Resources

  • Testimonials
  • Benefits
  • Science
  • Economic
  • Grants

Testimonials


“This in my view is a movable tree…Shade Haven allows you to move nutrients where you want them.”
-Jim Munsch, Coon Valley, WI


“I will never farm again without one. You can just tell how much the cows love it!”
-Harold Eichelkraut, Jr., Belleville, WI


“I love it, easy to move, easy to use.”
-Suzanne Nelson, Graham, NC


“The advantage of the Shade Haven is you can put the shade on the top of a knoll where most of the air flows. Even when it is not very windy, you still get fresh air moving across, and if you move the shades daily, you are on fresh ground and fresh lie down area every day.”
– Jim Powell, Limestone, TN


“The Shade Haven is so easy to move my 12-year old nephew can move it.”
– Ben Wissinger, Sinking Spring, PA


“Enjoy using it and happy for making it a part of my farm.”
-Sam Stewart, Salt Lake City, UT


“Easy to move. You can’t beat it. I plan to buy another one.”
-Clint Seckman, Forest, VA


“The Shade Haven is so easy to fold up, I can jump on the 4-wheeler and be back in 10 minutes.”
-Ben Taylor, Bedford, VA


“Really tickled: it worked out great. It was a wise investment.”
-Kevin Moyer, Sparta, TN


“We move the Shade Haven every five days, and we have noticed amazing fertility, health and vigor. There are round patches in the pasture where ever we put the Shade Haven. The grass that comes up there is so lush and vibrant. It’s phenomenal.”
– Andrea Young, Delaplane, VA


“It’s wonderful: all you have to do is move it and the cows follow.”
-Spencer Martin, Caneyville, KY


“Best engineered thing I have ever seen.”
-Ben Taylor, Bedford, VA


“Hasn’t blown away even after a storm that took down tree branches all over the farm.”
-Bob Winkel, Waupun, WI


“I really enjoy using the Shade Haven: it is easy to move, built well, and I know it will last for years to come.”
-Carolyn Stoltzfus, E. Fallowfield, PA


“The cows enjoy having shade.”
-Eric Campbell, Ennis, TX

Benefits

“During the 47 days of the study, a difference of 0.47 lbs/day in weight gain was observed in the heifers that had shade in their pens, versus heifers in pens without shade.” [Results of study conducted from July 17 to September 2, 2017 by North Florida Research and Education Center Beef Research Unit]

-From“The Impact of Shade on Cattle Performance in the Southeast,” By: Lautaro Rostoll, Jose Dubeux, and Nicolas DiLorenzo, University of Florida, Drovers.com, December 29, 2017.

“Shade is a must for pasture-based grazing systems. It curtails heat stress, which is detrimental to cattle and causes a decrease in milk production, feed intake, weight gains, and fertility.”

-From “Shade Options for Grazing Cattle” Stephen F. Higgins, Carmen T. Agouridis, and Sarah J. Wightman, Department of Biosystems and Agricultural Engineering (U. of Kentucky Dept. of Agriculture). 2011

“I’m looking for the day when shademobiles dot the countryside with every herd of cattle.” – Joel Salatin, “Movement Is Everything”, The Stockman Grass Farmer, Dec. 2017.

“Direct sunlight raises body temperature and decreases an animal’s ability to dissipate its own heat. Shade can reduce radiant heat up to 40 percent.”

-From “When It’s Hot It’s Hot and When It’s Not, It’s Still Hot!” Clay Wright, The Samuel Roberts Noble Foundation, Inc. 1999

“If your cows seek shade then you need to provide it.”

-From Joel Salatin, Polyface Farms, Polyface, Inc. in the Permaculture Magazine April 2013.

“Hot weather and high humidity can reduce reproduction rates, rate of gain, milk production and feed or forage intake. In extreme cases, heat stress can result in death.”

-From “Livestock Shade Structures Costs and Benefits” Florida NRCS Economic Technical Sheet, June 2007. FL717ETS

“Improved weight gain with portable shade showed an increase of 1.25 lb per day for cows, 0.41 lb per day for calves, and 0.89 lb per day for steers.”

-From “Shade Options for Grazing Cattle” Stephen F. Higgins, et al. Department of Biosystems and Agricultural Engineering (U. of Kentucky Dept. of Agriculture). 2011

“Reducing solar radiation through artificial shade from permanent structures resulted in a 10-19% increase in milk production.”

-From “Florida Dairy Farm Situation and Outlook 2006” Giesy, R., et. al. University of Florida, IFAS, January, 2006. and Harris B., “Feeding and Managing Cows in Warm Weather”, University of Florida, IFAS, June, 2003.

Science

How do mobile livestock shade structures reduce heat stress?

“A Livestock Shade Structure acts as a shield and reduces solar radiation and thereby heat loads.”

-From “Livestock Shade Structures Costs and Benefits” Florida NRCS Economic Technical Sheet, June 2007. FL717ETS

How do cattle cope with heat stress?

“Cattle cool themselves through evaporation, by panting/breathing, or totally immersing themselves, and/or decrease the amount of feed or forage.”

-From “Livestock Shade Structures Costs and Benefits” Florida NRCS Economic Technical Sheet, June 2007. FL717ETS

How do cattle get heat stressed?

“Farm animals have well known zones of thermal comfort (ZTC). The range of ZTC is primarily dependent on the species, the physiological status of the animals, the relative humidity and velocity of ambient air, and the degree of solar radiation.”

-From “Current and Future Economic Impact of Heat Stress in the U.S. Livestock and Poultry Sectors” Normand R. St-Pierre. Waste to Worth: Spreading Science and Solutions. Denver, CO. April 1-5, 2013

“The degree of heat stress on dairy cattle has been measured by the temperature humidity index (THI), developed over 50 years ago and originally showed that dairy cattle become stressed at a THI of 72.”

-From “Want to double pregnancies during heat stress and increase the number of heifers born?” Todd Bilby, PhD. Western Dairy News and Texas A&M AgriLife Research and Extension. September 2010. Vol. 10, No. 8.

“Although THI has been effectively used as an indicator of heat stress, adjustment of the THI for WSPD [wind speed] and RAD [solar radiation] should enhance its usefulness. Solar radiation can greatly influence heat load, whereas changes in wind speed result in altered convective cooling.”

-From “Environmental factors influencing heat stress in feedlot cattle” T. L. Mader, et al. Journal of Animal Science, March 2006 vol. 84 no. 3 712-719

What are the benefits of mobile shade over permanent shade?

“Use of natural shade, such as hardwoods, can degrade the area underneath, damage the trees roots if not fenced, and lead to pasture loss and increases erosion potential.”

-From “Livestock Shade Structures Costs and Benefits” Florida NRCS Economic Technical Sheet, June 2007. FL717ETS

“First, they are movable. This permits them to be moved as necessary to cleaner and drier locations.”

-From “Heat stress in dairy cattle” Andrew P. Fidler. Div. of Ag. Research and Ext. U. of Arkansas, FSA3040, 2013

“Shade placement will affect the animal grazing patterns and forage use, so you should observe animal traffic patterns and adjust shade locations accordingly
for best pasture use.”

-From “Shade Options for Grazing Cattle” Stephen F. Higgins, et al. Department of Biosystems and Agricultural Engineering (U. of Kentucky Dept. of Agriculture). 2011

Economics

Heat stress impacts conception and pregnancy rates.

“Fertility decline is a combination of many factors […], and environmental factors such as heat stress.

-From “Want to double pregnancies during heat stress and increase the number of heifers born?” Todd Bilby, PhD. Western Dairy News and Texas A&M AgriLife Research and Extension. September 2010. Vol. 10, No. 8.

“Some data indicate that only 10 to 20 percent of inseminations in ‘heat stressed’ cows result in pregnancies.”

-From “Heat stress in dairy cattle” Andrew P. Fidler. Div. of Ag. Research and Ext. U. of Arkansas, FSA3040, 2013

Heat stress reduces milk production.

“Dairy cows that experienced temperatures exceeding 90 degrees F reduced milk production by 20 to 30%. In some cases milk production can drop 50%.”

-From “Shade Options for Grazing Cattle” Stephen F. Higgins, et al. Department of Biosystems and Agricultural Engineering (U. of Kentucky Dept. of Agriculture), 2011 and “Heat stress in dairy cattle” Andrew P. Fidler. Div. of Ag. Research and Ext. U. of Arkansas, FSA3040, 2013

“Heat stress tends to coincide with daily milking schedules. Effects of heat stress on dairy cows are immediate and result in reduced milk production daily.”

-From “Livestock Shade Structures Costs and Benefits” Florida NRCS Economic Technical Sheet, June 2007. FL717ETS

Shade improves animal comfort.

“Cattle with access to shade showed reduced respiration rate and less time around the water trough.”

-From “The amount of shade influences the behavior and physiology of dairy cattle” Schutz, K.E., et. al. J. Dair Sci. 2010, 93:125-133, doi:10.3168/jds.2009-2416.

Heat stress reduces ADG of cattle.

“Cattle with artificial shade resulted in an ADG of more than 20% compared to cattle with no shade.”

-From “Shade Options for Grazing Cattle” Stephen F. Higgins, et al. Department of Biosystems and Agricultural Engineering (U. of Kentucky Dept. of Agriculture), 2011

“Shaded heifers had an average daily gain (ADG) of 11.8% higher than unshaded heifers.”

-From “Shade and water misting effects on behavior, physiology, performance, and carcass traits of heat-stressed feedlot cattle” Mitlohner, F.M., et.al. Journal of Animal Science 2001,79:2327-2335.

“Shaded heifers had in increase of 17 lbs carcass weight compared with those unshaded in a feedlot.”

-From “Effects of Shade on Heat-Stressed Heifers Housed Under Feedlot Conditions”, Mitlohner, F.M., et.al. Texas Tech University, 2001.

Grants

Need some financial help for your next pasture or animal health improvement project? You might qualify for grant dollars to help fund your project, whether it’s mobile shade, movable fencing or something else.

U.S. / National

NRCS EQIP
USDA Natural Resources Conservation Services Environmental Quality Incentives Program (EQIP) – Provides financial assistance to eligible agricultural producers to implement conservation practices that improve soil, water, plants, animal health, air and other natural resources. To apply for EQIP funding, visit your local NRCS field office, in your local USDA Service Center.  More information and links to state programs here .

Food Animal Concerns Trust (FACT )
Pasture Improvement Grants contribute $2,500 toward qualifying projects to improve pasture and grazing systems and overall welfare of livestock.  Last year $66,000 was awarded to 28 independent family farmers in 19 states.

 

Midwest

Minnesota

Agri Livestock Investment Grant

Livestock producers may apply for a portion of $1.9 million in Livestock Investment Grants. Funds are provided by the Minnesota Department of Agriculture’s Agricultural Growth, Research and Innovation (AGRI) Program and may be used for on-farm improvements. Qualifying producers are reimbursed 10 percent of the first $500,000 of investment, with a minimum investment of $4,000. Qualifying expenditures include the purchase, construction or improvement of livestock buildings or facilities. Fencing, feeding and waste management equipment are also eligible.

Deadline to apply for 2019 grant funds is December 15, 2018.

Northeast

MFWF grant for the Octoraro watershed

Farms in the Octoraro watershed in Lancaster and Chester counties, PA, and Cecil County, MD, may qualify for a 50% cost share for the purchase of a Shade Haven mobile shade system.

Canada

Dairy Farm Investment Program

The Dairy Farm Investment Program is designed to support the productivity and the competitiveness of dairy farmers, and help the sector adapt to the anticipated impacts from the Canada-European Union Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement. The program helps Canadian cow’s-milk producers improve productivity through upgrades to their equipment.

Disclaimer: Shade Haven is not involved in grant awards and funding decisions.