The feeding values of the self-reseeding annual ryegrass (Lolium rigidum Gaudin), and the short-lived legume sulla (Hedysarum coronarium L.), were assessed in the years of seeding (R1) and self-seeding (R2) for the former, in years one (S1) and two (S2) for the latter and in the year of seeding for space (SM) and time (TM) mixtures of them using six groups of grazing Sarda milk ewes. The main objective was to identify the complementary nutritive patterns of the pastures for sheep milk production. S1 contained a high content of annual ryegrass as weed (28 per cent). Digestible dry matter intake was higher (P less than 0.001) in S2, TM and SM than in R2 with the other groups being intermediate. Crude protein intake was higher for sulla treatments and for R1 compared with R2 (P less than 0.001). Contents of sulla in the diet were similar for S1 (66 per cent) and SM (73 per cent) compared with 20 per cent for TM.