Incomplete milking (IM) and increased milking frequency (IMF) exert different effects on milk yield and mammary physiology. The objectives of this experiment were to determine the effects of IM and IMF on milk production rate (MPR) and milk composition and whether milking 3 times daily (3×) could rescue the negative production effects of IM. Twenty-two multiparous cows (mean ± SEM; 2.73 ± 0.18 parity) were enrolled from 5 to 47 DIM utilizing a 2 × 2 factorial design. Eleven cows were randomly assigned to be milked 2 times (2×) daily and 11 cows were randomly assigned to be milked 3×. Within each cow, a half-udder was randomly assigned to IM (30% milk remaining in the gland, MRG), while the other half-udder was completely milked (CM). Half-udder IM was achieved via weekly calibrations of target milk yields for each quarter. Control quarters were CM until milk flow had ceased visually. Quarter-level milk yields were recorded at each milking. Quarter-level milk samples were collected twice weekly at the beginning of the morning milking to determine milk fat, protein, lactose, and SCC. Data were analyzed using the MIXED procedure of SAS. Cows milked 2× and 3× produced 1.81 ± 0.06 and 1.97 ± 0.06 kg milk/h, respectively (P = 0.06). Half-udders that were CM and IM produced 1.09 ± 0.03 and 0.80 ± 0.03 kg milk/h, respectively. An interaction was detected between IM and week of lactation for MPR (P = 0.04). Half-udders that were IM had increased milk fat percent (2.15 ± 0.07% vs. 1.43 ± 0.07%; P < 0.0001), decreased lactose percent (4.75 ± 0.03% vs. 4.99 ± 0.03%; P < 0.0001), increased milk log10SCC (4.22 ± 0.05 vs. 4.41 ± 0.05; P = 0.0004), and no difference in milk protein percent compared with CM half-udders. Cows milked 3X had increased milk fat percent (1.93 ± 0.09% vs. 1.65 ± 0.09%; P = 0.047), decreased milk lactose percent (4.80 ± 0.04% vs. 4.93 ± 0.04%; P = 0.04), and no difference in milk protein percent or milk SCC compared with cows milked 2×. No interaction was detected between IM and IMF for MPR or milk components. Our results indicate that 30% MRG had an irreversible impact on milk yield as IMF was not able to reverse the milk yield loss that occurs with the IM treatment.