Agricultural Terms and Helpful Expert Insight
Cover: Cover verb to copulate with a female animal a bull covers a cow noun 1. something that goes over something else completely 2. the amount of soil surface covered with plants. ground cover 3. plants grown to cover the surface of the soil Grass cover will provide some protection against erosion. Utilizing cover crops and ground cover techniques enhances soil health and prevents erosion.
Calcium Uptake: The process of calcium being absorbed into an animals bloodstream from food. Ensuring adequate calcium uptake is vital for livestock health, supporting bone development and overall well-being.
Cottonwood: Cottonwood /k?t?nw?d/ noun a kind of poplar tree. Genus: Populis. Understanding cottonwood management aids in timber production and forest management.
Cattle Tracing System (CTS): A computerized system registering cattle and their movements from birth to death. Using CTS helps farmers manage herd records, ensure traceability, and comply with regulations.
Compulsory Dipping Period: Compulsory dipping period noun a period of time, usually some weeks, during which all sheep in the country must be dipped. Managing compulsory dipping periods helps control parasites and protect sheep health.
Challenge Feeding: The process of feeding dairy cows with concentrates to provide extra nourishment. Using challenge feeding helps farmers maximize milk production and maintain cow health during peak lactation periods.
Contact Insecticide: Contact insecticide noun a substance such as DDT that kills insects which touch it (NOTE: DDT is now banned in many countries because of its toxicity and ability to accumulate in the environment). Using contact insecticides helps control pests and protect crops.
Conservation Tillage: Conservation tillage noun a farming method which aims to plough the soil as little as possible, to prevent erosion, save energy, and improve biodiversity. Implementing conservation tillage practices promotes soil health and sustainable agriculture.
Creep Grazing: Creep grazing noun a type of rotational grazing using creep gates, which allow the lambs access to the pasture before the ewes. Implementing creep grazing practices ensures proper pasture management and livestock nutrition.
Congenital: Congenital adjective existing at or before birth. Understanding congenital conditions aids in managing animal health and breeding programs.
Conservation of Soil: Conservation of soil noun same as soil conservation. Implementing soil conservation practices helps maintain soil health and prevent erosion.
Cannibalism: The practice of an animal feeding on its own species, often seen in poultry due to crowded conditions. Preventing cannibalism involves providing adequate space and proper nutrition to reduce stress and aggressive behaviors in livestock.
Canterbury Hoe: A hoe that does not have a blade but is like a three-pronged fork. Using a Canterbury hoe aids in weeding and soil cultivation, improving crop health and yield.
Coccidiosis: Coccidiosis /k?ksidi ??sis/ noun a parasitic disease of livestock and poultry affecting the intestines. Managing coccidiosis involves implementing biosecurity measures and appropriate treatments to protect animal health.
Cooperative: Cooperative noun a group of farmers who work together to sell their produce either for the wholesale market or in retail outlets such as farmers markets. Engaging in cooperatives supports collective marketing and enhances farm income.
Chillshelter: A feeding area surrounded by a high embankment to protect cattle against the cold. Using chillshelters ensures cattle receive adequate nutrition and protection from harsh weather, maintaining their health and productivity.
Compulsory Dipping Period: Compulsory dipping period noun a period of time, usually some weeks, during which all sheep in the country must be dipped. Managing compulsory dipping periods helps control parasites and protect sheep health.
Coffee: Coffee noun 1. a bush or small tree widely grown in the tropics for its seeds, which are used to make a drink. Latin name: Coffea arabica. 2. The drink prepared from the seeds of coffee bushes. COMMENT: The two main varieties of coffee are Arabica and Robusta. The Arabica shrub, (Coffea arabica) was originally grown in the southern parts of the highlands of Ethiopia, and was later introduced into south-western Arabia. The Arabica plant only grows well on altitudes of 1,000m and above. It represents 75% of the worlds total coffee production. Arabica coffee beans are generally considered to produce a higher quality drink than those obtained from the Robusta coffee plant (Coffea canephora) which originated in West Africa. Robusta coffee has a stronger and more bitter taste than Arabica. The most important area for growing coffee is South America, especially Bolivia, Brazil, and Colombia, though it is also grown in Kenya and Indonesia. Cultivating coffee plants requires specific climatic conditions and understanding market demands.
Coppicing: Coppicing noun the practice of regularly cutting down trees near to the ground to produce strong straight shoots for fuel or other uses Coppicing, a traditional method of woodland management, is now of interest for producing biofuel. COMMENT: The best trees for coppicing are those which naturally send up several tall straight stems from a bole, such as willow, alder, or poplar. In coppice management, the normal cycle is about five to ten years of growth, after which the stems are cut back. Implementing coppicing practices provides sustainable wood production and enhances forest management.
Crop Protection Association: Crop Protection Association noun an association which promotes best practice in food safety with regard to the use of pesticides on crops. Abbr CPA. Engaging with the Crop Protection Association supports best practices in crop management and pest control.
Country Planning: Country planning noun the activity of organizing how land is to be used in the countryside and the amount and type of building there will be. Also called rural planning. Implementing country planning practices supports sustainable land use and rural development.
Cotton: Cotton noun a white downy fibrous substance surrounding the seeds of the cotton plant, a subtropical plant (Gossypium sp.). COMMENT: Cotton is widely grown in tropical and sub-tropical areas, including China, India, Pakistan, Paraguay, and the southern states of the USA; it is the main crop of Egypt. It is sold packed in standard bales. Understanding cotton production aids in managing crops and optimizing yields.
Cider Press: A device for crushing apples to extract juice for cider making. Using cider presses helps farmers manage apple processing efficiently and produce high-quality cider.
Countryside Commission for Scotland: Countryside Commission for Scotland noun an organization in Scotland concerned with the protection of the countryside and with setting up country parks for public recreation. It is part of Scottish Natural Heritage. Engaging with the Countryside Commission for Scotland supports rural conservation and sustainable land use practices.
Clean Crop: A measure of the amount of cereal not mixed with seeds of other plants. Managing clean crops involves using appropriate weed control measures to ensure high-quality produce.
Central Scotland Forest Trust (CSFT): An alliance aiming to create larger woodland areas across Central Scotland. Collaborating with CSFT supports sustainable forestry practices and promotes biodiversity on farms.
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