Crystal Creek

Click here to view as a pdf:  The ROI of Calf Barn Ventilation.

By Alex Austin, B.S.

One of the top expenses for a dairy is raising replacement heifers. Since it can take approximately two years before a heifer enters the milking herd, heifer raising is often viewed as a cost rather than an investment. While producers may consider cutting corners on heifer care as an attempt to save money, that approach can often lead to greater financial loss in the form of additional medical treatments, increased farm labor, and poor animal performance. Future milk production potential should also be considered. Studies have shown that calves who receive proper care during the pre- and post-weaning periods become better-producing cows. A better-producing cow means a faster return on investment and increased profit. Investing in practices that will help provide a healthy environment for calves to be raised in will result in more productive animals once maturity is reached. There are many variables of calf care, from different feeding programs to housing styles. This article will focus on the cost, and the return on investment, of proper air quality provided by positive pressure calf barn ventilation systems.

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Click here to view as a pdf:  An Interview Bill Ciolkosz Discusses His Journey to Build a Quality Calf Barn

By Cassy Golburg, B.A.

In the fall of 2021, Bill Ciolkosz added a new calf barn to his operation, along with a Crystal Creek® FLAP DUCT® calf barn ventilation system. Bill is a fourth-generation farmer in Thorp, WI. The land he farms has been in his family for over a hundred years. In a recent interview with Crystal Creek®, Bill discussed the reasoning behind the features he chose for his new calf barn facility and how he decided the FLAP DUCT® ventilation system was the right choice for his calves.

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Click here to view as a pdf:  3 Common Calf Barn Ventilation Questions Answered

By Ryan Leiterman, D.V.M
Director of Technical Services

I have been fascinated with calf barn ventilation for more than a decade; to the point where I have made its study the focus of much of my professional career. Calf raisers around the world often have the same questions when it comes to ventilation and this article will discuss the three most common calf barn ventilation questions I receive. Interestingly enough, the questions themselves are often more complicated than their associated answers.

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Click here to view as a pdf:  Four Air Exchanges Per Hour: A History Of Calf Barn Ventilation And An Industry That Is Slow To Change

By Ryan Leiterman, D.V.M
Director of Technical Services

When discussing calf barn ventilation, invariably the topic of using four air exchanges per hour for cold weather ventilation will come up. After all, we wouldn’t want “too much” of that cold air in the barn. Or would we? Who came up with the idea to use four air exchanges per hour during cold weather and why? To understand our industry’s current ventilation recommendations, we must first understand the history of calf barn ventilation research.

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