Once grazing ends, cattle rely mainly on hay and silage, and conserved forage frequently falls short on minerals compared with fresh pasture.
Cold weather adds to the pressure: animals burn more energy simply keeping warm, so the energy gap and the mineral gap tend to open up at the same time.
An energy-dense lick such as Gold Cattle Energy Plus helps limit live-weight loss through the winter and supports a robust immune system while conditions are at their toughest.
Site buckets where they are sheltered from frost and wet but still easy for the whole herd to reach; consistent access is what keeps winter intake steady.