15 Best Ways to Make Money with Cows

  • Time to read: 11 min.
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If you’re looking for ways to make money with cows, then you’ve come to the right place. In this article, we’ll discuss some of the best ways to turn your cattle into cash. So whether you want to start a dairy farm or just sell cattle at a local market, read on for 15 ways to make money with beef cows, including tips and advice that will help you get started in the cattle business.

When starting any of these businesses you need to ensure you have the correct management of your ranching or business area. This includes having insurance for your farming operations, while also practicing safe practices.

Start a Dairy Farm

Dairy farming is when you keep cattle to make milk. You can market the milk to people who will use it to make cheese, butter, and other things. You can also sell the cows’ babies (calves) to people who will raise them for meat. Dairy farming is a good way to make money if you have a lot of space and know how to take care of livestock.

If you’re interested in starting a dairy farm, then you’ll need to have the following materials:

  • Fencing – You’ll need to fence in your cow pasture so that the livestock don’t wander off. (Depending on the size of your land, you will need different amounts of fencing. Also if you live in an area that experiences large amounts of bad weather, you could consider purchasing more heavy-duty fences.)
  • A milking parlor – This is where you’ll milk your cattle each day.
  • Milk tanks – You’ll need to store the milk that you collect from your cows. (Depending on the number of livestock you have, you will need a larger or smaller milk tank.)

Raise Beef Cattle

Raising beef cattle may be a good option for you to make some extra cash. Raising cattle involves feeding and caring for your herd until they are ready for slaughter. If you raise them properly, you can expect to get a good price per pound at harvest time. You then can market the cattle meat to other companies and businesses.

If you’re interested in raising beef cattle, then you’ll need to have the following materials:

Feeding Troughs

Used to feed the cattle so they can grow to the point, where they are ready for butchering. (The number of troughs you have will depend on the number of cattle you are raising.)

Butcher Hut/Butcher

To slaughter the beef cattle professionally and in a clean space. (If you are not capable to butcher cattle, you can hire a butcher when needed, or sell the cattle alive to a butchering plant.)

Meat Freezer/Locker

To store the beef after butchered, so it can stay fresh. (Ensure you purchase or build the best-sized meat locker for your business.)

Sell Calves

selling calves for money

Whether you’re still in the early stages of starting up your dairy or beef operation or if you just have some extra calves that need new homes, calves can be a great way to make some extra cash. To get the best price for your calves, be sure to market them during the peak demand season (spring and early summer).

You should keep track of the calving season and the cattle industry and create a good marketing plan. You can do this by talking to other cattle producers and cow-calf producers and learning the best time to sell calves. Weather conditions for your area are also important, so you should ensure that your operation, takes into account the weather patterns.

The only main thing that you will need is a way to transport calves from you to the person who bought them. This can be with a transport truck you own, or transportation you rent for certain shipping needs.

Cattle Business/Breed Cattle

If you have a high-quality herd of cows, you can make money by breeding them. Many farms and ranches are always looking for new stock, so if you have healthy, well-bred cattle, you should have no trouble finding buyers. To get started in cattle breeding, you’ll need to find a good bull to mate with your cattle. Once you’ve done that, you can sell the offspring for more money. Your business will want quality calves born to sell so ensure your operation takes into account good breeding techniques.

Cattle prices vary so make sure your management practices ensure they are sold for profit.

If you’re interested in breeding cattle, then you’ll need to have the following materials:

  • A good bull: To mate with your cattle, to produce calves that you can sell. The better the bull, the better offspring it can create, leading to more potential income.
  • Farm equipment: If you plan on keeping the offspring, then you will need equipment to care for them properly. This includes items like feeders, waterers, and fencing.

Sell Cow Manure

If you have an abundance of cow manure on your farm or ranch, consider selling it for use as fertilizer or mulch. Not only will this help to reduce waste on your property, but it can also be a great way to generate some extra income. You can profit from cow manure through local gardeners or a cattle-manure distributor in the area.

If you plan on transporting the manure yourself, then you’ll need a way to do so. This could be anything from a wheelbarrow to a dump truck. You will need to make sure that the manure can stay enacted throughout the entire time of transportation.

Sell Raw Milk

Raw milk is a popular product these days, and if you have a dairy farm, you can take advantage of this trend by advertising raw milk directly to consumers. You can profit from raw milk either through a local co-op or by setting up your distribution system. To make a profit, you’ll need to obtain a license from the state in which you live.

If you’re interested in a raw milk operation, you will need some type of container to store the raw milk in until it is ready to be sold. This could be anything from glass jars to plastic jugs.

Sell Cheese

selling cheese for money

Another great way to make money with livestock is by marketing cheese made from your cow’s milk. While a cheese operation can be a great way to make money, it does require some additional expertise. If you’re interested in getting started, look for a local cheese-making course so that you have the necessary skills to produce high-quality cheeses.

If you’re interested in this particular market, then you’ll need to have cheese-making equipment. To make cheese, you’ll need some specialized gear, including a cheese press and molds. The higher the quality material you have, the faster the process will be.

Sell Cow Udders

One unusual product that some farmers can sell is cow udders. If you find yourself with too many cow udders on your hands, you can sell them to companies that make medical devices or to restaurants that use them in dishes.

In order to sell cow udders you will need a way to transport the udders. You will need a way to get the cow udders from your farm to the buyers. This could be anything from a wheelbarrow to a dump truck. You will also need equipment to take off the utters and store them, for sale.

Sell Cowhides

Another product that you can sell from cows is their hides. If you have a cow that has died or been slaughtered, you can remove the hide and sell it to a tannery or leatherworker. This is a great way to make use of all parts of the cow and generate some extra income at the same time.

To sell cowhides you can use these materials to help you:

  • A sharp knife
  • Tanning chemicals

Note, that if you want to sell the fresh hides you can do so, but if you want to you can also tan the hides yourself, and then sell the tanned hides.

Sell Tallow

Tallow is a type of fat that can be rendered from livestock. It’s often used in making soap, candles, and cosmetics. If you have a lot of potential tallow on your farm or ranch, you can sell it to companies that use them in these products.

Some materials you will need for this operation are:

  • A way to render the tallow – You will need a way to render the fat from the cows. This can be done either with a rendering machine or by boiling the fat over an open fire.
  • Storage containers – Once the tallow has been rendered, you’ll need some containers to store it in until it’s ready to be sold. This could be anything from buckets to barrels.

Sell Cow Blood

selling cows blood for money

Another by-product that you can sell from cows is their blood. While this may sound strange, cow blood is used in a variety of products, including sausages, cheese, and fertilizer. If you have a lot of cow blood on your hands, you can sell it to these types of companies.

If you’re interested in starting a business involving cow blood, then you’ll need to have the following materials:

You can extract the cow blood by using a cow blood extractor. Following the extraction, you will need to find a place to store the blood before the sale.

Sell Fresh Meat

If you have a cow that has died or been slaughtered, you can sell the meat to local butcher shops or directly to consumers. This is a great way to make use of all parts of the animal and generate some extra income at the same time. If you have a larger herd size you will be able to make a larger profit because you will have more access to cattle.

Although because of the greater number of feeder cattle, you will have more costs, as you will need more feed, grazing land, grass, ranchers/labor, and better management practices.

Sell Beef Jerky

Another great way to make money is with beef jerky made from their meat. This is a popular product that’s easy to make and can be sold either online or in brick-and-mortar stores. If you’re interested in getting started, look for a beef jerky recipe online and purchase the necessary supplies.

You’ll need to have the following materials:

  • Beef jerky recipes – You’ll need to find a recipe that you like and that you can follow easily.
  • Beef – The main ingredient in beef jerky is, of course, beef. You’ll need to purchase high-quality beef that’s suitable for jerky.
  • Jerky spices – To flavor the beef jerky, you’ll need to add some spices. Look for a recipe that calls for spices that you already have on hand. You can also buy other spices for the type of jerky you want.
  • Jerky cure – This is an optional ingredient but it will help to preserve the beef jerky and give it a more traditional flavor.
  • Smoking wood – If you’re going to smoke the beef jerky, you’ll need some wood that specializes in being used to create a lot of smoke.

The cost and costs of these materials vary, but they are important in starting a business in this market.

These are just a few of the many ways that you can make money with cattle. If you have a farm or ranch, consider these ways you can utilize cows to generate primary or even secondary income. With a little creativity, you can find many different ways to make money with livestock.

Key Things to Remember

Assuming you already have the land and cattle, here are a few key things to remember.

Transportation

If you’re creating products like milk or cheese, you’ll need to have a way to transport them to your customers. This could include a truck or van outfitted with coolers or other storage devices. You can rent a driver and truck, or you can hire a personal or permanent transportation service.

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You’ll need to let potential customers know that you’re selling these products. For example, this can be done through online listings, flyers, or word-of-mouth. You can also use farm marketing to make your ranch more popular.

Pricing

You will need to calculate the best prices, to ensure you can have positive profit margins so you don’t lose money or end up losing money over time. Remember the costs or cost of production for your business will be different based on what you are marketing. For example, livestock producers or a cow-calf producer will have more costs than others because of all the materials they will need.

Take in mind that you will also have to take into account paid labor and the costs of hiring this paid labor to take care of your animals and land. You can also invest in management, to hire people to help manage your business if it undergoes lots of growth.

Quality Control

It’s important to make sure that the products you have are of high quality. The higher the quality, the higher the prices meaning you will make more profit. Although take note you can not make the price too high or you will

FAQ Section – Make Money with Cows

Do I need special equipment to make cheese?

Yes, you will need some additional equipment and expertise to make cheese. If you’re interested in getting started, look for a local cheese-making course so that you have the necessary skills to produce high-quality cheeses.

What are other important things I should be wary of in this line of work?

Prices are very important to keep track of. The market in these business ideas shifts, so you will not always get the same price for your bred cows, and the market’s calf prices and cattle prices can shift drastically through the year.

What about heifers?

Heifers can also be used to produce milk and beef. However, they generally don’t produce as much milk or beef as cows that have been specifically bred for those purposes. As such, you may want to focus on other cattle if you’re looking to generate the highest possible profits.

Do you need a lot of land to get started?

The amount of land you need will depend on the number of cattle you want to keep. Generally, you will need about two acres of pasture per cow. However, this can vary depending on the climate and vegetation in your area.

Are there any special regulations I need to be aware of?

Yes, there are several regulations that you need to be aware of, particularly if you’re selling products like milk or cheese. Make sure you research the regulations in your area so that you can comply with them.

Is marketing important?

Yes, marketing is important, especially if you’re selling products like milk or cheese. You need to let potential customers know that you’re selling these products. You can do this through online listings, flyers, or word-of-mouth. You can also use farm marketing to make your ranch more popular.

What is stocking rate density?

Stocking rate is the number of animals per unit of area. Stocking density is the number of animals per unit of land. These concepts are important to understand because they will affect how much pasture you need for your cattle. Once you know your pasture requirements, you can determine how much land you need to purchase or lease.