Most dairy cows are culled at 3-4 lactations when they could live much longer. Improving cow longevity through better health management benefits welfare, reduces emissions, and improves farm economics.
Short productive life in dairy cows is both a welfare indicator and a welfare driver. Cows culled early have typically experienced health problems that caused suffering and reduced productivity. Improving longevity requires addressing the root causes of premature culling: lameness, mastitis, and reproductive failure. Each of these conditions involves significant suffering, so preventing them simultaneously improves welfare and extends productive life. Farms with good longevity track records tend to have better overall welfare outcomes because the management practices that keep cows healthy also keep them alive longer. Measuring and reporting average productive life as a welfare metric encourages farms to invest in prevention rather than replacement.