Manipulating milk production in early lactation through photoperiod changes and milking frequency.

Photoperiod management and increased milking frequency in early lactation offer noninvasive methods to improve production and health in dairy cows. Prolactin physiology is critical to the responses, and thus may be a factor in other environmental effects (eg, temperature and stress). Integration of these strategies into the management system is not difficult, but requires attention to details of feeding, housing, and animal movement. The techniques can be combined effectively with other management strategies that increase milk yield. There is evidence that cows managed using photoperiod manipulation and frequent milking produce more milk than control animals, but also have improved transitions into lactation.