Modern dairy cows are typically culled after just 2-3 lactations despite the capacity to live much longer, driven by economic pressure rather than welfare considerations.
The metabolic demands of high milk production create a cycle of health problems — metabolic disease, mastitis, lameness, and reproductive dysfunction — that cause chronic suffering and lead to early culling. Cows selected for extremely high milk yields are in near-constant negative energy balance, with their bodies essentially consuming themselves for milk production. The brief productive lives of modern dairy cows represent a welfare trade-off that prioritizes yield over longevity and health.