Records of production and reproductive performance of Friesian cows that were either culled after completing a particular lactation (n = 2545) or retained to give subsequent lactation(s) , up to the 4^th lactation, (n = 3904) were analysed to compare the productive and reproductive efficiency between the two groups.  The data covered  milk production traits: total milk yield (TMY), 305-d milk yield (305-d MY), average daily milk yield (ADMY), peak daily milk yield (PDY), lactation period (LP), and persistency (Prs); reproductive performance traits: days open (DO) and number of services per conception (NSC); and productive efficiency traits: milk yield per day of life (MY/DL) and lifetime total milk yield (LTMY).       Culling rate increased with advance of parity, being 27.2 and 81.0 % at the end of the 1^st and 4^th lactations, respectively. Culled cows had significantly higher TMY, 305-d MY and ADMY than those retained, and the differences between the two groups were generally more pronounced in the first two lactations.      Culled cows had also significantly longer DO and larger NSC than retained cows.  Productive efficiency was higher in culled than in retained cows. The differences between the two groups (culled – retained) were most pronounced in the 2^nd lactation (+730 kg TMY, + 419 kg 305-d MY, +0.6 NSC, + 53 DO , and 0.8 kg MY/DL, P<0.01).      TMY was significantly (P<0.001) correlated with NSC ( r = 0.403) and DO (r = 0.381).  The results indicated that more attention should be given to high yielding cows, particularly their reproductive management, to increase their longevity, and hence improve herd productivity.