More info: For the most part sheep eat grass, clover (and other legumes), forbs and other pasture plants native to the area they live in.

Legumes like red clover, vetch and alfalfa offer an incredibly high nutritional value and are some of the best foods for sheep. However, if overgrazed, sheep will destroy the roots and eradicate these valuable plants. Management of the pasture (including proper rotational grazing) will determine how much land is required to feed a flock of sheep.

In general sheep tend to be picky eaters. They prefer leafy plants to plants which have fibrous stalks. With that said, sheep adapt to their environment well, and will eat nearly anything with nutritional value.

A sheep will graze up to seven hours a day if the pasture is available and they prefer to eat in the cooler hours early in the morning and late in the afternoon. Sheep will rarely explore their pasture after dark due to a fear of predation.