Q? Does my milking interval have any effect on my milk production?

A: Yes, the affect of irregular milking interval has been well documented. For a 2X daily herd milking, the Optimum interval is 12 hours. When that interval is greater than 14 hour (14 & 10 hr), the milk yield will be affected. For a 9 & 15 hr interval expect 1.8% less milk per cow. For an 8 & 16 hr milking schedule estimate 3.4% less milk, or an increase if move back into within a 10 & 14 hr milking schedule. Of course, high producers are affected less than lower producers, or cows later in the lactation cycle.