Supplement and Lick Cost Comparison
Phosphate licks, protein blocks and winter supplements are bought by the bag but consumed gram by gram per animal per day. Comparing products or planning a season’s spend without intake figures is guesswork — and guesswork is expensive on large herds.
How do you compare supplement and lick costs for a herd?
Multiply daily intake in grams per head by herd size and feeding days to get total kilograms required. Divide by bag weight for bags needed, then multiply by price per bag. Compare cost per animal between products — a cheaper bag with higher intake can cost more. Use the supplement and lick calculator for both scenarios.
What you need for a fair comparison
- Number of animals and average live weight (or class sizes if they differ)
- Expected daily intake in grams per animal — from the label, supplier or past camp records
- Bag weight and price per bag
- Length of the feeding period in days
- Distance to lick points and wastage from weather or overfilling troughs
From intake to total cost
Multiply daily intake by number of animals to get herd intake per day. Multiply by days on supplement for total kilograms required. Divide by bag size to get bags needed, then multiply by price per bag.
Cost per animal is total supplement cost divided by head count. That figure is useful when you compare running cattle on veld with supplement against feeding more hay or moving animals to better camp.
Comparing two lick products
Product A might cost less per bag but require higher daily intake. Product B might be pricier but more concentrated. Run both scenarios with the same herd size and days. Also check mineral balance — a cheaper lick that under-delivers phosphorus or trace minerals can cost more in lost production later.
On shared camps, record how often you refill lick troughs. Refill frequency is a practical check on whether your planned intake matches reality.
Example: sheep on winter veld
120 ewes consume an average of 80 grams of supplement per head per day for 90 days. Total consumption is 864 kg. At 25 kg per bag, that is 35 bags. At R310 per bag, supplement cost for the period is about R10 850, or roughly R90 per ewe. If lamb survival or ewe condition slips because intake was overestimated, the real cost is higher.
Season planning on South African farms
Many farmers increase supplement when veld quality drops after frost or during drought. Build supplement cost into your winter budget alongside hay, silage and transport. If lick price jumps mid-season, knowing bags required per month helps you decide whether to reduce numbers, move camps or switch product with your nutritionist’s input.
Frequently asked questions
What do you need to plan supplement cost for a herd?
Number of animals, expected daily intake in grams per head, bag weight, price per bag, feeding period in days, and an allowance for wastage at lick points.
How do you work out bags of lick required for the season?
Multiply daily intake by head count and days, convert grams to kilograms, then divide total kilograms by bag weight. Round up for partial bags and wastage.
How do you compare two lick products fairly?
Run the same herd size and days for both products using each product's expected daily intake. A lower bag price is not cheaper if animals eat more grams per day.
When should farmers increase supplement on veld?
Many increase lick after frost, during drought or when veld quality drops in winter. Build supplement cost into your winter budget alongside hay and transport.
These guides and calculators are planning tools only. Check results against your farm records, feed labels, supplier prices and professional advice from your nutritionist, veterinarian or financial adviser where needed.