Name: Crystal Creek
Address: 1600 Roundhouse Road, Spooner, WI, 54801, US
Telephone: 1-888-376-6777
Price range: $

Shop online or call 1-888-376-6777 to place an order.

Growth Feeds Crystal Creek’s Expansion

By Julie Hustvet
jhustvet@spooneradvocate.com
Spooner Advocate, June 16, 2016

Click here to read as a pdf: Growth Feeds Crystal Creek’s Expansion Spooner Advocate June 2016

SPOONER– “We built this way too big.”

If past history is any indication, that may well be the thought as Dan, Jan, and Ryan Leiterman stand inside Crystal Creek’s newest warehouse expansion project, now under construction.

Crystal Creek^® provides nutritional supplements and animal health aids for livestock across the United States and Canada and was founded by husband and wife team Dan and Jan Leiterman in 1997. In 2012, their son Dr. Ryan, joined the family business as the company’s staff veterinarian and newest business partner.

Crystal Creek’s birth, like some notable companies, was in a garage. It relocated to a newly built 40-by-80-foot warehouse in Trego in 2001, which the Leiterman’s thought was “way too big” once they moved the company into it.

April 2016 Newsletter

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Managing Mycotoxins In Feedstuffs: Mycotoxin Binder Strategies

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By Dan Leiterman

Mycotoxins are highly poisonous compounds produced by molds that can grow on livestock feeds both in the field and in storage. Mycotoxins can seriously reduce production in livestock and can negatively affect the health of both livestock and humans alike. Stressful growing and harvesting conditions, such as drought or very wet weather, are conducive to higher mold growth resulting in more mycotoxins in the feed. Mycotoxins are common in livestock feedstuffs and it has been estimated that over one third of the global grain supply has mycotoxin contamination. Poor storage conditions, post-storage mishandling of feedstuffs and poor bunk management may encourage further mold growth once the crop is out of the field.

Evaluating Dry Matter Intake From Pastures

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By Erik Brettingen, B.S.

Many producers we work with at Crystal Creek® utilize pasture as a valuable feedstuff in their ration during the grazing season. Pasture is a cost effective feed that provides great nutrition, supports rumen microbes, promotes animal health, and improves the profitability of many operations when utilized properly. While pasture as a feed can be very beneficial, it has one downfall. It is difficult to measure the dry matter intake (DMI) of your animals when they are on pasture. Dry matter intake is a crucial piece of information for nutritionists when balancing a ration. A balanced ration is essential for optimal production, reproduction, animal health and ultimately profitability.

Increasing Herd Profitability Despite Low Milk Prices

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By Teresa Marker, B.S.

Milk prices fluctuate due to market supply and demand. When milk prices are low, producers find themselves evaluating their current herd status and profitability. Many producers start looking at ways to improve herd health or try to cut costs by eliminating additives. One farm in northwestern Wisconsin, which milks 160 Holstein cows in a robot barn, decided it was time to look for a company that could help improve their situation. A neighbor of theirs, that is currently a Crystal Creek® client utilizing our Crystal Creek® Dairy Nutrition Model (CCDNM), referred them to Crystal Creek®. Their previous nutritionist was using a “band-aid” approach with the herd and it wasn’t working.

Crystal Advantage® = A Performance Advantage

Click here to view as a pdf: Crystal Advantage Equals A Performance Advantage

By Kaylee Viney, Livestock Specialist

Spring is one of the busiest seasons in the equine industry. From preparing for a competitive show season to conditioning horses for field work, we ask our equine athletes to perform with stamina and endurance every year. The Crystal Advantage® equine product line has been created for horses who need to perform at an optimum level despite the stress of traveling, competing or dealing with weather changes and heavy workloads.

December 2015 Newsletter

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Effective Communication Leads to Success in Family Businesses

Click here to view as a pdf: Effective Communication Leads To Success In Family Business

By Ryan Leiterman, D.V.M.

Many farms are family businesses. Husbands and wives often work side by side with their children and their spouses. Running a business with family members can provide a very satisfying work environment with many benefits. Along with the benefits come added challenges of communicating the ideas and feelings of each family member in an open and respectful manner.

Turning Hidden Challenges into Opportunity on a Dairy Farm

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By Teresa Marker, B.S.

As a nutritionist for Crystal Creek^®, I get to work with many types of dairy production models (i.e. conventional, organic, grazing). In working with these different dairy production styles, I see that they all share some common challenges. The good news is that there is opportunity to address these challenges and subsequently improve both the health of the animals and the profitability of the farm. Many of these challenges are not obvious and may require some investigation to find out if they are affecting your farm. The biggest areas of opportunity I see on dairy farms include:

Jack Frost Nipping At Your Beak

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By Julie Wadzinski, B.S.

When cold weather sets in, poultry need diet modifications, appropriate water access, and properly maintained litter to stay healthy, warm and productive. “Cold Stress” is a phrase not spoken enough in the poultry industry. For the backyard flocks, adding heat lamps as supplemental heat is often considered the end of the story. When it comes to managing cold stress in birds, there is more to consider. Cold impacts animals differently. For example, a cow’s rumen is a heating vat that assists in keeping her warm. Poultry do not have the same type of digestion as a cow and rely on increased calories from feed to keep warm.