Old MacDonald Had a Hive: Why You Should Consider Bees Over Cows

If you have free land available for agricultural purposes, you might be deciding to put it to good use.

Greenbelt laws are laws (that differ by state) that dictate that if the primary use of a property is for bona fide agricultural purposes or “good faith commercial agricultural use,” the property owner can pay significantly lower taxes because the land is valued lower under agricultural classification.

Bona fide agricultural purposes include the “production, as a part of an overall business pursuit engaged in for profit of one or more types of agricultural products including horticultural products, floricultural products, forestry products, dairy products, livestock products, poultry products, apiarian products, and any other form of farm product.”

With many possibilities available for the use of your land, keeping livestock and keeping bees rise to the top as two popular choices. However, bees may be the way to go. Because cows involve a great deal of maintenance and liability, bees can be a better bang for your buck!

Liability

Keeping cows may incur potential liability from them walking out and causing harm or damage. Although cattle are not typically seen as dangerous animals, their sheer size and unpredictability make them potential dangers to bystanders or other people.

Cows weigh hundreds of pounds, outsizing humans. Because they are flight animals, they are frightened by loud, sharp noises that may startle them. When they’re threatened, they may become aggressive, especially when protecting calves. For example, dogs may seem like potential predators despite their small size, so there have been many incidents of dog walkers getting injured or even killed by cattle.

In addition, if cows escape through fencing or gates, they can damage other people’s property, injure people in the area, or cause accidents on roads or highways.

Fencing

Cows need adequate fencing to keep not only the cows safe in their own territories but people outside of the farm safe. Runaway cows from broken fencing are common, but they can be dangerous if they accidentally damage property or injure people, as mentioned above.

Substantial time and money must be invested in purchasing, constructing, and maintaining good cattle fencing that can withstand the power of cows. Per foot for each strand, barbed wire fencing for cattle can range from $0.03 to $0.08, which doesn’t include fence posts or installation fees. Five strands are recommended, which would cost $0.15 to $0.40 per foot. With installation, you can expect to pay $1.50 per foot for a standard barbed wire fence.

Smell

Keeping livestock is notoriously known for the multitude of foul odors that result due to the normal bodily functions of cows. The specific rotten egg smell that’s native to farms comes from decomposing manure and the release of gases containing chemicals like ammonia and hydrogen sulfide.

Costs

Cows have gotten even more expensive to keep in the past years. In 2016, the cost to purchase cows increased 225% in 15 years. Not only has the price risen, but costs have also increased, squeezing profitability. From 2016 to 2018, the price of feed increased 123%.

Beef heifers, female cows that haven’t had calves yet, can range between $2,500-$3,000. Dairy costs can range between $900-3,000. Prices vary based on type of cow and age, but they all range in the hundreds to thousands of dollars. 

In contrast, a bee hive can cost between $120-$200. A hive plus basic beekeeping equipment can turn out to be $200-450. One cow costs several times as much as one hive, and that doesn’t even include the several costs that pile up such as food, vets, and more.

Saving the Bees

We know that bees are instrumental in producing the fruits and vegetables we eat on a daily basis, but their livelihoods are being endangered as honey bee colonies die due to climate change, disease, and food shortage.

Keeping bees is not only better for the environment, but contributes to preserving the pollinators that make the agricultural economy possible. Cows are the number one agriculture source of greenhouse gases worldwide.

The world needs more bees.