Expert Articles on Mobile Shade for Animals

California Rancher Finds Shade Solution

In areas where temperatures top 100 degrees for weeks at a time, shade is not a luxury – it’s essential for livestock health, comfort and productivity. That was certainly top of mind for Keith Gentz, when he added mobile shade to his grazing system in Lincoln, California, overlooking the Sacramento Valley. Thanks to grant funds available […]

Building Better Cattle with Genetics and Shade

Over the last 15 years, Shade Haven customer Zach Knutson has built a registered Beef Shorthorn herd through a breeding program focused on production traits: calving ease, strong maternal instinct, milk production and consistent annual calving. “We cull pretty heavily on anything that requires calving assistance,” notes Knutson. “We want cows that have a calf […]

Breed Spotlight: Highland Cattle

As the number of Highland Cattle breeders in the U.S. continues to grow, the Shade Haven team is pleased to welcome a growing number of Highland producers who are incorporating mobile shade into their grazing programs. Known for their shaggy appearance, gentle nature, and high-quality beef, Highland cattle are well suited for agritourism and small-acreage homesteaders  – as […]

Customer Spotlight: Feather River College

College Ag Department Gives Mobile Shade High Marks  Set in a forested landscape in northwestern California, Feather River College (FRC) has a hands-on approach to agriculture education—where students learn by doing, not just observing. With robust programs in beef production, equine studies and rodeo, the college manages a significant number of livestock across multiple facilities. Two years […]

Managing Movement for Healthier Pastures

Pasture productivity starts from the ground up, and according to USDA Soil Scientist Alan Franzluebbers, how livestock move across a pasture can have a major impact on soil health and forage quality. Franzluebbers conducted research with soil sampling on pasture-based livestock operations in three different zones in North Carolina. While the research was conducted in […]

Paradise Found

At Dalkena Highlands near the Pend Oreille River in northeastern Washington, Honey Smith and her family are building something intentional—one paddock, one move at a time. Through regenerative practices and rotational grazing, the Smiths are healing the soil and producing 100% grass-fed, nutrient-dense proteins for their family and community. One tool supporting that effort is […]

Hot Spring is Coming–Are You Ready?

Though winter-like conditions persist in many parts of the country, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration actually expects a significant warming trend as La Nina weakens. Already, a developing “warm ridge” is pushing unseasonably warm air into the Midwest and southern Plains. April temperatures are projected to run at least 5 degrees above normal in Iowa, Missouri, […]

A Veterinarian’s Perspective on Shade

Retired Veterinarian James Coker understands how critical shade is to livestock health and performance. In spring 2025, he added a SH600 mobile shade system to his Red Angus grazing operation in Lake City, South Carolina. After one full grazing season, he calls the Shade Haven a “great investment.” “I can’t say enough positive things about the Shade […]

Mobile Shade at Henson Farm

Farming runs deep at Henson Farms in Williamsville, Missouri. “I’m fourth generation,” says Jeff Henson, whose great-grandfather purchased the family’s land in 1913. More than a century later, three generations of Henson’s still live and work on the farm. Jeff and his brother manage the family’s 300-acre row-crop and cattle operation, along with Henson Farm Supply—a […]

Dane County Grant Notice 2026 Funding

Shade Grants for Dane County Graziers Apply now to for agricultural shade grant funding of up to $16,700 on the purchase of a Shade Haven mobile shade system. The Dane County Land & Water Resources Department is taking applications for the 2026 Soil Health Equipment Program. The program enables Wisconsin farmers in Dane County to receive as […]

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