Dairy cows are social animals with complex social needs that are often inadequately met in modern intensive production systems.
Dairy cow social welfare is frequently compromised by management practices that prioritise production efficiency over social stability. Regrouping cows to adjust pen numbers, manage disease or separate production groups disrupts established social bonds and causes days of social stress. High-welfare dairy systems minimise regrouping, provide adequate space for social interaction without crowding, and offer enrichment like brushes that fulfil social bonding motivations. Recognising cows as individuals with genuine social preferences — not interchangeable production units — is foundational to high-welfare dairy management.