In desperate need of shade areas...

[ClinchValley]

Well. As the title states, we have hardly any shade trees here. Maybe a tree or two here or there, but nothing substantial enough to facilitate our small herd. With our farm being about 1/2 stocked, it's had me worrying about the years to come. The animals have toughed through it thus far, but I am sure it has costed us.

So, if it is going to cost money to go without shade, we might as well get some shade for these animals. Right? Money is money. If it's getting spent one way or another, why not spend it improving and not spend it by losing.

Since trees grow too slow to help me anytime soon, I have been thinking of building something in areas with zero shade. Roofed and open.

Anyone have any ideas? I have access to plenty of locust and cedar trees. Do people do this? Only wonder i have is would the cattle rub it to pieces within a couple of years.

Anyone build shade for their animals?

 

[M-5]

Will China berry trees grow where you are??

 

[inyati13]

It is poor animal husbandry to not provide shade. All organisms seek shelter from the elements. Not only is it poor management to not provide shelter, IMO it speaks volumes about a person's heart!

If you have locust use that to build a low profile shelter. Cedar will not last as long. Construct a pole barn. Google pole barn for ideas.

 

[M-5]

for temp shelter some conduit and shade cloth is inexpensive and portable

 

[Caustic Burno]

Will China berry trees grow where you are??

GB or I could send a five gallon bucket of Chinese tallow trees seeds.
Think I will let GB cause he will looking for someone to whip in a couple of years.

 

[Supa Dexta]

It is poor animal husbandry to not provide shade. All organisms seek shelter from the elements. Not only is it poor management to not provide shelter, IMO it speaks volumes about a person's heart!

What about when the cattle have shade, but still choose to lay out in the open on a dirt patch or something?

 

[inyati13]

It is poor animal husbandry to not provide shade. All organisms seek shelter from the elements. Not only is it poor management to not provide shelter, IMO it speaks volumes about a person's heart!

What about when the cattle have shade, but still choose to lay out in the open on a dirt patch or something?

You are a good lad if you provide shade. Cows will know when they need it.

 

[ClinchValley]

Our lack of trees is preventing pasture division from progressing. They aren't without shade completely. Bud certainly not adequate. Causing those few shaded spots to be in terrible shape.

 

[gizmom]

Living in Florida we sure understand the need for shade. Our farm was a row crop operation for awhile so a whole lot of areas that had no shade. Looking toward the future we planted trees but that was a plan for future and sure didn't offer us enough shade for now. We planted trees back in 2010 then planted some bigger trees in 2012. All the trees are doing pretty good but still not offering enough shade.



For the short term we use shade screens, they are built on skids so we can drag them from one field to another. There is a formula for how many square feet of area is needed per cow but I can't remember what it is. Our frames are designed based on the ones we saw at the University of Florida Beef unit. The screens are not as good a the shade God provides but they sure do help.



We order the screen and then tie it onto the frame. We have had to replace the screens twice in the past ten years.

Just wanted to give you some options.

gizmom

 

[Craig Miller]

I disagree with you ron. Providing shade may make you feel better. I don't think it's neccesary. I guess the cows here just curl up under a mesquite bush. Or maybe they stand behind the power poles.

 

[inyati13]

I disagree with you ron. Providing shade may make you feel better. I don't think it's neccesary. I guess the cows here just curl up under a mesquite bush. Or maybe they stand behind the power poles.

I spent 20 years in Montana and Wyoming. Only shade was under a sagebush. Amazing to see cattle in the Red Desert of Wyoming. Not only no shade but little water and only sparse grass.

They were mostly hereford. I think it is harder on them here. That may surprise some. The humidity is the difference. Wyoming has no humidity!

This was last week in Nebraska. Finished steers. It was that heat wave last week. Lots of humidity.

 

[gizmom]

Craig

I am going to have to disagree with you on this one. Maybe in MT and WY they can get by without shade but I am here to tell you that cattle in Florida have to have a way to get some. Here are a few articles that tend to agree with me:

http://www.agweb.com/article/heat-stress-and-beef-cattle-naa-university-news-release/

http://www.agweb.com/article/time-t...stress-in-cattle-naa-university-news-release/

http://www.cattlenetwork.com/cattle...cattle--Know-the-warning-signs-126199503.html

[urlhttp://www.cabpartners.com/articles/news/2804/Guidelines%20for%20Managing%20Heat%20Stress%20in%20Feedyard%20Cattle.pdf][/url]

http://www.angusjournal.com/ArticlePDF/Heat-Stress-05.14.pdf

Seeing an animal die of a heat stroke isn't pretty we had a friend that lost a really nice cow last year from heat stroke. He felt pretty dang bad when he realized that the reason was he didn't have any shade for her. Some parts of the country can get by without shade but I don't live in one of those areas. Of course we don't have much call for calving sheds or snow breaks in our part of the country.

gizmom

 

[inyati13]

Craig:

Gizmom has made a good case.

There are many factors. One that is not obvious is altitude. The thin air of the Rocky Mountain West decreases conduction.

Again, humidity.
In addition to altitude, latitude. Latitude affects how direct and intense the rays are. Florida would have a high energy quotient due to the direct sunlight.

 

[inyati13]

Heat is the energy created by molecular motion at the atomic level. Conduction of heat is similar to electricity. More heat is conducted in a dense medium. Florida is the perfect example. Low altitude (basically, sea level). High humidity. Plus, low latitude - thus under the direct rays of a more equatorial sun.

There you have it. Florida would be 5 times worse than the high Plains of Wyoming.

 

[Craig Miller]

5 times? Let me see your math. The op is in tennessee. I've seen cows in south texas with no shade. Few trees. Humidity, temp, altitude, lattitude similar. And long distances to water.

Edit: I also notice that in places that has shade the cows huddle up on top of each other which has to negate some of the cooling from the shade.

 

[TennesseeTuxedo]

I like knowing that our cattle have access to plenty of shade in all of our pastures. If they choose to ignore it it's up to them.

 

[inyati13]

5 times? Let me see your math. The op is in tennessee. I've seen cows in south texas with no shade. Few trees. Humidity, temp, altitude, lattitude similar. And long distances to water.

Edit: I also notice that in places that has shade the cows huddle up on top of each other which has to negate some of the cooling from the shade.

{\displaystyle G_{\mu \nu }=R_{\mu \nu }-{\tfrac {1}{2}}R\,g_{\mu \nu },} {\displaystyle G_{\mu \nu }=R_{\mu \nu }-{\tfrac {1}{2}}R\,g_{\mu \nu },}

{\displaystyle G_{\mu \nu }+\Lambda g_{\mu \nu }={8\pi G \over c^{4}}T_{\mu \nu }.} {\displaystyle G_{\mu \nu }+\Lambda g_{\mu \nu }={8\pi G \over c^{4}}T_{\mu \nu }.}

{\displaystyle G_{\mu \nu }+\Lambda g_{\mu \nu }=8\pi T_{\mu \nu }\,.} {\displaystyle G_{\mu \nu }+\Lambda g_{\mu \nu }=8\pi T_{\mu \nu }\,.}

EQUAL 5

 

[Anonymous]

:tiphat: i will agree some shade can improve things .shad cloth would be your cheapest way to go if your crowding trees with cattle now they wont last long .compaction on wet days will pack the base of the tree . you need to check out these sites
farmtek
QCSupply
and if cattle need shade best not tell a friend of mine his 16 herfords are on 60 acre pasture and no barn !lots of grass plenty of water 1 strand ele fence.bale of hay when they cant get through the crust of snow ! if you have black angus or pampered cows then yes you need shade aggrevates me to no end sun comes up black cows run for shelter semi and every thing else i had stood out side the barn waiting for the rest of the herd to come out .we tend to pamper our cattle these days compared to the old ways. seen a few places the only thing cows had was a wind block for below zero wind chills.

 

[Craig Miller]

My last statement is what has made me question shade. The cows in the picture are actually in shade at times but I see them huddled up like I said. That leads me to believe if your going to only have a small amount of shade then there's no point in doing it. You need enough for them to all get into it with some space for air flow between them. What say you?

Ron that looks like more of the alabama math.

 

[inyati13]

Craig
First, you stated...the cows huddle up on top of each other....

I have never seen that. Only when they are in estrus have I seen them on top of each other. ;-)

Second, I don't tell you what to believe so bear with me.

I am a Bovidist. I believe in an after life in which cows will be the masters. I am trying to treat mine to what ever they want so my street in the after life will be paved with gold instead of cow manure.