I think Ken probably has it correct as being a hardening issue, but I will still stand by the fact that lubrication contributes.

If this was common the trucking industry would be all over this. But they run their trucks so long and so often the mating surfaces between the rollers and the lobes always have a film of lubrication between them. We who own motorhomes let them sit for long periods and the first start-up after that long period of inactivity is the problem. Any film of protective lubrication has probably drained down.

Once metal starts galling like that there is no cure, including lots of lube, and the rate of damage actually accelerates.

If properly hardened the resistance to that damage may be sufficient to mitigate the dry start up. Hats off to Ken for pointing that out.