what KIND of hay for sheep feed?

[Beekissed]

I'm new to sheep this year ...so far have been feeding horse quality hay to the sheep when necessary. I was wondering about feeding a weedier hay to the sheep ...it seems the first thing my sheep eat when they are turned into a new pasture is tree leaves, select weeds and then the coastal grass. I have noticed they don't tend to clean up the coastal hay. Is a weedier hay acceptable?

My hair sheep seemed to prefer the weedier, rougher hay over the good stuff, especially at the end of winter. I usually bought and stored my hay accordingly so that they would be eating the rougher stuff in the early spring and the more nutritious, greener, leafier hay in the fall and mid-winter.

Around here, if someone is putting up square bales it is for horses, round bales for cattle. I've found that the farmers here aren't too choicy about the quality of hay they feed their cattle....moldy and rotten from sitting out in a row in the field all winter? Who cares, give it to them anyway!

So, I tend to buy my hay where the horse folks buy. Horses seem to be a bit pickier about their hay and will waste a lot of the nastier hays. I always ask those who have horses where they buy their hay, if their horses clean it up well, if it seems to store well and if it keeps their horses in good condition. Then I go to their supplier and ask for a sample bale and see if my gals like it. I break open the bale and examine it for texture, leafiness, freshness. I smell it and even taste it.

Sometimes I get lucky and get really good hay, some years I haven't~one has to be quick around here, as hay gets snatched up real fast! Those are the years I've supplemented with pumpkins, apples and sunflower seeds a good bit more.