Portable Shade System Easy To Move

Portable Shade System Easy To Move LIVESTOCK Beef A new portable livestock shade system by Rush-Co recently caught our attention because it is light enough to move with a skid loader Fitted with a 625-gal water tank as a base weight it only weighs 1 600 lbs when empty After it is in place water is added to increase the weight to 6 500 lbs Since the tank is enclosed it isn’t a water source for livestock but it is plenty heavy to be stable in windy conditions     After a couple of years of research and development Rush-Co recently added the patent pending portable system to its line of highly engineered fabric and steel buildings curtains and covers     “The shade system pays for itself based on weight gain ” says Dan Fathke sales and marketing manager for Rush-Co University studies show that cattle provided with shade in hot summer months put on more weight per day than cattle without shade Shade reduces heat stress in cattle and increases milk production in dairy breeds     The Rush-Co design includes a couple of unique features     The two-piece Kedar cover system includes an 80/20 vinyl mesh cover with heat-sealed mesh seams Rope fastened to the covers in a pocket runs through the Kedar extrusion The cover is locked in place over the arched roof eliminating wind whip       The frame breaks down into lengths of galvanized steel tubing that fit on a pallet for shipping With a loader and impact wrenches a couple of people can bolt the predrilled frame together in two to four hours     “The loader helps you reach the higher parts ” Fathke says “It has a 14-ft clearance height ”     That’s helpful when using equipment to clean the area he notes     The 31 by 31-ft unit can be supported by two 2 by 2 by 6-ft concrete blocks instead of the 625-gal plastic water tank which is on a base with forklift sockets to move with a skid loader About 65 cattle can use the shade and cost is about $4 500     A larger 41 by 41 ft unit shades about 100 cows has a 1 000-gal water tank weighs 2 900 lbs without water and 11 000 lbs with water and costs about $6 500 Rush-Co offers quantity discounts which is popular with ranchers and feedlot owners     Like Rush-Co’s permanent livestock shade systems the portable shade systems have a 5-year warranty on the cover system     “It’s nice with portables because in the winter they pull them out of the feedlots so they don’t have to clean around them ” Fathke adds     Rush-Co has a few dealers but ships most of the shade systems direct from its Springfield S Dak facility     Contact: FARM SHOW Followup Rush-Co 1314 Walnut St Springfield S Dak 57062 ph 866 776-5617; www rush-co com; info@rush-co com

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