Lick Supplements: Set Your Goals For Every Season

The annual transition from winter to summer, and from summer to winter, gives rise to changes in the lick requirements of livestock. The specific region of the country in which a producer farms will ultimately determine the fundamentals of this change, but broadly speaking it boils down to the fact that livestock require a protein supplement in winter and a mineral supplement in summer, with phosphorus at the forefront of each.

- Izak Hofmeyr

If you pay close attention, your livestock will tell you exactly when and how their requirements start changing, says Dr Johan Meaker, a well-known retired researcher.

Seasonal transition licks

Although rainfall has the greatest influence on grass growth, heat units and daylight length also play an essential role. As a result, many farmers know that, depending on factors such as moisture, the environment and the effect of camps, grass will start growing as early as the end of July or beginning of August – usually in the wetlands first and initially very slowly.

It is only by mid to late November that grass in all regions will grow optimally. The best time to start incorporating transition licks is somewhere in between these dates, normally for a period of about six weeks.

“We mix equal amounts of summer and winter licks during this transition period until the conditions allow for the animals to be moved entirely on to summer licks. The same applies to the end of summer when the protein requirements of animals increase.

“When licks are provided regularly, the animals will start looking for green grass by the end of September or beginning of October. Although very little green grass is available during this time, their intake of protein-filled winter licks will drastically decrease. This is how animals tell producers that they need more minerals. The moment more minerals are added to the lick, intake will increase noticeably. Close observation is therefore the key to the efficient transition from winter to summer licks and vice versa,” says Dr Meaker.

His recipe for this transition period is the well-known Dundee winter lick, combined with a summer lick. He mixes equal amounts of both until the rainfall provides enough green grass.