Dairy cow longevity — how long cows remain productive before culling — is both a welfare indicator and an economic metric, with important implications for welfare certification.
Dairy cow longevity is a welfare indicator with an elegant logic: a cow living 6 productive lactations rather than 2.5 is a cow who has escaped the cycle of disease and reproductive failure that ends so many dairy cow lives prematurely. Lameness, mastitis, and metabolic disorders — the three main drivers of early culling — are all painful conditions that indicate welfare failure. A farm achieving high longevity has therefore, almost by definition, achieved better health and welfare management across the board. Breeding for longevity, investing in preventive health programs, and managing cows to support their long-term health rather than maximizing short-term production are the foundation of longevity-compatible welfare management.