How reproductive management practices in dairy farming affect cow welfare, including hormonal interventions and transition stress.
Dairy cow reproductive management creates significant welfare challenges through the physiological demands of continuous pregnancy and lactation cycles. The transition period around calving represents the most welfare-demanding phase — when cows are at highest risk of ketosis, lameness, mastitis, and metabolic disease from the extreme energy demands of early lactation. Hormonal synchronization programs, while efficient for management, represent additional physiological interventions imposed on already stressed animals. Extended lactation programs that reduce overall pregnancy frequency show promise for reducing the cumulative reproductive welfare burden. Reform requires rethinking the productivity model that drives these demands, not just managing the symptoms they create.