Milk/Farming Simulator 19
Milk is a type of Material in Farming Simulator 19 that is produced by Cows and can be sold for money at Basic Sale Points.
Milk is produced whenever a Cow Pasture contains at least some amount of Water as well as one or more types of cow food, including either Grass, Hay, Silage, or Total Mixed Ration.
Each Cow produces anywhere between 30 and 150 liters of Milk per day. The exact value is based on the food types available (with Total Mixed Ration giving the most milk), whether the Cow Pasture contains any Straw, and whether the feeding area at the pasture is kept clean.
Milk can be collected from the Cow Pasture using a Water Tanker capable of carrying it. Only two models in the base game can carry Milk.
Milk is sold at any Sale Point that accepts Crops. It sells for an average of $1.26 per liter at "normal" economic difficulty. Milk has no other use except as a sold commodity.
Production
Milk is produced exclusively by Cows in a Cow Pasture. In this game, you will need to purchase and place your own Cow Pasture on the map.
To begin producing Milk, you will need to purchase at least one Cow, and provide it with both Water and at least one type of cow food (either Grass, Hay, Silage or Total Mixed Ration). As long as all of the ingredients are present inside the Cow Pasture, each Cow will produce a certain amount of Milk every 15 minutes of in-game time.
The exact quantity of Milk produced per cow depends on the current "Productivity" factor of the Cow Pasture, which is displayed in the Animals menu. The higher the Productivity, the more Milk is produced by each cow.
Productivity is determined by the following three factors:
- The type of food given to your cows.
- Whether or not the cows are supplied with Straw bedding.
- Whether or not the feeding area at the Pasture is kept clean.
Food has the largest effect on Productivity. Whichever is the best food currently stored in the Cow Pasture determines the base Productivity level, as per the values below:
| Best Food Available | Productivity | Estimated Milk Production per Cow per Day (liters) |
|---|---|---|
| Grass | 20% | 30 |
| Hay or Silage | 60% | 90 |
| Total mixed ration | 80% | 120 |
Productivity is only affected by the best food type available. The cows will only consume that food type as long as there is any to consume.
After that, if the Cow Pasture contains any amount of Straw, Productivity is increased by exactly 10%.
Finally, the game checks the current Cleanliness level of the feeding area at the Cow Pasture (a percentage value between 0% and 100%), divides it by 10, and adds it to the Productivity.
At 100% productivity, each Cow in the pasture should produce 150 liters of Milk per day. This is processed at 15 minute intervals, so each cow actually produces about 1.56 liters of Milk per 15 minutes.
Since maintaining 100% Cleanliness continuously throughout 24 hours would be extremely tedious, it's more likely that the Cleanliness value will rarely be at that level. Thus, you should realistically expect around 142 liters of Milk per day per cow.
Milk accumulates in the Cow Pasture's internal storage. By default, you can store up to 800,000 liters of Milk in each Pasture. This is equivalent to the amount of Milk produced by 200 Cows at 100% productivity for nearly 30 days straight.
Collection and Transport
Once you are ready to sell the Milk, you can bring a Water Tanker to the special Milk collection area at the side of the Cow Pasture to fill it with Milk.
Only two models of Water Tankers in the base game can carry milk; The third model cannot.
Once Milk has been collected from a Cow Pasture, it cannot be put back in. If you want to free up a tanker carrying Milk to use it for other liquids, you must first sell the Milk.
Selling
Milk can be sold at any Sale Point that accepts Crops. There are multiple such Sale Points on each map provided with the base game.
To sell Milk, simply bring the Water Tanker to the sale point and dump the Milk in the appropriate area. You will receive money for every liter you sell.
The average price of Milk on the "Normal" economic difficulty setting is $1.26 per litre. Actual prices at any Sale Point can fluctuate up to around 30% higher or lower, so ideally Milk can be sold for as high as $1.7 per litre (or even more), especially during Great Demand. For the best profit, you can leave the Milk indefinitely in your Cow Pasture until prices approach or surpass this amount.
Make sure to check the Market Prices menu to see which Sale Point is offering the highest price for Milk, and whether the prices are going up or down, before selling your Milk anywhere.
Profit Analysis
The purpose of Milk production is to convert very low-value materials such as Water, Grass and Straw into a high-value material. This section attempts to analyze the profit gained from this conversion.
While the ingredients themselves are cheap, Milk production involves a lot of effort. Some of this effort can be exchanged for a lesser profit, by buying materials from the Store.
Note that the type of input materials used affects the quantity of Milk produced per day. The more expensive the input material (or the more work required to produce it), the more Milk you get.
- All Milk production requires 80 litres of Water per cow, per day. However Water is free, and you only have to fill the Pasture's water tanks once every 10 days to keep your cows satisfied, so this is minimal effort at worst.
- The Cost/Value of materials is calculated based on the maximum market price of those materials: 1.35 times their average sale value at "Normal" economic difficulty.
- As a by-product of Milk production, you will also be breeding Cows so long as there is room at the Pasture. These can be used to further speed up production, or to sell. The value of the cows is included in the calculations below. If you run out of space and do not intend to free any up, subtract that value from the listed profit.
Data
| Grass only (No extra work) | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Input per Day | |||
| Material | Quantity per Day per Cow | Effort | Cost |
 Loose Grass
|
350 | High. Mowing, Windrowing, Collecting, and transporting. |
$38.27 |
| Output per Day | |||
| Material | Quantity per Day per Cow | Value | |
 Milk
|
30 | $51 | |
 Cow
|
0.004 | $8 | |
| Profit per Day | |||
| Profit | Summary | ||
| $20.73 | For the lowest possible effort, each Cow will have paid for itself after 120.6 days. | ||
| Grass and Straw (No cleaning work) | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Input per Day | |||
| Material | Quantity per Day per Cow | Effort | Cost |
| Loose Grass
|
350 | High. Mowing, Windrowing, Collecting, and transporting. |
$38.27 |
 Straw
|
95 | Low. Free by-product of Wheat, Barley, or Oats harvest. Requires only Collecting and transporting. |
$9.46 |
| Output per Day | |||
| Material | Quantity per Day per Cow | Value | |
| Milk
|
45 | $76.54 | |
| Cow
|
0.006 | $12 | |
| Profit per Day | |||
| Profit | Summary | ||
| $40.81 | For a little bit of extra effort, each Cow will have paid for itself after 61.2 days. | ||
| Grass, Straw, and Cleaning | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Input per Day | |||
| Material | Quantity per Day per Cow | Effort | Cost |
| Loose Grass
|
350 | High. Mowing, Windrowing, Collecting, and transporting. |
$38.27 |
| Straw
|
95 | Low. Free by-product of Wheat, Barley, or Oats harvest. Requires only Collecting and transporting. |
$9.46 |
| Cleaning | -- | Minimal. Use a Bucket or similar tool to scrape the feeding area and pour material back into the feeding trough at least once a day. |
0 |
| Output per Day | |||
| Material | Quantity per Day per Cow | Value | |
| Milk
|
52.5 - 60 | $89.30 - $102.06 | |
| Cow
|
0.0072 - 0.008 | $14.40 - $16 | |
| Profit per Day | |||
| Profit | Summary | ||
| $55.97 - $70.33 | For an overall moderate effort, each Cow will have paid for itself after 35.5 to 44.7 days, depending on how diligently you clean the feeding area. | ||
| Hay only (No extra work) | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Input per Day | |||
| Material | Quantity per Day per Cow | Effort | Cost |
 Hay
|
350 | High. Mowing, Tedding, Windrowing, Collecting, and transporting. |
$40.82 |
| Output per Day | |||
| Material | Quantity per Day per Cow | Value | |
| Milk
|
90 | $153.09 | |
| Cow
|
0.012 | $24 | |
| Profit per Day | |||
| Profit | Summary | ||
| $136.27 | This is a major boost in profits above the most intensive Grass-based feeding method. For just one extra step (Tedding Grass to create Hay) you double the profits, and you don't even have to provide Straw or clean the pen. Each cow will pay for itself after 18.3 days. | ||
| Hay and Straw (No cleaning work) | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Input per Day | |||
| Material | Quantity per Day per Cow | Effort | Cost |
| Hay
|
350 | High. Mowing, Tedding, Windrowing, Collecting, and transporting. |
$40.82 |
| Straw
|
95 | Low. Free by-product of Wheat, Barley, or Oats harvest. Requires only Collecting and transporting. |
$9.46 |
| Output per Day | |||
| Material | Quantity per Day per Cow | Value | |
| Milk
|
105 | $178.60 | |
| Cow
|
0.014 | $28 | |
| Profit per Day | |||
| Profit | Summary | ||
| $156.32 | For a little bit of extra effort, each Cow will have paid for itself after 16 days. | ||
| Hay, Straw, and Cleaning | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Input per Day | |||
| Material | Quantity per Day per Cow | Effort | Cost |
| Hay
|
350 | High. Mowing, Tedding, Windrowing, Collecting, and transporting. |
$40.82 |
| Straw
|
95 | Low. Free by-product of Wheat, Barley, or Oats harvest. Requires only Collecting and transporting. |
$9.46 |
| Cleaning | -- | Minimal. Use a Bucket or similar tool to scrape the feeding area and pour material back into the feeding trough at least once a day. |
0 |
| Output per Day | |||
| Material | Quantity per Day per Cow | Value | |
| Milk
|
112.5 - 120 | $191.36 - $204.12 | |
| Cow
|
0.015 - 0.016 | $30 - $32 | |
| Profit per Day | |||
| Profit | Summary | ||
| $171.08 - $185.84 | This option has the best effort-to-profit ratio. For an overall moderate-to-high effort, each Cow will have paid for itself after 13.5 to 14.6 days, depending on how diligently you clean the feeding area. | ||
| Silage only (No extra work) | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Input per Day | |||
| Material | Quantity per Day per Cow | Effort | Cost |
 Silage
|
350 | High. Either producing Silage on your own or Wrapping Bales, either choice requires plenty of effort. |
$145.43 |
| Output per Day | |||
| Material | Quantity per Day per Cow | Value | |
| Milk
|
90 | $153.09 | |
| Cow
|
0.012 | $24 | |
| Profit per Day | |||
| Profit | Summary | ||
| $31.66 | Only one more work step (wrapping Bales) more than Grass production, but the profit increase is also minimal. Each cow will pay for itself after 79 days. | ||
| Silage and Straw (No cleaning work) | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Input per Day | |||
| Material | Quantity per Day per Cow | Effort | Cost |
| Silage
|
350 | High. Either producing Silage on your own or Wrapping Bales, either choice requires plenty of effort. |
$145.43 |
| Straw
|
95 | Low. Free by-product of Wheat, Barley, or Oats harvest. Requires only Collecting and transporting. |
$9.46 |
| Output per Day | |||
| Material | Quantity per Day per Cow | Value | |
| Milk
|
105 | $178.60 | |
| Cow
|
0.014 | $28 | |
| Profit per Day | |||
| Profit | Summary | ||
| $51.71 | Only one more work step (wrapping Bales) more than Grass production, but the profit increase is also minimal. Each cow will pay for itself after 48.3 days. | ||
| Silage, Straw, and Cleaning | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Input per Day | |||
| Material | Quantity per Day per Cow | Effort | Cost |
| Silage
|
350 | High. Either producing Silage on your own or Wrapping Bales, either choice requires plenty of effort. |
$145.43 |
| Straw
|
95 | Low. Free by-product of Wheat, Barley, or Oats harvest. Requires only Collecting and transporting. |
$9.46 |
| Cleaning | -- | Minimal. Use a Bucket or similar tool to scrape the feeding area and pour material back into the feeding trough at least once a day. |
0 |
| Output per Day | |||
| Material | Quantity per Day per Cow | Value | |
| Milk
|
112.5 - 120 | $191.36 - $204.12 | |
| Cow
|
0.015 - 0.016 | $30 - $32 | |
| Profit per Day | |||
| Profit | Summary | ||
| $66.47 - $81.23 | Only one more work step (wrapping Bales) more than Grass production, but the profit increase is also minimal. Each cow will pay for itself after 30.8 to 37.6 days. | ||
| TMR only (Assumes an easy 2 Hay/1 Silage/1 Straw ratio; No extra work) | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Input per Day | |||
| Material | Quantity per Day per Cow | Effort | Cost |
| Hay (for TMR)
|
175 | High. Mowing, Tedding, Windrowing, Collecting, and transporting. |
$20.41 |
| Silage (for TMR)
|
87.5 | Moderate. Wrapping Bales, since you're already producing Hay. |
$36.35 |
| Straw (for TMR)
|
87.5 | Low. Free by-product of Wheat, Barley, or Oats harvest. Requires only Collecting and transporting. |
$8.71 |
 TMR
|
350 | Low to Medium. Loading ingredients into a Mixer Wagon. |
-- |
| Output per Day | |||
| Material | Quantity per Day per Cow | Value | |
| Milk
|
120 | $204.12 | |
| Cow
|
0.016 | $32 | |
| Profit per Day | |||
| Profit | Summary | ||
| $170.65 | For a lot of extra work, this is only as profitable as feeding cows basic Hay, Straw, and keeping their pen clean. Each cow will pay for itself after 14.6 days. | ||
| TMR and Straw (Assumes an easy 2 Hay/1 Silage/1 Straw ratio; No cleaning work) | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Input per Day | |||
| Material | Quantity per Day per Cow | Effort | Cost |
| Hay (for TMR)
|
175 | High. Mowing, Tedding, Windrowing, Collecting, and transporting. |
$20.41 |
| Silage (for TMR)
|
87.5 | Moderate. Wrapping Bales, since you're already producing Hay. |
$36.35 |
| Straw (for TMR)
|
87.5 | Low. Free by-product of Wheat, Barley, or Oats harvest. Requires only Collecting and transporting. |
$8.71 |
| TMR
|
350 | Low to Medium. Loading ingredients into a Mixer Wagon. |
-- |
| Straw (for Bedding)
|
95 | None. You're already producing this for TMR. |
$9.46 |
| Output per Day | |||
| Material | Quantity per Day per Cow | Value | |
| Milk
|
135 | $229.63 | |
| Cow
|
0.018 | $36 | |
| Profit per Day | |||
| Profit | Summary | ||
| $190.70 | The most profitable option so far, but still requires far more work than just feeding Hay, Straw, and keeping the pen clean. Each cow will pay for itself after 13.1 days. | ||
| TMR, Straw, and Cleaning (Assumes an easy 2 Hay/1 Silage/1 Straw ratio) | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Input per Day | |||
| Material | Quantity per Day per Cow | Effort | Cost |
| Hay (for TMR)
|
175 | High. Mowing, Tedding, Windrowing, Collecting, and transporting. |
$20.41 |
| Silage (for TMR)
|
87.5 | Moderate. Wrapping Bales, since you're already producing Hay. |
$36.35 |
| Straw (for TMR)
|
87.5 | Low. Free by-product of Wheat, Barley, or Oats harvest. Requires only Collecting and transporting. |
$8.71 |
| TMR
|
350 | Low to Medium. Loading ingredients into a Mixer Wagon. |
-- |
| Straw (for Bedding)
|
95 | None. You're already producing this for TMR. |
$9.46 |
| Cleaning | -- | Minimal. Use a Bucket or similar tool to scrape the feeding area and pour material back into the feeding trough at least once a day. |
0 |
| Output per Day | |||
| Material | Quantity per Day per Cow | Value | |
| Milk
|
135 - 150 | $229.63 - $255.15 | |
| Cow
|
0.018 - 0.02 | $36 - $40 | |
| Profit per Day | |||
| Profit | Summary | ||
| $190.70 - $220.22 | This is the highest profit you can get, for the maximum possible effort. This is only $40/day more than just feeding Hay, Straw, and keeping the pen clean - but now requires creating Silage and mixing it with the other ingredients. Each Cow will have paid for itself after 11.3 to 13.1 days, depending on how diligently you clean the feeding area. | ||
Summary
Here is the final analysis based on the data above:
- Silage is the worst feed for Milk production, as it requires high effort, has a high intrinsic sale value, and provides very little improvement to profits over simple Grass. If you're already producing Silage independently, then this feed is better than Grass; But then it might be better to switch to TMR production for the extra bonus.
- If you're going to feed your cows Grass (for minimum effort), consider using Straw and keeping the Pasture clean. That little extra effort can more than double your profits. Unfortunately, it will still take more than 30 in-game days for the cows to finish paying for themselves (not including the Pasture!).
- Hay is the best food for Milk production, when taking effort into account. The effort to create Hay is moderate-to-high, but the profit margin is relatively excellent. Adding Straw bedding and keeping the pasture clean will further boost your profits by almost 50%, so make sure to do that. The cows should pay for themselves within ~14 days, and be breeding at a respectable rate.
- TMR gives the highest profits, but requires a massive investment of time and effort to create the ingredients, for only a mild increase in profits over the Hay option. If you absolutely must have the best profit, or if you're already producing Silage on a large scale and can spare the excess materials, then TMR production may be reasonable.
- Always clean the feeding troughs at least once per day. This is a very low-effort action that increases your profits by up to $30 per cow per day.
- While producing Milk you will also produce Slurry, and may produce Manure if Straw bedding is also used. These materials can be used instead of Store-bought Fertilizer to produce an additional profit. If you own the Biogas Plant, you can alternatively sell these materials for extra profit, while also producing Digestate.