Causes of culling in dairy cows in the central region of Santa Fe, Argentina

This study investigated the annual culling rate and its main causes on dairy farms in the central region of Santa Fe, Argentina. A cross-sectional study was conducted between February and April 2025 on 77 farms located in the central dairy region of Santa Fe province, Argentina (Castellanos and Las Colonias departments). On each farm, an in-person survey was conducted with the farm manager. Information was collected regarding the farm demographics, the number of culls and mortalities and the causes of culling. The average annual total culling rate for pasture-based systems was 22.3% (range: 10-34%), while for confined systems it was 31% (range: 22-54%). The proportion of cows culled in pasture-based systems was 15.6% (range: 2-30%) compared to 23.6% (range: 14-43%) in confined systems. The annual mortality rate in pasture-based systems was 6.7% (range: 2-20%), while in confined systems it was 7.4% (range: 4-17%). The main causes of culling were reproductive problems, udder health issues, hoof diseases, infectious diseases and low milk production. The main causes of mortality on the farms were traumatic injuries, infectious diseases, mastitis and metabolic disorders, among others. Average cow longevity in pasture-based systems was 4.3 (range: 2-9) lactations compared to 2.9 (range: 1.4-4) lactations in confined systems. Productivity, animal welfare and dairy herd longevity are shaped primarily by management practices rather than by production system type alone, and both pasture-based and confined systems can be optimized to achieve sustainable outcomes.