The importance of supplementation for your livestock

Thabazimbi – As humans, our bodies require a lot more energy during the cold winter months to stay warm… The same applies to animals. During the colder weather, your animals’ energy and protein requirements increase substantially.

To ensure your animals maintain an optimum condition and performance during these colder months, it is important to add a suitable lick supplement to your animals’ diet. On a winter veld containing sufficient grass, production and maintenance licks are the ideal supplement, as these licks help ensure production and reproduction of a farmer’s livestock herd.

WES Feeds Energy Lick 26 is a production lick which allows a farmer’s herd to gain weight while on the winter veld. The 26% protein and energy content in the Energy Lick ensures a farmer’s animals increase their body condition while still being able to adequately feed their calves during these tougher months. This also results in the calves reaching their maximum potential. The typical daily intake of the Energy Lick 26 is about 600g – 1kg per large livestock unit.

Our maintenance lick is the WES Feeds Winter Lick. This is a high protein lick with a lower daily intake (400-600g per large livestock unit). The Winter Lick will typically allow the farmers' animals to maintain their current body mass condition on the winter veld, as well as ensuring that sufficient milk is produced for winter calves.

The specialised pre-mix in both the WES Feeds Licks will supplement your animal with all the necessary mineral requirements that might be lacking in the winter veld. These are not complete feeds; therefore, roughage or fibre should be freely available to be fed in conjunction with the licks.

WESenterprises has successfully helped farmers through 28 winters with a number of feeding recommendations, which can be tailored to fit your needs.

For more information contact WESenterprises on 014 777 1330.

WESenterprises press release, 1 July 2020