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Click here to view as a pdf: Electrolyte Use
By Kelly Hubert, B.S.
Electrolytes are an important tool to use when supporting scouring and dehydrated calves. Scours are the leading cause of death in young calves, primarily because scours cause calves to rapidly dehydrate. It is important to monitor calves daily and treat them quickly when needed. A calf needs to receive 10% of its body weight in fluids each day for maintenance, while a growing calf will require even more1.
Crystal Creek® is proud to present Jessica Getschel and Dr. Ryan Leiterman’s recent article published in the Progressive Dairyman Magazine.
Progressive Dairyman will be featuring three of Jessica Getschel’s articles on calf barn ventilation this year. Jessica is a livestock nutritionist and ventilation specialist at Crystal Creek® and holds a bachelor of science degree from University Wisconsin Madison in Dairy Science and Microbiology.
Click here to view as a pdf: Key design features to consider before building a new calf barn
By Jessica Getschel, B.S.
Proper barn planning saves time and money. For every decision, it is important to understand its associated ramifications. In calf barns, housing style and pen configuration decisions impact ventilation options, which in turn affects the overall success of the barn. Before building a calf barn, think about the ventilation requirements for every season. Allocate at least 10 percent of the overall building cost for the purchase of a well thought out ventilation system and ask these three questions as you consider your ventilation options:
Click here to view as a pdf: Can Calf Barns Really Have Too Much Fresh Air In The Winter
By Ryan Leiterman, D.V.M.
Cold temperatures are here and winter is quickly approaching. As the temperatures drop, calf barns are closed up and the ventilation rates are turned down. As an industry we do this reflexively, but is it what’s best for the calves?
Studies show that pre-weaned calves raised in hutches have lower pneumonia rates when compared to calves raised in barns. Even calves raised in calf barns equipped with modern ventilation systems can experience increased respiratory disease rates when compared to their hutch-raised counterparts.
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 weaning to decrease the incidence of disease. Treating with these medicated feeds can be expensive, counterproductive to rumen function, and now requires a veterinary prescription due to the Veterinary Feed Directive (VFD). Crystal Creek® formulates products that have natural ingredients proven to support calves during the stress of weaning and do not require the need for a VFD. Crystal Pellets™ and Heifer Pride™ are two products that can help give your beef calves a strong start.
“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 fungus called Trichophyton verrucosum. This fungus spreads easily throughout groups of livestock, especially those housed indoors. The spores multiply and spread rapidly, and can be picked up anywhere in the environment. Once an animal comes into contact with the spores, they irritate the skin and cause an infection.
Click here to view as a pdf: Keep Calves Off The Temperature Roller Coaster
By Ryan Leiterman, D.V.M.
Spring and fall weather conditions often present calf raisers with the challenge of fluctuating temperatures. The rapid and ongoing transition from warm days to cold nights creates a temperature roller coaster that can increase calfhood respiratory disease rates.
Click here to view as a pdf: Ask The Vet Ask The Nutritionist
“We provide our calves with a clean maternity pen to be born in, good quality colostrum at birth and a sound nutrition program as they grow but we still have outbreaks of scours. We work hard to keep our calf pens clean and have developed a good vaccination program with our veterinarian. What are we missing?”
-Wondering from Minnesota
Congratulations on providing your calves with a healthy start to their lives. The three most common areas for exposure of newborn calves to harmful pathogens are 1) the maternity pen, 2) the calf hutch/housing and 3) feeding utensils, bottles and pails. Read More →
Click here to view as a pdf: Pre-Engineered Tube Ventilation Systems
By Ryan Leiterman, D.V.M.
What are the benefits of a pre-engineered positive pressure tube system?
Crystal Creek® is now handling pre-engineered tube systems. These duct systems have reduced set up and production time, lower material waste and use bulk shipments for lower freight costs; making the ducts less expensive when compared to a customized duct. Pre-engineered duct systems do not require a ventilation designer to engineer the system, further reducing costs.
Click here to view as a pdf: Swift Start Calf Feeding Challenge
By Teresa Marker, B.S.
The ultimate goal for calf raisers is to raise a healthy, profitable replacement for their herd. Crystal Creek’s Swift Start® Calf & Heifer Program consistently provides the jump start calves need to become a productive part of the herd. The Swift Start® program consists of a line of milk replacers, texturized calf feeds, calf pellets and calf and heifer minerals that are formulated with industry leading technology and manufactured with the highest quality ingredients available. Calf raisers on Crystal Creek’s Swift Start® Calf & Heifer Program see less scours, better average daily gains and smooth transitions after weaning.
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 disease causing pathogens at their source using proper hygiene procedures.
