Extending dairy cow productive lifespans is both a welfare and sustainability goal, reducing the welfare harms of early culling and the environmental costs of herd replacement.
Dairy cow longevity is a welfare indicator that reflects the overall quality of farm management and the prevention of the conditions that cause early culling. Cows that are frequently lame, infertile, or mastitic are culled early because they are uneconomic, but these conditions also represent significant welfare harm. Farms that achieve high longevity through excellent management - good nutrition, appropriate housing, effective lameness prevention, and reproductive management - demonstrate that welfare and productivity align in sustainable dairy systems. Longevity-focused breeding and management simultaneously improve welfare and reduce the environmental footprint of dairy production.