A dairy cow's welfare across her full production lifetime involves calving, milk production, potential repeat pregnancies, and eventual slaughter — each with specific welfare considerations.
Dairy cow welfare across a lifetime reveals the accumulated cost of high-yield production. The metabolic demands of producing 8,000+ litres per year stress the body to the point where lameness, mastitis, and metabolic disease become common rather than exceptional. Cows are slaughtered when production drops rather than being allowed to age naturally. The combination of high production genetics, housing conditions, and short productive lifespans creates chronic welfare deficits. Higher welfare dairy systems prioritise breed selection for health and longevity, housing that allows natural movement, preventive veterinary care, and extended productive lifespans.