The most common dairy animals are cows, goats(good for a small farm), or water buffalo (in south Asia). Each one has many dairy breeds, and local knowledge is your best way to choose between them. Contact government institutions, university agricultural extensions, and established dairy farms and ask for info to help you make the decision:
Concentrated feed requires less labor but more money. New farms often save on costs by supplementing it with Management Intensive Rotational Grazing (MIRG).[1] Look at land rental prices in your area and determine how many cattle per acre it can support.
Dairy bulls have a reputation for dangerous behavior, and in any case raising one year round gets expensive. The safer options are paying for a bull’s service at breeding time, or practicing artificial insemination (AI). AI is almost always the cheapest option, and has equal or higher success rates when performed correctly (ideally by trained AI techs).
If you don’t have dairy farm experience already, take some time to learn about breeding, calving, manure management, weaning, milking cows, and crop management. Farming requires a great deal of time, work, and knowledge, so walk into it with open eyes.
A farm requires a large one-time expenditure to get started. Buying an existing dairy farm makes the task simpler, and can save money if you’re willing to do some repairs yourself. Whether you plan to buy or start it all yourself, make sure you’ll have the following facilities:
Inspect all dairy animals personally before buying, including several milking tests. The animal should be healthy and vaccinated against disease. Ideally, purchase the animals right after calving, on its second or third lactation (when milk production is highest).Wait to buy the second half the herd until the first group is about to go dry, so your farm can produce milk year round
If you’re starting with just a few animals, talk to nearby dairy farmers for advice on selling to local stores and individuals. If you have a slightly larger herd, you can get a more stable income by selling the milk to a company that will handle distribution.
Your local or regional government may require permits and paperwork to run a farm, sell milk, irrigate your land, and/or hire staff to help you.