Articles
Give Your Beef Calves A Strong Start
Click here to view as a pdf: Give Your Beef Calves A Strong Start By Erik Brettingen, B.S. The stress caused by weaning decreases a calf’s immune function and makes them more vulnerable to disease. For many years it has been common practice to give medicated feeds, pellets, or additives around the time of…
Ask The Vet / Ask The Nutritionist
“We see sporadic outbreaks of ringworm in our livestock and can’t seem to get rid of it. What exactly causes ringworm and how can we prevent it?” -Puzzled in Pennsylvania There are many producers across the nation who experience bouts of ringworm and struggle to get rid of it. Ringworm is caused by a contagious…
Reducing Feed Waste Can Return Big $
Click here to view as a pdf: Reducing Feed Waste Can Return Big Dollars By Teresa Marker, B.S. Farmers are always looking for ways to improve their bottom line. One aspect that can easily be overlooked is feed loss due to issues in fermentation, storage, feedout or bunk management. This article provides ideas to help…
Hygiene Protocols For Successful Calf Raising
Click here to view as a pdf: Hygiene Protocols For Successful Calf Raising By Erik Brettingen, B.S. Every calf raiser knows that keeping calves healthy is neither simple nor easy. When a calf’s exposure to pathogens “outweighs” its immune resources, the results are clinical illness. One of the keys to keeping calves healthy is reducing…
Getting The Most Out Of Your Feedstuffs
Click here to view as a pdf: Getting The Most Out Of Your Feedstuffs By Teresa Marker, B.S. Dairy producers spend a lot of time, energy and money to grow, harvest and store quality feedstuffs that will be used to feed their livestock. Optimizing those feedstuffs by feeding a balanced ration will make the rumen…
Beef Up Your Mineral Feeding Program
Click here to view as a pdf: Beef Up Your Mineral Feeding Program Are Your Cows Getting What They Need in the Third Trimester of Pregnancy? By Erik Brettingen, B.S. Limiting or decreasing the amount of mineral provided to beef cattle is a common practice to save money throughout the year for some beef producers. If…
Maintaining Your Pasture To Maximize Feed Quality
Click here to view as a pdf:Maintaining Your Pasture To Maximize Feed Quality By Erik Brettingen, B.S. Pasture is a high quality, cost-effective feed that many producers rely heavily on during the summer months. Because pasture is such a crucial feed, it is important to manage it during vulnerable times to make the most…
Evaluating Dry Matter Intake From Pastures
Click here to read as a pdf: Evaluating Dry Matter Intake From Pastures 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,…
Ask the Vet / Ask the Nutritionist
Click here to view as a pdf: Ask The Vet Ask The Nutritionist “Every winter we have a number of animals who come in with chapped or cracked teats. We would like to prevent this but we don’t know how? Is there anything we can use to keep the cold weather from wrecking our…
Are You and Your Cows Ready for Summer
Click here to view as a pdf: Are You And Your Cows Ready For Summer By Teresa Marker, B.S. It is hard to believe summer is just around the corner. Spring is a great time to prepare your animals for the challenges of summer. Below are some tips and strategies that will help your…