The Natural and Unnatural Lives of Cows
A Natural Life Cut Short
Cows naturally live quite long lives when given the chance. In their natural state, without human intervention, cattle can live 15-20 years or even longer. The oldest recorded cow, known as “Big Bertha,” reached an extraordinary 48 years and nine months of age. However, the reality for most cows in modern agriculture is drastically different.
Dairy cows typically live only six years before they can no longer produce milk at profitable levels. At this point, they are sold to beef producers for slaughter. The dairy industry pushes these animals to maximize output, creating an inseparably connected relationship between the dairy and meat industries. According to U.S. Department of Agriculture figures, dairy cows made up 9.1 percent of commercial cattle slaughtered in 2022. Some “downed cows” are killed directly on dairy farms before they can be processed for human consumption.
The situation is no better for bulls, the male cows often used for breeding purposes. These natural service bulls are typically culled at 4-5 years old, well before their natural lifespan ends. Female cattle in beef operations, known as heifers, face similar fates, usually being killed at just 2-4 years old. This pattern of early death is driven by the economics of animal agriculture, where animals are valued primarily for their productivity rather than their well-being.
I’ve visited several farm sanctuaries where rescued cattle live out their full lives. The difference between these animals and their counterparts in industrial settings is striking. At sanctuaries, you can see elderly cows with gray faces leisurely grazing in open fields—something rarely witnessed in our food system where animals seldom reach older ages.
