Rancher A new life Animals

Animal care sits at the heart of Rancher: A new life, the upcoming ranch simulation from Sim Farm S.A. and PlayWay on Steam. Early Access is planned for August 6, 2026, and official materials describe a layered livestock loop: feed and water, pasture management, product collection, mood care, breeding, and sales — all while wild creatures and wasp nests can stress your fences and stock.

This hub collects every animals page on the wiki so you can plan a save before launch or practice in the Demo Guide. Start with one species, lock a daily route, then expand. The How to Raise Animals guide walks beginners through that pacing, and the Animal Care Planner helps you compare time costs before you buy more mouths.

What livestock Early Access includes

Steam feature lists for the full game name six farm animal types at launch framing: horse, dog, cat, bees, plus six cow breeds and seven chicken breeds. Steam’s Full Access list explicitly adds more animals (Sheep, Goat). Marketing still mentions grazing sheep/goats, but Early Access livestock planning should assume chickens, cows, horse, dog, cat, and bees first. Track sheep and goats on Release Date and Roadmap and Co-op Status context pages until patch notes unlock them.

Each species connects back to ranch infrastructure. Cows tie into milk sales and House Renovation for the cow shed. Chickens produce eggs on a tighter daily rhythm. Bees link forward to Bees and Honey and flower beds. Pets are not pure decoration: a dog can herd livestock toward pasture, a horse opens travel and riding, and a cat adds home life flavor without replacing work animals.

Daily care pillars

Across species, the same pillars repeat:

• Fodder or pasture — assign feed manually or use a dog to move groups.
• Water access — dry troughs stall production and mood.
• Products — eggs, milk, wool (where sheep appear), and honey from hives.
• Mood and stroking — official copy invites gentle interaction; neglect shows in behavior.
• Breeding and selling — grow herds deliberately rather than buying endlessly.
• Illnesses — chicken and cow disease care is highlighted for Early Access.

The dedicated Breeding and Care page breaks those loops into checklists. Pair it with Ranch pages when you need map shops such as the veterinary clinic or animal market.

Species guides in this section

Page	Focus
Chickens	Breeds, eggs, housing, simplified demo vs full care
Cows	Breeds, milking, shed upgrades, illnesses
Pets	Dog herding, horse riding, cat care
Breeding and Care	Cross-species routines, mood, selling
Wild Animals	Boar, deer, elk, rabbit, wolf, fox, wasps

Wild threats and defense

Early Access lists six wild species that can harm animals and fences: boar, deer, elk, rabbit, wolf, and fox. Wasp nests add environmental hazards near outbuildings. Read Wild Animals before you leave young stock unattended overnight, and keep repair materials from Map Locations in mind.

Connect animals to farming and money

Livestock generates ingredients for Recipes — milk, eggs, and later meat or preserves depending on your build. Compost from cleaning ties into Crops and Greenhouse. When you plan sales, cross-check How to Make Money so feed costs do not erase profit.

Suggested learning order

1. Read Getting Started and practice chickens in the demo.
2. Open Chickens and Breeding and Care.
3. Add Cows when water and fodder routines feel automatic.
4. Train a Dog for herding before expanding pasture size.
5. Study Wild Animals before running unattended multi-species pens.

Animal pages will be updated as Early Access patches land. Confirm breed counts, illness types, and any newly added goats or sheep on patch notes and refresh your planner accordingly.