 a week on 4 gallons of milk. The owner skims the milk for their family to make butter. They didn’t buy the cow for milk.... they bought it for the butter. I do get a small amount of cream. I would come out way cheaper for $50/ week. I would get a lot more milk and the cream. I wouldn’t need to buy so much butter or yogurt each week. We go through a lot of mozzarella cheese too... and I know that’s an easy cheese. I would probably save money. And we would have fresh milk daily instead of week old milk by the end of the week. Which does change in flavor. We have had milk goats for years. So, milking isn’t new to me. I’d love a single cow and a couple sheep (have have sheep already) to roam our pasture. I actually didn’t have a problem with goats. And we milked our sheep too. But, I’d like to expand my skills.

[@CynBrown]

Great video Aust and Kay. I love the break downs

[@Homesteadyshow]

Thanks Cyndi!

[@fredbecker607]

We have had dairy goats for several years.they supply more than enough milk for us along with yogurt and cheese. Goats are cheaper and smaller . Less feed required.

[@evelyntorres7369]

Yeah we buy close 4 gal of regular milk and 2 of raw a week. Not counting cheese and butter. Heavy cream too. So $20 in raw milk alone. $10 for heavy cream half gal. It’s easily 32$ per week on milk alone.

[@ladywatcher12]

Just a few ideas of other ways you actually save money from having a milk cow : 1) money not spent on doctor visits because of better overall health from consuming raw milk products. 2) money not spent on dentistry because of increased dental health from consuming raw milk products. 3) money not spent on fertilizers for plants and trees not only because of composting manure, but diluting the skim milk and applying as a foliar spray. Plus lots more... thanks for this basic analysis 😊

[@willbass2869]

All those are "make believe" numbers. No one can seriously say drinking house cow milk saved them a trip to the doctor or prevented a cavity. That's delusional.

[@cameronobrien7303]

That's a good deal you were getting before buying a cow. I spend 16 - 18 / galon north of Chicago.

[@goldgildedgirl3786]

I spend $17/gallon for raw milk in Northern California! We easily go through 1.5-2 gallons a week.

[@suzannewieler5384]

We spend about $43 a week on dairy which is butter, cheese, cream and milk, it isn’t including yogurt, cottage cheese, sour cream, cream cheese and kefir. I would like to buy that stuff but can’t afford the crazy prices!

[@Brody2477]

I wouldn’t care whether or not it was cost effective…I would just love a house cow. We always had several cows at any one time when I was young. They are just so comforting! I would also be agreeable at butchering the bull calves when they are ready.

[@GoldenEraFarms]

when you consider future health care costs from consuming poor quality processed dairy the cost of maintaining the cow is far cheaper... but yes they are expensive.

[@salemthorup9536]

I've really come to appreciate the stache. Congrats on pulling it off. I stand corrected.

[@danielking2944]

All the feed and hay is fertilizer whether it passed through the cow or not. You are putting fertility in your soil bank if it is managed properly.

[@peteverhelst2088]

I have had a milk cow when I was a teenager. It was never about saving money for my parents but about having fresh milk. Now the question is what are you doing with the fresh milk. Is it your milk only or also your cream and butter. But there is more namely a new calf each year. Do you turn that calf into meat? And what is that worth? Right now I have a pregnant heifer in the pasture ,( I live in Canada and have to feed hay and grain in the winter), she should calf end of may. Will I milk her? Maybe , but it wasn’t my original plan. My plan was to put 2 calves on her. Will it work? She is a brown Swiss cross and has great mothering qualities , which can be seen in how she treats the calf I bought her to keep her company this winter. There could be different complications yet come may, I will find out!

[@rebeccagrimsley7260]

I want the cow. Have had several over the years. I miss it really bad. I don’t drink milk but love love cream and cheese and butter and whipped cream and fruit. I need a milk cow. I spend probably $40 a week on dairy but never buy milk. Sold the 125 acre farm and moved to city 5 years ago. Bought 7.5 acre mini farm in Florida few months ago working on cleaning it up. Once we get fencing and barn my cow is next. I’m so excited

[@thegreathites]

Thank you both for this. This is something we have always thought about but had not tried. It definitely gives me something to thing about for the future.