Summer (Dec - Feb)

In the Highveld, the real summer period stretches from three weeks after the first rains of the season to the first signs of cold, which usually occur in mid-February. It is a very short period of time during which the veld is green, juicy and palatable, which means high intakes from the veld can be achieved. When grass is in the growth phase - before it starts seeding - it has a high protein and energy content. It is also highly digestible during this phase.
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Late summer and autumn (Feb - Apr)

The grass starts to mature during this time. Grass is typically in the phase just before seeding (the plumes have been formed, and the grass is still green at the base). Ample dry matter is available, and the palatability of the roughage is good. However, the protein availability is lower.
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Autumn and winter (Apr - Jun)

In the Highveld this is the time when the first frost may occur, but the condition of the natural veld is still very good. The natural grass still has sufficient dry-matter availability, but during seed forming translocation of nutrients - from the leaves to the root system - takes place. Protein content can dip as low as 2%, which will give way to shortages considering that rumen microbes need at least 8% protein intake to function. As the stimulation of a healthy population of rumen microbes is critical to the efficient uptake of roughage, sufficient protein supplementation is vital.
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Late winter and spring (Jul - Nov)

Everything is dry and ashen on the Highveld during this time, and even burnt in many cases. The dry-matter volume is low, while sclerosis and hardening of stems has set in.
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Game lick

The emergence of game farms has limited the free movement of game, which means that the animals have to adapt their voluntary intake patterns to the limited available range of plant species. This gives way to shortages of proteins, macro and microminerals that need to be supplemented with licks.
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