Animals are one of the steadiest income streams on any farm, but they are not all created equal. If you are wondering about the best animals to raise for profit in Stardew Valley, the answer comes down to three things: how much the animal costs at Marnie’s Ranch, what it produces each day, and how much that product is worth once you turn it into an artisan good. This guide ranks every barn and coop animal by return so you know exactly where to put your gold.
Quick answer: pigs are the most profitable
Pigs are the single most profitable animal in the game. They dig up Truffles (base sell price 625g) on the ground around your farm, and a mature pig can find several per day. Run those Truffles through Oil Makers and each becomes Truffle Oil worth 1,065g, far ahead of any other animal product. The catch is the 16,000g price tag and the fact that pigs only forage outside on non-rainy, non-winter days. Once you can afford a barn full of them, nothing else competes.
| Animal | Cost (Marnie’s) | Daily product | Artisan good & value |
|---|---|---|---|
| Pig | 16,000g | Truffle (625g) | Truffle Oil — 1,065g |
| Rabbit | 8,000g | Wool (340g) | Cloth — 470g |
| Sheep | 8,000g | Wool (340g) | Cloth — 470g |
| Goat | 4,000g | Goat Milk (225g) | Goat Cheese — 400g |
| Duck | 4,000g | Duck Egg (95g) | Duck Mayonnaise — 375g |
| Cow | 1,500g | Milk (125g) | Cheese — 230g |
| Chicken | 800g | Egg (50g) | Mayonnaise — 190g |
Coop animals
Coop animals are cheap to start with and great for an early-game income while you save up for bigger purchases.
- Chicken (800g) — Lays an Egg (50g) daily. Process it in a Mayonnaise Machine for Mayonnaise worth 190g. Chickens are the lowest barrier to entry, so they are usually the first animal you buy.
- Duck (4,000g) — Lays a Duck Egg (95g), which becomes Duck Mayonnaise at 375g — nearly double regular Mayonnaise. Ducks also occasionally produce Duck Feathers. A solid mid-tier coop earner.
- Rabbit (8,000g) — Produces Wool (340g), turned into Cloth (470g) at a Loom. With enough friendship a rabbit can also drop a Rabbit’s Foot, worth 565g. The high price makes rabbits a late-game purchase.
The Dinosaur, hatched from a Dinosaur Egg, also lives in the coop, but it is not sold by Marnie and so falls outside a straight cost-versus-return ranking.
Barn animals
Barn animals produce higher-value goods on average, but the entry costs climb quickly.
- Cow (1,500g) — Gives Milk (125g) every day, which becomes Cheese (230g) in a Cheese Press. The cheapest barn animal and a reliable daily product, since milk does not depend on weather or season.
- Goat (4,000g) — Produces Goat Milk (225g) and Large Goat Milk once friendly. Goat Milk turns into Goat Cheese worth 400g, comfortably ahead of regular Cheese. Note that goats only produce every other day.
- Sheep (8,000g) — Produces Wool (340g) on a recurring cycle (faster with the Shepherd profession). Like rabbit wool, it becomes Cloth at 470g via the Loom.
- Pig (16,000g) — The profit king. Pigs do not produce a daily good inside the barn; instead they leave the barn on clear, non-winter days and dig up Truffles (625g). Friendship increases the chance of finding extra Truffles. Run them through Oil Makers for Truffle Oil at 1,065g each.
Best for profit: pigs and truffles
Once your farm is established, pigs are the clear winner. A single Truffle sells for 625g raw, and a mature pig can find multiple per day, with high friendship adding bonus finds. Convert each Truffle to Truffle Oil and you are looking at 1,065g per unit — the highest animal-derived value in the game. The only downside is the seasonal and weather restriction: pigs stay inside and produce nothing during Winter or on rainy days. The practical strategy is to start with cheap chickens, move into cows and ducks for steady artisan income, and reinvest everything into a barn of pigs as soon as you can sustain the 16,000g per head.
Build your farm together
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Frequently asked questions
What is the most profitable animal in Stardew Valley?
Pigs. They dig up Truffles worth 625g each (multiple per day at high friendship), and processed into Truffle Oil each one sells for 1,065g — the best animal return in the game.
Are pigs worth the 16,000g cost?
Yes, once you can afford them. A barn of pigs pays back its cost quickly during the non-winter seasons because of how valuable Truffles and Truffle Oil are. They simply are not a good early-game purchase since 16,000g is a large investment per animal.
Should I buy a duck or a chicken first?
Start with chickens at 800g — they are far cheaper and let you build income early. Ducks cost 4,000g but their Duck Mayonnaise sells for 375g versus 190g for regular Mayonnaise, so add them once you have spare gold.
Do pigs produce Truffles in Winter?
No. Pigs only leave the barn to forage on clear, non-rainy days outside of Winter. During Winter or rain they stay inside and find no Truffles, so plan for a seasonal gap in pig income.
Is it better to sell raw products or artisan goods?
Almost always artisan goods. Turning Milk into Cheese, Wool into Cloth, Eggs into Mayonnaise, and Truffles into Truffle Oil meaningfully increases the value of every product, so investing in Cheese Presses, Looms, Mayonnaise Machines, and Oil Makers is well worth it.
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