Objectives The effects of different stages including the birth, mating, and gestation on the performance of postpartum lactation in dairy cows were studied to fully utilize the potential of milk production in young cows after calving. Methods Data on the date of birth, the date of mating, the date of gestation, calving, the birth weight of calf, and the yield of postpartum lactation in young cows from two large-scale dairy farms in Shihezi, Xinjiang were collected from January 2021 to December 2023. The correlation between the birth weight, gestational age, generation interval, and the performance of postpartum lactation in young cows was analyzed. Results The birth weight, mating weight, gestational age, and generation interval of young cattle significantly affected the performance of postpartum lactation in young, with a positive correlation (P<0.05). Young cows with a birth weight of 37 kg or more, a mating weight of 410 kg, a gestational age of above 438 days, and a generation interval of 711 days or more had relatively higher yield of first postpartum lactation. Conclusions The management of nutrition in young cows during gestation should be strengthened, while reasonably controlling the mating weight and gestational age, and optimizing the generation interval.