Average dairy cow lifespan in commercial systems has declined to 2-3 lactations, reflecting welfare and sustainability problems that longevity-focused breeding and management can address.
Low longevity in dairy cows reflects an industry calibrated for short-term output at the expense of animal welfare and sustainability. Cows pushed to maximum production experience metabolic exhaustion and are culled before reaching their productive potential. Farms that invest in transition cow nutrition, lameness prevention, and reproductive management consistently achieve higher longevity. Longer-lived cows are more profitable over their lifetime, aligning welfare improvement with economic sustainability.