9 pp.As today's dairy industry consolidates, cows are being milked more rapidly through larger milking parlors on larger dairies than ever before. Because milk is the primary commodity and source of income for producers, the harvesting of milk is the single most important job on any dairy. Producing high-quality milk to maximize yields and economic value requires effective parlor management, an enormous challenge for producers. Managing large parlors includes managing labor, milking equipment, as well as monitoring and evaluating parlor performance. Decisions concerning the milking center are some of the most complicated decisions a dairy producer has to make. Milking procedures, herd size, milking interval, the milk market, and the equity ...