Research into dairy cow social bonds reveals that cows form lasting friendships with specific individuals. Disrupting these bonds through regrouping causes stress with welfare and production implications.
Cow social bond science has practical implications for dairy farm management. Routine regrouping - a common practice as cows move through production stages - disrupts established social relationships and causes measurable stress. Minimizing regrouping, moving cows in pairs with their social partners, and avoiding mixing unfamiliar animals during periods of other stressors (early lactation, calving) reduces welfare harm. The welfare improvement from stable social groups also has economic benefits: cows with established social bonds have better feed access, reduced aggression-related injuries, and improved milk production.