One hundred and twenty Simmentaler and 120 Afrikaner cows were randomly divided into four herds of each breed. Supplements were compared in terms of cow and calf performance and costs. Either a rumen-stimulating lick (RSL), which contained approximately 26% crude protein, or a dicalcium phosphate salt lick (DL) was given. Half of each lick group was allocated to a set of camps either on a meso/distrophic soil (MS) or on an eutrophic soil (ES). Herds were rotated between camps over a period of four years. Cows grazed Cymbopogon–Themeda summer veld and received the different licks from approximately January to April. Lick intake was highest during above-average rainfall seasons, on the ES and for the Simmentaler cows. Cows which received the RSL had improved mass gains (P <0.05), higher average mass at the end of the lick phase (P < 0.05) and better average condition score (P < 0.05) than cows which received the DL. The Afrikaner cows ended the lick phase in a better (P < 0.01) condition than Simmentaler cows, irrespective of lick. Veld on the MS appeared to be superior to veld on the ES in this area as cows on the former had higher (P < 0.05) condition scores than cows on the latter, again irrespective of lick. Reproductive performance was not affected by supplement. Simmentaler cows maintained a noticeably better conception percentage than Afrikaner cows. It appeared that soil type had affected the conception percentage in Simmentaler cows as conception was somewhat better for cows on the MS. The only difference in progeny performance was recorded between breeds (P <0.01). The high intake of the RSL compared to the DL (1125 g/cow/d and 125 g/cow/d  respectively), without improved reproduction and/or performance of the calves, makes the supplementation with a RSL during the summer uneconomical in this particular area. Guidelines for lick intakes are not adapted for breeds or frame sizes and can lead to the under or over utilization of the supplement.