Why modern dairy cows have short productive lives and what breed selection, management, and husbandry changes can extend healthy longevity.
The short productive life of modern dairy cows is a welfare indicator in itself - cows that cannot maintain health through multiple lactations are being pushed beyond their physiological limits. High milk yields, associated metabolic stress, and the prevalence of lameness and mastitis reflect management and breeding priorities that prioritize short-term output over animal longevity and welfare. Extended longevity programs that breed for robustness rather than maximum yield, combined with improved hoof care and disease management, can extend healthy dairy cow lives while improving both welfare and farm economics.