How Dairy Cows Are Culled from Freestall-Housed Dairy Herds in Wisconsin.

ABSTRACT: Efforts to improve efficiency and profitability on dairy farms have renewed focus on how culling practices affect herd sustainability and economic outcomes. This study surveyed decision-makers on 60 high-producing, freestall-housed dairy farms in Wisconsin, with a mean (SD) turnover rate of 36.0 (8.0)%. Using a structured questionnaire, we examined herd management, culling criteria, and motivations. Most farms (93%) used on-farm management systems to guide culling, yet only 48% used designated reports, relying instead on individual cow records. Milk production, infertility, and somatic cell count were the top culling criteria, with high milk yield cited as the most difficult factor in removal decisions. While 54% recorded the most obvious reason for culling, only 7% documented multiple cau

SUBMITTER: Buterbaugh KI 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC12837832 | biostudies-literature | 2026 Jan

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature