by MagicManICT » Mon Nov 30, 2015 3:39 am
In game, I don't think the cows stop lactating. I honestly don't recall, as when I drop out of a world for a while, it's usually a few months and by that time, everything has decayed, been stolen, etc., and I just start new characters, maybe drag the old ones to the new place.
In real life, the female will be severely uncomfortable for several days to a week after breast/teat feeding stops. Dairy animals that are bred for large quantities of milk every day can die from ruptured mammary glands and the resulting internal hemorrhaging if milking stops abruptly. I really don't want to see this become a life simulator, though. If I have to take off for a couple weeks and need to leave my cows, I want to be able to leave enough feed and be sure they'll (nominally*) be alive when I come back.
*barring raiders and such coming and looting and killing everything
Opinions expressed in this statement are the authors alone and in no way reflect on the game development values of the actual developers.