Autumn and Winter (Apr - Jun)

This is the time when the first frost may occur on the Highveld, but the natural veld's roughage content is still very high. Dry-matter availability in the natural grass is still sufficient, but nutrient translocation from the foliage to the root system takes place during seed formation. Protein value can dip to as low as 2%, which will give way to visible shortages if one considers that rumen microbes needs at least 8% protein intake to remain viable. And since the stimulation of a healthy population of rumen microbes is key to efficient roughage usage, it is clear that sufficient protein supplementation is vital.

The primary nutrient shortage in winter is protein, but phosphate and salt shortages also occur. This leads to production animals losing body mass and subsequently calving or lambing in a weaker condition, which in turn leads to lower milk production. This situation could lead to weaker weaning masses.

Non-protein nitrogen or NPN (mainly urea), used to curb loss of body mass during the winter months, improves the digestibility of winter roughage. In turn this improves roughage intake, and loss of body mass is limited in this way. The protein need from licks is between 150 and 220g/animal/day for cattle.

Back