Industrial Animal Agriculture &
Farmed Animals’ Welfare

Dairy Cows

A dairy cow is a female domesticated bovine specifically bred and managed for the primary purpose of milk production. These cows are raised to yield a consistent and high-quality supply of milk, which is then used for various dairy products like milk, cheese, butter, yoghurt, and more. Dairy cows are typically distinct from beef cattle, which are bred for meat production.

A dairy cow. Credit: Havva Zorlu / We Animals Media.

According to Compassion in World Farming, worldwide there are over 270 million dairy cows. Dairy farming operations to date have been mostly located in Europe, the USA, Australia and New Zealand. However, dairy farming is becoming increasingly common in Asia, including Southeast Asia.

Dairy cows are required to give birth to one calf annually in order to produce milk for 10 months of the year. The gestation period of a cow is around nine months. The calf is usually taken away soon after birth (sometimes within 24 hours) in order to obtain as much milk as possible from the cow.

Selective breeding

Through generations of selection, dairy cows have been bred specifically to produce very high volumes of milk.

The Holstein-Friesian is the most common type of dairy cow in the UK, Europe and the USA, and has been bred to produce very high yields of milk. Milk production per cow has more than doubled in the past 40 years.

Housing for dairy cows

Dairy cows raised on CAFOs spend all or most of their time indoors. There may be many cows crowded into one shed, leaving little room for adequate movement. Concrete flooring is typically used, which makes lying down and resting uncomfortable for the cows. Lying down is an important biological need for all cows, and they need to rest even more than usual when they are lactating (producing milk). There is usually little or no bedding material provided.

Some cows are kept in “tie-in” stalls, where they are tethered by either a chain, stanchion (metal bars) or rope tied around the neck, for up to 24 hours a day. The cows in these stalls are completely restricted in their movements and ability to engage in even basic natural behaviours.

A cow resting on the hard concrete floor of a small stall that contains no bedding. Such conditions are typical on modern dairy farms.
Credit: Havva Zorlu / We Animals Media.

“Zero-grazing”

Cows are natural grazers, who will naturally spend their lives grazing on grass and browsing on vegetation. When cows spend the majority of their time indoors they are denied the opportunity to perform this natural behaviour. “Zero-grazing”, whereby dairy cows spend most of all of their time indoors, is a practice that is becoming increasingly widespread.

Welfare concerns for dairy cows

By being kept indoors for all or most of their lives, cows are prevented from performing many of their natural behaviours, such as grazing and lying down to rest comfortably.

Lameness is a common problem for dairy cows. This painful condition is caused by various conditions associated with bacterial infection, such as hoof lesions, sole ulcers, laminitis and digital dermatitis. Prolonged standing on concrete floors is a leading cause of these problems, as are poor quality floors, ineffective foot trimming and poor nutrition.

Dairy cows are especially prone to developing the painful condition mastitis, which is inflammation of the udders caused by a bacterial infection.

The nutrient-dense diets (more concentrate, less forage) that cows are fed to increase their milk yield can lead to a build-up of acid in the rumen (part of the stomach), leading to acidosis- a condition that can cause diarrhoea and lead to laminitis (damage to the feet that causes lameness).

Unhygienic conditions on a dairy farm. Prolonged standing on dirty, concrete floors can lead to various health problems for dairy cows.
Credit: Jo-Anne McArthur, Unsplash.

Calves:
A “by-product” of the dairy industry

Calves are considered a “by-product” of the dairy industry. On most farms, calves are taken from their mothers at a very young age, sometimes immediately after birth, so that the milk can be collected to be sold. Separation of cows from their calves is highly distressing for both the mother and the calf, and cows will sometimes call for their calf for several days after separation.

Female calves are often raised to join the dairy herd. Male calves may be killed immediately (they are usually shot), or they may be sold on to other farms to be raised for meat. The calves may be transported over long distances to other farms, sometimes when they are just a week old. These journeys are extremely stressful for such young animals, who should still be with their mothers.

On dairy farms, calves are separated from their mothers shortly after birth, often within 24 hours. Calves will never suckle from their mothers and are instead fed manufactured commercial milk powder mixed with water. Credit: Andrew Skowron / We Animals Media.

Lifespan of cows on a CAFO

A dairy cow is usually sent for slaughter after 3 or 4 years of milk production. This is because by this time her milk production drops, due to the strain on her body caused by multiple pregnancies in a short period and relentless milking. She is no longer considered to be productive enough.

Further Reading