Increased milk yield at dry-off has been associated with increased risk of intramammary infections (IMI) at calving. Abrupt cessation of milking is widely practiced although gradual cessation has been shown to significantly decrease milk yield. The objective of this study was to evaluate the effect of milk cessation method (MilkCess) and Dairy Herd Improvement Association final test day (FTD) milk yield on IMI at calving. Cows in 8 Ohio dairy herds were enrolled 7 to 14 d before expected dry-off and randomly assigned either to ABRUPT or to GRADUAL cessation of milking. The GRADUAL group was milked once daily for the final week of lactation while the ABRUPT group kept the farm’s normal milking schedule. Aseptic quarter foremilk samples were collected at enrollment, at the final milking (DRY), and within 7 d of calving (CALV). Samples were cultured following NMC guidelines. Isolation of ≥ 10 colonies of similar morphology was considered an IMI while isolation of ≥3 morphologies was called contamination. Coagulase-negative staphylococci and Corynebacterium spp. were considered minor (MIN) pathogens. Other species were considered major (MAJ) pathogens. The association between quarter IMI status at CALV and MilkCess and FTD milk yield was evaluated using PROC GLIMMIX in SAS. Separate models were run with MAJ and MIN IMI at CALV as the outcomes. Data from 392 cows were analyzed. MilkCess was not significant, but was forced into each model. For every 4.5-kg increase in FTD milk yield, the odds of IMI at CALV increased (MAJ = 39%, P = 0.0007; MIN = 18%, P = 0.0498). The odds of MAJ IMI at CALV for quarters with MAJ IMI at DRY were 17.2 times the odds of quarters uninfected at DRY (P < 0.0001). The odds of MIN IMI at CALV for quarters with MIN IMI at DRY were 1.9 times the odds of quarters uninfected at DRY (P = 0.0316). For every 7d increase in DIM at dry-off above 305 DIM, the odds of MIN IMI at CALV increased 3.1% (P = 0.0328). On average, dry periods lasted 58 d and for every 7-d increase in days dry above 58 d, the odds of MIN IMI increased 28% (P = 0.0125). In conclusion, decreasing milk yield before dry-off could help improve udder health at calving.