Do cows get a break from milking?

Milk production in Ireland is split into two cycles: summer or winter – and cows only supply milk for one of these cycles (the majority are in the summer cycle while grass is growing). For example, the ‘summer cycle’ cow in Ireland is brought into pregnancy around May and continues to produce milk until the drying off period around October/November. This allows between two and three months break of non-milking before calving and is an important phase for the cow. It ensures that she can prioritise her own body condition in advance of calving, and allows the mammary tissue to naturally replenish itself, before producing milk again in the next lactation. This time can also give the farmer and/or the milker a break.