Dairy cows culled from herds due to poor production, disease, or reproductive failure face welfare risks during their final journey from farm to slaughter.
Cull cow welfare is one of the most challenging areas of dairy welfare management. Animals that have served their productive lives are often transported in deteriorating condition, creating a final welfare failure at the end of what may have been years of welfare compromise. Fitness-to-travel regulations exist but assessment quality varies. Emergency on-farm slaughter avoids transport stress for seriously compromised animals. Lairage welfare at abattoirs for dairy cows differs from beef cattle because many arrive thinner and more physically stressed. Improving cull cow welfare requires both better on-farm decision making about transport fitness and improved lairage conditions for the most vulnerable animals.