This webinar explored the role of mixed sheep and goat grazing on solar sites in the Southwestern United States, where dry climates, woody vegetation, and wildfire risk create unique vegetation management challenges. Max Wade shared his experience using goats alongside sheep to manage brush and invasive species while protecting solar infrastructure, discussed strategies for safely incorporating goats into solar grazing operations, and highlighted how grazing practices in the Southwest differ from those in other regions due to climate, vegetation, and fire fuel reduction priorities.
How Does Solar Grazing Differ From Traditional Targeted Grazing?
While both approaches use livestock for vegetation management, they differ in their objectives and operating environments. Targeted grazing often focuses on fire mitigation, invasive species control, or complete vegetation removal on public lands, while solar grazing balances vegetation management with protecting solar infrastructure and maintaining healthy ground cover. Speakers also discussed how solar grazing typically serves private solar companies, whereas targeted grazing more commonly works with government and municipal clients. Despite these differences, the same principles of site assessment, vegetation management, and species selection apply to both.
What Role Can Goats Play on Solar Sites?
Sheep remain the primary grazing animal beneath solar panels, while goats can be valuable for managing woody vegetation, brush, and fence lines that sheep are less effective at controlling. Incorporating goats can significantly reduce mowing requirements, particularly in the arid Southwest. Rather than introducing goats immediately, speakers recommended establishing a successful sheep grazing program first, then adding goats strategically where they provide the greatest benefit.
How Can Graziers Address Concerns About Using Goats?
The webinar discussed several strategies for minimizing risk when incorporating goats into solar grazing operations. Portable fencing can be used to protect sensitive equipment, while pilot projects allow solar companies to observe goat behavior before expanding their use. Speakers also noted that properly trained working goats have not exhibited the panel-climbing or wire-chewing behaviors often associated with pet or hobby goats, and that careful grazing management helps safely utilize vegetation that may contain mildly toxic plant species.
What Makes Solar Grazing Different in the Southwestern United States?
Low annual rainfall, sparse forage, and abundant woody vegetation create unique management challenges for solar grazing in the Southwest. Speakers discussed lower stocking densities, the importance of rapidly controlling invasive species such as tumbleweeds before they set seed, and the benefits of combining sheep and goats to manage both grasses and brush. They also emphasized that minimizing soil disturbance during construction and establishing vegetation quickly can improve long-term site performance by reducing erosion, sand movement, and future maintenance needs.