Progressive Dairy Magazine Features Dr. Ryan Leiterman’s Article “4 Air Exchanges Per Hour: A History of Calf Barn Ventilation”
Calfhood Pneumonia: When Is It Related To Ventilation And When Is It Something Different?
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Dr. Ryan Leiterman holds degrees in both Agricultural Engineering and Veterinary Medicine
By Ryan Leiterman, D.V.M
Calfhood pneumonia can be frustrating to deal with. Understanding where the problem originates is the first step in creating a plan to combat it. Most cases of calfhood pneumonia can be placed into one of two broad categories: environmental causes vs. contagious causes.
Another way to look at these categories would be pneumonia cases caused by poor air quality vs. pneumonia cases caused by something other than air quality/ventilation.
Comparing Calves To Bicycle Wheels- A Systematic Approach To Troubleshooting Pre-weaned Calves
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Dr. Ryan Leiterman holds degrees in both Agricultural Engineering and Veterinary Medicine
By Ryan Leiterman, D.V.M and Lorrie Meister, C.V.T.
On October 11, 1826, Theodore Jones of London, England received a patent for what he called “wire wheels”. Jones found that if he added wires, or what we now call spokes, to a circular rim, the wheel could bear greater stress while maintaining its round shape. The addition of the spokes helped the rim distribute the stress evenly throughout the wheel. This strength is dependent on all the spokes working together; if one or more spokes are weak or broken, the rim may collapse.
Dr. Ryan Leiterman Contributes to Progressive Dairy Magazine
Dr. Ryan Leiterman’s recent article “Drafts: A Calf’s Best Friend or Greatest Foe” has been published in the Progressive Dairy Magazine. 
This article addresses why drafts are traditionally thought of as a negative experience for calves and how they can be used to one’s advantage in certain situations. Read more here to learn what the pros and cons of drafts can be in calf barn ventilation.
Click here to view as a pdf: A calf’s best friend or greatest foe
Dr. Ryan Leiterman holds degrees in both Agricultural Engineering and Veterinary Medicine.
By Dr. Ryan Leiterman
Drafts and pre-weaned calves – rarely is a topic so misunderstood. Many calf raisers are uncomfortable with the topic of drafts on calves, regardless of the outside temperature. Most people believe drafts are to be avoided at all costs. I once heard of a veterinarian who would spark a lighter in a calf pen and if the flame flickered, even the slightest bit, would declare the presence of a dangerous draft. Contrary to popular belief, however, drafts on pre-weaned calves are not always a bad thing. In fact, in certain situations, they can even be beneficial.
Progressive Dairy Magazine Features “Calves and Bicycle Wheels” by Dr. Leiterman and Lorrie Meister, CVT
Crystal Creek® is proud to announce that Dr. Ryan Leiterman and Lorrie Meister’s recent article “Calves and Bicycle Wheels-A Systematic Approach to Troubleshooting Pre-weaned Calves“, has been published in the Progressive Dairy Magazine. 
This article discusses the evaluation of overall calf health. Break one spoke on a wheel, and the whole wheel collapses. Calves are no different. Every aspect of calf care must be carefully managed to optimize calf health and growth. Read more to learn how your calves can benefit from these concepts.
Click here to view as a pdf: Calves and bicycle wheels- A systematic approach to troubleshooting pre-weaned calves
Dr. Ryan Leiterman holds degrees in both Agricultural Engineering and Veterinary Medicine.
By Dr. Ryan Leiterman and Lorrie Meister, CVT
On Oct. 11, 1826, Theodore Jones of London, England, received a patent for what he called “wire wheels.” Jones found if he added wires, or what we now call spokes, to a circular rim, the wheel could bear greater stress while maintaining its round shape. The addition of the spokes helped the rim distribute the stress evenly throughout the wheel. This strength is dependent on all the spokes working together; if one or more spokes are weak or broken, the
rim may collapse. In the same way spokes help keep a wheel round, calves have six main “spokes” that help keep them healthy when subject to stress, which are:
1. Colostrum 2. Calories
3. Bedding 4. Air Quality
5. Vaccination 6. Sanitation
Understanding Biofilms In Agriculture – Republished as a Customer Favorite
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Customer Favorite This article was originally published in the April 2017 Issue of the Crystal Creek® Newsletter
By: Jessica Getschel, B.S.
In agriculture today, sanitation technique and protocol implementation have become more important than ever before. An increased awareness of health benefits gained from a clean environment has stimulated a higher standard of cleaning expectations. Many producers not only strive to remove organic matter from surfaces, but also microbial buildup; more accurately, biofilms.
Ventilating A Retrofitted Stanchion Barn For Calves
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By Jessica Getschel, B.S.
There’s nothing more picturesque than a dairy farm with a big red barn on a cobblestone foundation. Many of these barns, referred to as stanchion, tiestall or bank barns, were built decades ago and tell stories of families who have been dairy farming for generations.
Over the years, many farmers have moved out of these older barns and into modern freestall barns for a variety of reasons: expanding herd size, new cow comfort recommendations or a new milking system, to name a few. This departure leaves a vacant building prized for its emotional value to the farm.
Understanding The Principles Of Calf Barn Ventilation
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By Jessica Getschel, B.S.
Understanding the basic principles of calf barn ventilation is essential in evaluating the many different ventilation options available today. There is no single ventilation system that will work for every situation because each calf barn is unique in its structure and layout.
The goal of a properly designed ventilation system should be to provide clean, fresh air at all times for healthy calf development. Ventilation is responsible for removing accumulated heat, moisture, air borne pathogens and noxious gases from the animal’s environment. These factors support the rationale behind ventilating year round, as moisture, pathogens and gases are constantly being released and a buildup of these factors leads to respiratory stress in calves.
Can Calf Barns Really Have Too Much Fresh Air In The Winter?
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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.