FARMERS’ DIARIES

CATTLE

Sizwe Khoza, Nelspruit, Mpumalanga

The veld is getting dryer now and will be less nutritious. This means we must supplement to provide the cattle with enough nutrients so that they remain in good condition for the rest of the dry season. We’ve had good rains, so there is still plenty of grass. Feeding a supplement helps to keep their diet balanced while it also increases feed intake from veld or pastures. We feed out protein supplements to our animals. This helps stimulate rumen microbial populations, increasing their ability to digest feed. This winter lick also contains small amounts of urea, which encourages voluntary feed intake, especially of veld grass that is less palatable during winter.

However, when they are on this type