Most dairy cows are culled by age 5-6 due to lameness, reproductive failure, or declining production, far below their natural lifespan of 20+ years.
Premature culling of dairy cows reflects and compounds welfare problems. Conditions that lead to early culling - lameness, chronic mastitis, metabolic disease - involve prolonged suffering before culling decisions are made. The high turnover rates in intensive dairy systems mean individual cow health is often monitored inadequately, with conditions identified late. Farms that invest in preventive health, comfortable flooring, appropriate nutrition, and cow-level monitoring achieve longer productive lifespans alongside improved welfare throughout.