stover

Definition

Fodder for cattle, especially straw or coarse hay.

Etymology

From Anglo-Norman estovers (“necessities”) via Middle English estover (“allowance”), ultimately from Latin est opus (“there is need”). Compare estover.

Example Sentences

• "Thy turfy mountains, where live nibbling sheep, And flat meads thatch'd with stover, them to keep; […]"
• "Even second-generation biofuels, made from crop wastes or wood, are an environmental disaster, either extending the cultivated area or removing the straw and stovers which protect the soil from erosion and keep carbon and nutrients in the ground."