Longevity of Holstein-Friesian cows and some factors affecting their productive life - a review

The aim of the work was to discuss the role and importance of longevity in Holstein-Friesian cows and to present the impact of various factors and their interactions on their life expectancy and use. Understanding the determinants of longevity seems to be key to its improvement. The results of many studies show that for many years there has been a worldwide trend towards the decreasing lifespan of dairy cows. It results from the intensification of milk production and from paying inadequate attention to animal welfare issues. Actual herd life depends on breeders, who make decisions based on cow productivity and the general state of health indicating the chance for survival. The existing knowledge has to be continuously updated due to the complexity of issues arising from cow longevity and the need to understand contributing factors, which is important from both a scientific and practical point of view.