Not possible to make a profit on horses and pigs

holliday50
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Re: Not possible to make a profit on horses and pigs

Post by holliday50 »

PrincessJessi84 wrote: Tue Dec 07, 2021 5:27 am honestly, it seems like I have just kept my cost a lot lower. I bought the harvester used and got the grape plant. Otherwise I have bought the minimal as they just don't need much and almost all of that was used (I think I flipped full price for that little cultivator).. already had the land.. and the vines I just add a little as I go with some of the profits from my 3 greenhouses. Honestly idk other than that.
So, you're not making much more money then. Okay.
mercurae3
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Re: Not possible to make a profit on horses and pigs

Post by mercurae3 »

Yes, buying food from the shop for horses and pigs is not even remotely profitable. You should try to produce your own food. Starting out with pigs is extremely expensive given the variety of foods they need for maximum production. Same with cows, don't bother until you've built up a good way to produce TMR. Chickens are easiest to start since everything you need to produce wheat is going to be used for everything else anyway. Sheep are easy as well since they only really require a mower and loading wagon; windrowing is way more efficient but not strictly necessary. Personally, I'm going down the baling route first as it makes grain crops more profitable (straw is a big chunk of your return on them), and the baling contracts are very lucrative when you can use your own equipment. Does anyone know how profitable chickens are this game? I noticed eggs actually lost money in FS19 because I could sell the wheat for more than the eggs after feeding the chickens. I'm guessing productions will make eggs way more profitable.
Ruges
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Re: Not possible to make a profit on horses and pigs

Post by Ruges »

holliday50 wrote: Tue Dec 07, 2021 5:16 am
The production is part of the cost. I spend $80k on on Grape Processing Unit, and another $55k on the Farmer's Market. These are both placed on my farm. Spent $80k on a plot of land, and $250k on 20 rows of grapes. Have the harvester and all of the necessary equipment. Total cost of the farm was $825k. First harvest, we mulched, cultivated, 100% fertilized, then harvested, turned everything to grape juice, then sold that grape juice at the Farmer's Market after holding it until November. We sold 21 pallets and netted just over $30k. That's 27.5 years to break even on our initial investment ONLY IF we don't count maintenance fees, fuel, repainting costs, etc. You're not the first person to suggest that I'm crazy here, so I want to know what you're doing differently. I am on the middle difficulty, am playing on a MP map on a server I rent from VeryGames, am doing 3-day months, and sold in November when grape juice was just under 3400. We felt like $30k for that year of work was absolutely insulting. We invested 20k in 2 large greenhouses and will likely make more money on that investment than in our $825k vineyard.
And now you take that 30k you made and invest in more vines. So next year you get 33.6k. Invest those in vines. 3rd year your getting 37k. Invest those back in vies and now your making 42k a year Invest that back in. And now your making 47k a year. Now your up to 53k a year.....

Sounds more like the initial investment of vines was not enough to warrant the cost of the factories and buying the equipment. Might have been better served buying more vines initially. Leasing more equipment and not buying factories until after selling your first harvest.
FarmerJohn89
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Re: Not possible to make a profit on horses and pigs

Post by FarmerJohn89 »

Ruges wrote: Tue Dec 07, 2021 7:09 am
holliday50 wrote: Tue Dec 07, 2021 5:16 am
The production is part of the cost. I spend $80k on on Grape Processing Unit, and another $55k on the Farmer's Market. These are both placed on my farm. Spent $80k on a plot of land, and $250k on 20 rows of grapes. Have the harvester and all of the necessary equipment. Total cost of the farm was $825k. First harvest, we mulched, cultivated, 100% fertilized, then harvested, turned everything to grape juice, then sold that grape juice at the Farmer's Market after holding it until November. We sold 21 pallets and netted just over $30k. That's 27.5 years to break even on our initial investment ONLY IF we don't count maintenance fees, fuel, repainting costs, etc. You're not the first person to suggest that I'm crazy here, so I want to know what you're doing differently. I am on the middle difficulty, am playing on a MP map on a server I rent from VeryGames, am doing 3-day months, and sold in November when grape juice was just under 3400. We felt like $30k for that year of work was absolutely insulting. We invested 20k in 2 large greenhouses and will likely make more money on that investment than in our $825k vineyard.
And now you take that 30k you made and invest in more vines. So next year you get 33.6k. Invest those in vines. 3rd year your getting 37k. Invest those back in vies and now your making 42k a year Invest that back in. And now your making 47k a year. Now your up to 53k a year.....

Sounds more like the initial investment of vines was not enough to warrant the cost of the factories and buying the equipment. Might have been better served buying more vines initially. Leasing more equipment and not buying factories until after selling your first harvest.
Or you buy a cheap tractor and a fertiliser and do fertiliser contracts and make 30k profit a month....

It's a balancing problem that clearly QA never thought to test. When you can make 10x as much from one aspect of the game compared to a new feature it hardly encourages you to play with that new feature.
holliday50
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Joined: Mon Nov 07, 2016 6:37 am

Re: Not possible to make a profit on horses and pigs

Post by holliday50 »

FarmerJohn89 wrote: Tue Dec 07, 2021 7:26 am
Ruges wrote: Tue Dec 07, 2021 7:09 am
holliday50 wrote: Tue Dec 07, 2021 5:16 am
The production is part of the cost. I spend $80k on on Grape Processing Unit, and another $55k on the Farmer's Market. These are both placed on my farm. Spent $80k on a plot of land, and $250k on 20 rows of grapes. Have the harvester and all of the necessary equipment. Total cost of the farm was $825k. First harvest, we mulched, cultivated, 100% fertilized, then harvested, turned everything to grape juice, then sold that grape juice at the Farmer's Market after holding it until November. We sold 21 pallets and netted just over $30k. That's 27.5 years to break even on our initial investment ONLY IF we don't count maintenance fees, fuel, repainting costs, etc. You're not the first person to suggest that I'm crazy here, so I want to know what you're doing differently. I am on the middle difficulty, am playing on a MP map on a server I rent from VeryGames, am doing 3-day months, and sold in November when grape juice was just under 3400. We felt like $30k for that year of work was absolutely insulting. We invested 20k in 2 large greenhouses and will likely make more money on that investment than in our $825k vineyard.
And now you take that 30k you made and invest in more vines. So next year you get 33.6k. Invest those in vines. 3rd year your getting 37k. Invest those back in vies and now your making 42k a year Invest that back in. And now your making 47k a year. Now your up to 53k a year.....

Sounds more like the initial investment of vines was not enough to warrant the cost of the factories and buying the equipment. Might have been better served buying more vines initially. Leasing more equipment and not buying factories until after selling your first harvest.
Or you buy a cheap tractor and a fertiliser and do fertiliser contracts and make 30k profit a month....

It's a balancing problem that clearly QA never thought to test. When you can make 10x as much from one aspect of the game compared to a new feature it hardly encourages you to play with that new feature.
We do fertilizer contracts. That's not the point. I'm analyzing the vineyard as a standalone investment. The ROI is horrendous. Obviously, a big sprayer is a great investment that pays for itself in a reasonable amount of time. A greenhouse is another great investment that pays for itself within the first year. A vineyard though, takes many many years. Even if I spent a half million dollars on vines, it would still take 18 years to pay off. A million dollars worth of vines would take 13 years to pay off. This is all without buying any more sell points for your grape juice or raisins as well.
holliday50
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Re: Not possible to make a profit on horses and pigs

Post by holliday50 »

Ruges wrote: Tue Dec 07, 2021 7:09 am
holliday50 wrote: Tue Dec 07, 2021 5:16 am
The production is part of the cost. I spend $80k on on Grape Processing Unit, and another $55k on the Farmer's Market. These are both placed on my farm. Spent $80k on a plot of land, and $250k on 20 rows of grapes. Have the harvester and all of the necessary equipment. Total cost of the farm was $825k. First harvest, we mulched, cultivated, 100% fertilized, then harvested, turned everything to grape juice, then sold that grape juice at the Farmer's Market after holding it until November. We sold 21 pallets and netted just over $30k. That's 27.5 years to break even on our initial investment ONLY IF we don't count maintenance fees, fuel, repainting costs, etc. You're not the first person to suggest that I'm crazy here, so I want to know what you're doing differently. I am on the middle difficulty, am playing on a MP map on a server I rent from VeryGames, am doing 3-day months, and sold in November when grape juice was just under 3400. We felt like $30k for that year of work was absolutely insulting. We invested 20k in 2 large greenhouses and will likely make more money on that investment than in our $825k vineyard.
And now you take that 30k you made and invest in more vines. So next year you get 33.6k. Invest those in vines. 3rd year your getting 37k. Invest those back in vies and now your making 42k a year Invest that back in. And now your making 47k a year. Now your up to 53k a year.....

Sounds more like the initial investment of vines was not enough to warrant the cost of the factories and buying the equipment. Might have been better served buying more vines initially. Leasing more equipment and not buying factories until after selling your first harvest.
Just to put this into perspective. With the current price of vines, and the November sell peak of grape juice, if you bought vines, and NOTHING else, it would take you 8.3 years to pay for your vines.
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mexel75
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Re: Not possible to make a profit on horses and pigs

Post by mexel75 »

Mwal wrote: Tue Dec 07, 2021 5:38 am It’s to *** if you’re short feed. It’s meant help keep animals producing and isn’t intended to be profitable, just like in real life. Buying bagged feed isn’t economical it’s for people who have animals because they think they’re cute. Grow your feed that’s the way it’s profitable, it is a simulator after all.
Simulated cute animals? :biggrin2: It should generate atleast a small profit.

Has anyone actually tested that it's worth investing in pigs and feeding them with your crops, compared to selling the crops directly instead? And if so, how long term of an investment would it be?
norfolk farmer
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Re: Not possible to make a profit on horses and pigs

Post by norfolk farmer »

PrincessJessi84 wrote: Tue Dec 07, 2021 4:26 am . Maybe some of you are refusing to get into productions? But grapes themselves, for example, have such a low pay off. The production chains are an absolute must.
I think with productions being the new thing the whole economy is all setup too push people into using them.
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mackintosh
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Re: Not possible to make a profit on horses and pigs

Post by mackintosh »

It does appear that way. I never liked production chains, my only love is the pure harvest, and now it feels I'm being forced down a path not only do I not enjoy, but actively dislike, if not despise. Sure, I can circumvent this entire operation by cheating, but that cheapens the fun.
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FarmCatJenkins
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Re: Not possible to make a profit on horses and pigs

Post by FarmCatJenkins »

mexel75 wrote: Tue Dec 07, 2021 9:32 am Has anyone actually tested that it's worth investing in pigs and feeding them with your crops, compared to selling the crops directly instead? And if so, how long term of an investment would it be?
I buy pig food with the money made from crop sales.
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RollinD20
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Re: Not possible to make a profit on horses and pigs

Post by RollinD20 »

Even if you grow all of their food you will basically be throwing it away feeding it to pigs vs just selling it. I tried every which way and I couldn't work out any math where pigs make any kind of sense to do at all.
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mexel75
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Re: Not possible to make a profit on horses and pigs

Post by mexel75 »

FarmCatJenkins wrote: Tue Dec 07, 2021 1:28 pm
mexel75 wrote: Tue Dec 07, 2021 9:32 am Has anyone actually tested that it's worth investing in pigs and feeding them with your crops, compared to selling the crops directly instead? And if so, how long term of an investment would it be?
I buy pig food with the money made from crop sales.
Weren't you the guy that told me not buy, but to grow my own food? :biggrin2:
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mexel75
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Re: Not possible to make a profit on horses and pigs

Post by mexel75 »

RollinD20 wrote: Tue Dec 07, 2021 1:59 pm Even if you grow all of their food you will basically be throwing it away feeding it to pigs vs just selling it. I tried every which way and I couldn't work out any math where pigs make any kind of sense to do at all.
Yeah, that's what I was suspecting looking at the figures. Thanks.
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fenixguy
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Re: Not possible to make a profit on horses and pigs

Post by fenixguy »

Pigs have always been more of an "end-game" investment. You have to have the land to grow their food, harvesters, tractors, silos, etc... before investing in pigs makes sense. I see a lot of players spending millions of dollars on tractors, harvesters, etc... when they have a 5-acre plot of land. ALWAYS buy land before upgrading equipment or investing in animals.
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FarmCatJenkins
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Re: Not possible to make a profit on horses and pigs

Post by FarmCatJenkins »

mexel75 wrote: Tue Dec 07, 2021 2:12 pm Weren't you the guy that told me not buy, but to grow my own food? :biggrin2:
Yes because you were contemplating about buying pig food from the store. I was simply giving you an alternate solution. I never said I give them my own crops. That would be financial suicide.

Plus when you feed them pig food the root crop bar only fills up to like 1600 liters out of roughly 35k liters of pig food (in the medium barn). You could harvest one field of potatoes and have enough to feed your pigs for 50 years. OR sell them and stock up on pigfood.
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