Abstract Winter feeds costs for small ruminants exceeds 50% of the total cost of most small ruminant production systems in the Southeastern U.S. Keeping these feed costs low is one of the most effective and time-tested ways to improve farm profitability. While maintaining an appropriate stocking rate will be critical for sustaining long-term farm productivity, a suite of other management practices is available to assist in this objective. Installing appropriate fence and watering system infrastructure for managing grazing will be critical for improving harvest efficiency and stockpiling forages for utilization when forage growth is limited. Filling gaps in forage production may also be achieved through the strategic use of a number of forage species, including warm-season or cool-season forages and annual or perennial forages. Managing stored forages appropriately during storing and feeding will help minimize feed losses, while producing quality hay will reduce the need for supplementary feeds. With the adoption of these proven practices, sheep and goat production may be optimized by allowing them to harvest their own feed almost year-round in the Southeastern U.S.