The Economics of Shade – See the Numbers

Mobile shade for grazing livestock isn’t just about animal comfort— t’s crucial to profitable grazing. Heat stress significantly reduces weight gain, milk production, and reproductive rates, leading to financial losses for farmers. Shade Haven mobile shade systems offer a solution that enhances livestock performance, optimizes pasture management, and ultimately improves your bottom line.

The High Cost of Heat Stress

Studies show that heat stress costs the livestock industry billions of dollars annually in lost productivity. Heat-stressed livestock eat less, gain less and have lower conception rates. Health complications from heat stress also result in costly veterinary bills. Research shows cattle with shade gain 20% more weight and produce 10-20% more milk – a measurable financial advantage.

Pasture Management

Fixed shade structures cause overgrazing in certain areas, leading to soil degradation and uneven pasture use. Shade Haven’s mobile systems enable farmers to move shade throughout the pasture, distributing nutrients evenly for healthier pastures, eliminating the need for costly inputs and supplemental feed.

Consider this: If cattle manure is valued at $25/ton or $.0125 per pound. A Shade Haven shading 50 cows, each producing 80 pounds of manure daily for 120 days, distributes $6000 worth of manure annually – precisely where you need it.

Add to that the profits gained due to increased productivity and the ROI on a Shade Haven can easily top $10,000 per year.

As Shade Haven customer Peter Kiko of Dalton, Ohio, put it:
“We’re paying for one whether we have one or not, because we’re losing performance in the cattle. We might as well have one and get the benefits.” – Peter Kiko, Dalton, OH