Portable Cattle Shade Folds Up Fast

Portable Cattle Shade Folds Up Fast Doug Shaffer didn’t like his options when looking for portable cattle shades. “They were called portable, but they didn’t seem practical or easy to move,” says Shaffer. “I saw one that looked like you needed an engineering degree to put it up, and it cost in the $20,000 range.” Shaffer runs cattle and rotates pastures regularly, if not intensively. He needed shade for pastures that had no shade at least part of each day, and he needed one he could move easily. It also had to be wind-worthy. “Our average days can see a 45 mph wind,” says Shaffer. When Shaffer came across Rush-Co’s cattle shade, he knew he was halfway to his goal. Although the company also makes shade systems, those didn’t fit his needs. However, the tensioning system they had developed was just what he was looking for. Shaffer decided to design his own mobile shade system using tensioning systems from Rush-Co. For the frame, he went to a Missouri manufacturer of big-bale gooseneck trailers. They build his shade frames using the same heavy-duty center spine used in their trailers. “Our 18-ft long spine rides only 12 in. above the ground and is extremely heavy,” notes Shaffer. “This gives it a very low center of gravity, yet provides maximum access for the cattle.” Shaffer mounted 12-ft long axles at either end of the center pipe with a super simple brake system. He simply runs chains from the frame to anchor points on the rear wheels. Vertical posts at each wheel and one centered on the 18-ft long center pole form the base of a rectangular frame that supports the shade cloth. While the upper frame measures 12 by 18 ft, extensions at each corner permit a shaded area of 30 by 30 ft. Shaffer estimates this is enough for 25 cow/calf pairs or up to 45 stockers. The shade stands 9 ft high around the perimeter and 9 1/2 ft at the center. It’s made of two triangular pieces of heavy-duty 12-mil material mounted on an aluminum track. The track runs diagonally from one front vertical to the opposite rear vertical. “Using two pieces of shade cloth allows us to use the heavier material,” says Shaffer. “We expect a 7 to 10-year lifespan with it. It allows about 20% of the light through it as well as good airflow. The airflow is important. When you get 30 to 40 cows under it, they give off a lot of heat.” The two-piece shade cloth also makes putting it away in the winter easy. “All we do is release the tension and roll them back to the center,” says Schaffer. When Schaffer wants to move a shade to another pasture, he simply pins the tongue to an ATV, UTV or other vehicle. “We don’t damage the grass and can move it as often as needed,” he says. “As the sun moves, the shaded area moves and the cattle move with it. Every time we move it, the grass where it stood comes back better.” Shaffer notes that shade helps keep cattle comfortable, which can increase conception rates by 2% to 3%. At today’s prices, that’s enough to pay for the system, he adds.  Having sold ag equipment his entire life, Shaffer saw the opportunity and began marketing them. Because his main product is Advantage Feeders from Australia, he calls them Advantage Portable Shade. Once Shaffer had a system in his pastures, he began receiving requests from others. “The only downside to them is there’s no easy way to ship,” he admits. “They do break down, but the basic frame is heavy. The total weight in the field runs around 3,200 to 3,500 lbs.” Shaffer prices the shades at around $11,000, depending on shipping. Contact: FARM SHOW Followup, Advantage Portable Shade (ph 417-825-4252; doug.shaffer@ymail.com).

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