AGRICULTURAL
Dry season supplements
Where are the hurdles?
The use of dry season lick supplements is a scientifically grounded
practice applied by most producers over many decades.
Deur Phillip Lee
Hinterland Manager:
Animal Farming Solutions
T
he production and reproductive
benefits for the animal, as well
as the economic benefits for the
producer, have been proven in
many scientific trials - the catastrophic
consequences of an inadequate lick strat-
egy for animal and producer have also
been highlighted numerous times. The
cost squeeze which is becoming progres-
sively worse makes it essential to focus
increasingly on being more effective in
respect of lick strategies. There should be
no doubt amongst producers regarding
the benefits of strategic lick supplements,
particularly against the background of
the evidence in favour of strategic lick
supplements. This article will not focus
on the advantages and disadvantages
of specific products or on the different
practices, such as home blending ver-
sus shelf products, but rather on certain
seasonal hurdles, which are often missed
and which can sink the objective of a lick
programme, despite the correct product
choice and practice.
SEASONAL HURDLES
One of the hurdles which needs to be high-
lighted is the perception that winter arrives
gradually and that we have time on our
side. This is often not true - in fact, the win-
44
SENWES SCENARIO | SPRING 2018
ter is unforgiving and drastic. The decline
in the nutritional status of our grazing
(particularly in respect of protein) during
the winter months is very sudden. We have
to be prepared for this and ensure that
we adjust our lick strategy timeously in
order to compensate for the decline in the
quality of the grazing. It is true that no two
successive years are the same and for this
reason we cannot decide from year to year
to switch over to winter licks on a specific
date. It requires sharp observation on the
side of the producer.
The second and possibly even more
significant hurdle is that our winters are
actually longer than what is generally
accepted. Our winter period starts earlier
and ends later and the biggest danger
is that we are inclined to compare our
“human” seasons with those of animals. In
many parts of the country we are techni-
cally in a winter period in March already,
although the day temperatures are still
relatively high, but we see that the protein
offering of the grazing already does not
meet the protein requirements of the ani-
mal. When we pack away the winter jack-
ets and blankets at the end of September/
beginning of October and enjoy the arrival
of “summer”, it is the climax of winter in
the world of the animal. Take care not
to withdraw winter licks too early, when
the requirements of the animals are at its
highest point.
A further hurdle to be highlighted is
to not overstate the contribution of our
natural resource offering (grazing). No
lick strategy can compensate for a poor
resource offering and when licks start to
replace grazing, it becomes a very expen-
sive exercise - not only in terms of high
lick costs, but also in terms of losses due
to sub-standard animal performance. A
conservative approach to the nutritional
status of grazing and concomitant stock-
ing rates should therefore be followed,
particularly late in the dry season, when
not much grazing is available. In practice
we still see that not enough licks are put
out and that good lick strategies are often
made undone due to the fact that animals
are not taking in the recommended lick
quantity. Research indicated that, in cer-
tain instances, up to 25% of the animals
are not taking in the correct lick quantities
and 10% of the animals do not take in any
lick due to competition.
It is evident that successful dry season
lick supplements are not only based on
the choice of the correct product with the
correct composition to supplement critical
deficiencies in an economical and stra-
tegic manner, but also on a clear under-
standing of the season in which we find
ourselves, and more importantly, a clear
understandi