High culling rates in dairy herds indicate welfare problems, with average culling ages of 5-6 years representing significant premature mortality from welfare-related conditions.
High culling rates reflect a chronic welfare failure in dairy production. Cows culled for lameness or mastitis have typically experienced weeks or months of suffering before culling. Culling solves the farmer's problem at the expense of the cow's welfare. Longevity-focused dairy management invests in prevention of the conditions that cause culling, keeping cows healthier for longer. This benefits both cow welfare and farm economics. Herds with culling rates below 20% annually demonstrate that low-culling, high-welfare dairy production is achievable at commercial scale.