Jalyssa Beaudry defends her M.Sc. Thesis
Madison, WI – May 7, 2025
By Luis Peña-Lévano, PhD
On May 6, 2025, Jalyssa M. Beaudry successfully presented her master’s thesis, “The Impact of Milking Frequency in Automated Milking Systems on Milk Production and Milk Revenue,” at the University of Wisconsin–Madison. The defense marks the completion of her Master of Science in Agricultural and Applied Economics. Her advisory committee included Drs. Chuck Nicholson, Jeremy Foltz, Shaheer Burney, and Luis Peña-Lévano.
Beaudry’s research offers an in-depth economic evaluation of how early lactation milking frequency influences productivity and revenue outcomes in dairy farms using Automated Milking Systems (AMS).
Drawing from over 150,000 cow-level observations across five Wisconsin farms, the study employs a suite of Random Effects Models to analyze the biological, behavioral, and management determinants of milk yield and component revenue.
Her findings reveal that achieving an average of three milkings per day by day 22 of lactation yields significant economic gains: cows reached up to six more pounds of milk daily and $1.34 more in revenue per cow per day compared to lower-frequency counterparts. The research further emphasizes diminishing returns beyond three daily milkings and underscores the need for cost-effective feed management when using pellet incentives in AMS. By quantifying the economic value of early milking frequency and feed inputs, Beaudry’s work contributes to a data-driven framework for optimizing AMS strategy.
Congratulations to Jalyssa Beaudry on this important academic and professional achievement!
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