What happens if a cow isn’t milk?
If a cow was to be suddenly stop being milked, there could be a risk she gets mastitis.
Last updated 31/01/2025
Dairy cows are selectively bred to produce high levels of milk and this is far more than a calf could normally drink. The volume of milk produced by a cow will depend upon various factors, such as her level of nutrition, breed, genetics and age. For her to continue to produce milk once she has calved, she needs to be milked each day.
Cows are usually dried off, which means they are stopped being milked, about 2 months before their next expected calving to allow her udder to rest and re-set itself for the following lactation. However, if a cow in peak milk production were to suddenly be dried off, there could be a risk of her getting mastitis (an infection of the udder).
Was this useful?
Thank you for your feedback