Lifetime data from 3105 cows calving between 1 July 1985 and 30 June 1987 in 42 British dairy herds were available for analysis. Life tables and the effects of a dairy cow's performance and events in her first lactation on her life expectancy were assessed. Graphical display of a life table showed that about 25, 50 and 75% of the cows did not survive for 24, 45 and 73 months, respectively, after calving. After standardisation of calving intervals, it appeared that the hazard of culling was substantially larger in late lactation. A proportional-hazard model with a Weibull transformation was reduced until all parameters in the model were significant (P < 0.05). The herd-effect, health and fertility parameters, the peak yield and 305-days yield in the first lactation were included in the model. The last-lactation milk yield (adjusted for age) and its square were added and proved to be significant (P < 0.001) after reduction of the model. The regression parameter for the square of the adjusted last-lactation milk yield was negative, indicating an optimum at 1.1 times the standard deviation above the average. The herd-effect was significant (P < 0.001). After correction for the last 305-days milk yield, the variables significantly related to a longer productive life were a lower 305-days yield, a lower peak yield, and fewer services to achieve pregnancy. In the model without correction for last 305-days milk yield, a longer productive life had significant relationships with higher 305-days yield, lower peak yield, fewer services to achieve pregnancy and fewer unobserved heats. Occurrence of diseases did not significantly influence the length of productive life because of the large standard errors of the parameter estimates.