As to winter feeds, any one of the finer hays makes good forage for sheep. Legumes are to be preferred if not too coarse, coarse hays making poor feeds for sheep. Alsike Clover in particular is to be recommended, while large Mammoth Clover is too coarse. Some make use of this, however, by allowing the sheep to pick it over, and eat only what they want, feeding the coarser parts to other stock. “Rowen,” as it is known in New England, or the aftermath from hay lands, is said to make an excellent feed for sheep, and many plan to save their rowen to feed the sheep just prior to and at lambing time. Redtop, fine lowland hay, and what is known locally in many places as June grass, all make good sheep hays, whereas “Herds Grass” (timothy), millet, and other coarse hays are not to be desired.

In addition to dry roughage, some form of succulent feed should be provided. This form of feed is too often lacking; but it is particularly essential in keeping sheep in good condition during the winter, and if fed with the right kind of hays probably reduces considerably the amount of grain required. For New England, probably nothing is better than rutabaga turnips for this class of feed. Sweet apples are sometimes fed in the place of or to supplement roots, with good results. Corn silage is available on many farms and could be used as a succulent feed for sheep much more extensively than it is.