The productive lifespan of dairy cows has declined significantly over decades of selection for high milk yield, raising important welfare and sustainability questions.
The short productive lifespan of modern dairy cows reflects a welfare compromise that has become normalised in the industry. Cows are essentially worked until their bodies fail from the combined pressures of high milk production, repeated pregnancy, and intensive management, then discarded for slaughter. Selection for longevity rather than peak yield would produce cows with lower disease burdens and longer, healthier lives. There is growing evidence that longevity and welfare are commercially compatible - farms with lower culling rates often outperform economically due to reduced replacement costs and better lifetime production.