April 2, 2025
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Chemotroph

Chemotroph: An organism converting energy from organic chemical compounds into more complex energy without using sunlight. Understanding chemotrophs helps farmers manage soil health and nutrient cycling for optimal crop growth.

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Contact Animal

Contact Animal: Contact animal noun an animal which has had contact with a diseased animal and which may need to be isolated ‘Movement restrictions placed on the contact animals in the herd will remain in place and the animals will be subject to testing for brucellosis over a period of months.’ [Farmers Guardian]. Managing contact animals helps prevent disease spread and ensure herd health.

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Cranefly

Cranefly: Cranefly /kre?nfl??/ noun a common pest (Tipula). The larvae are leatherjackets, which affect cereal crops, feeding on the crops in spring, eating away the roots and stems. Managing cranefly involves using integrated pest management strategies to protect crops.

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Cabbage

Cabbage: A cultivated vegetable (Brassica oleracea) with a round heart or head, a useful food for stock and human consumption. Growing cabbage can improve farm income through fresh market sales and provide nutritious feed for livestock.

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Countryside Management

Countryside Management: Countryside management noun the study and practice of environmental conservation in association with rural enterprise, countryside access, and recreational activities. Implementing countryside management practices promotes environmental conservation and sustainable rural development.

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Colorado Beetle

Colorado Beetle: Colorado beetle /k?l?r?d?? bi:t(?)l/ noun a beetle (Leptinotarsa decemlineata) with black and yellow stripes which eats and destroys potato plants. Managing Colorado beetles involves using integrated pest management strategies to protect potato crops.

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Cold Frame

Cold Frame: Cold frame noun a box construction, with a glass lid, used for raising or keeping plants out of doors but with a certain amount of protection against frost. Utilizing cold frames extends the growing season and protects young plants from harsh weather.

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Coloniser

Coloniser: Coloniser /k?l?naiz?/, colonist /k?l?nist/ noun an organism that moves into and establishes itself in a new ecosystem, e.g. a plant such as a weed. Managing colonisers involves controlling invasive species to protect native biodiversity.

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Common

Common: Common adjective belonging to several different people or to everyone common land noun an area of land to which the public has access for walking COMMENT: About 80% of common land is privately owned and, subject to the interests of any commoners, owners enjoy essentially the same rights as the owners of other land. Commoners have different types of ‘rights of common’, e.g. to graze animals, or to extract sand, gravel, or peat. Managing common land involves balancing public access with sustainable land use practices.

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Condition Scoring

Condition Scoring: Condition scoring noun a method of assessing the state of body condition of animals; scores range from 0–5 for cattle and 1–9 for sows. Low condition scores indicate thinness, and high scores fatness. A score of about 3 is ideal. ‘Condition scoring is the ideal on-farm method of assessing cow body reserves as it requires no specialist equipment or weighing facilities and once you get a grasp of the points system it is relatively quick to do.’ [Dairy Farmer]. Using condition scoring helps monitor and manage livestock health and nutrition.

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Cotyledon

Cotyledon: Cotyledon /k?ti li:d?n/ noun the green plant structure resembling a leaf that appears as a seed germinates and before the true leaves appear, developing from the embryo of the seed COMMENT: Cotyledons are thicker than normal leaves, and contain food for the growing plant. Plants are divided into two groups, those producing a single cotyledon (monocotyledons) and those producing two cotyledons (dicotyledons). Understanding cotyledon development aids in managing seed germination and crop growth.

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Cast Ewes

Cast Ewes: Old breeding ewes sold by hill farmers to lower ground farmers for one more crop of lambs. Managing cast ewes involves ensuring their health and productivity to maximize lamb production and farm income.

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Chianina

Chianina: A breed of beef cattle originating in Tuscany, Italy, known for its large size and dual-purpose use. Raising Chianina cattle provides high-quality beef and serves as draught animals, enhancing farm productivity and income.

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Conformation

Conformation: Conformation /k?nf? mei?(?)n/ noun the general shape of an animal or bird Carcass conformation is very important when buying cattle at an auction. COMMENT: Conformation is important in the Carcass Classification System. There are five conformation classes, called EUROP: E = excellent; U = good; R = average; O = below average; P = poor. Understanding conformation helps in selecting high-quality livestock for breeding and production.