Oregon Study: Solar Shade Reduces Grass Volume but Maintains Lamb Growth via Higher Nutrient Density
A two-year experiment at Oregon State University found that lambs grazing under solar panels gained the same weight as those in open fields, despite having 38% less grass. The shaded pasture produced lower biomass but higher protein and digestibility, allowing animals to extract equivalent nutrition from less material. This suggests solar farms can support livestock without compromising agricultural yield.