Category: F

flail mower: A type of mower that uses flails attached to a rotating drum to cut vegetation. Using a flail mower can help manage pastures and control weeds.

Food Web: A series of food chains linked together in an ecosystem. Properly managing food webs supports biodiversity and ecological balance on farms.

Fir: A common evergreen coniferous tree. Genus: Abies. Growing fir trees can be part of agroforestry systems, providing timber, windbreaks, and enhancing biodiversity.

Factory Farming: A highly intensive method of rearing animals characterized by keeping large numbers of animals indoors in confined spaces and feeding them processed foods, with the use of drugs to control diseases. This method allows for high production rates but requires careful management to maintain animal health and comply with welfare standards.

Forage Harvester: A machine that cuts, chops, and loads green crops such as lucerne into a trailer to make silage. Properly using forage harvesters supports efficient feed preparation and storage.

Flies: Plural of fly. Proper fly control is essential for maintaining livestock health and farm sanitation.

Freemartin: A female calf produced when a male and female embryo share a uterus, causing the reproductive system of the female embryo to be effectively masculinised. Properly managing freemartins ensures their health and productivity.

Feed Refusal: The amount of allotted feed that a farm animal does not eat. Monitoring feed refusal helps identify health issues and adjust feeding practices accordingly.

Feeding Face: The area allowed to each animal to feed from under controlled conditions. Each cow needs 150mm of feeding face. Managing feeding space ensures all animals have access to food and reduces competition.

Fishmeal: A powder of dried fish, used as an animal feed or fertilizer. Using fishmeal as feed enhances livestock nutrition and supports sustainable farming practices.

Foxglove: A common weed (Digitalis purpurea) that is poisonous and harmful to animals. Properly managing foxgloves helps protect livestock health and maintain safe pastures.

Fallow: A period when land is not used for growing crops to allow nutrients to build up again in the soil or to control weeds. Fallow periods are essential for sustainable land management and soil fertility.

Floral: Referring to plants or flowers. Properly managing floral resources supports pollination and enhances farm productivity.

Finishing: The action of feeding cattle or sheep until they are ready for slaughter. Effective finishing practices enhance meat quality and farm profitability.

Feeding Value: The nutritional value of feedingstuffs. Understanding feeding value helps farmers select the best feed for their animals to ensure health and productivity.

Fox: A carnivorous canine predator (Vulpes vulpes) with red fur and a large bushy tail. Managing fox populations through proper practices helps protect livestock and maintain ecological balance.

Food Poisoning: An illness caused by eating food that is contaminated with bacteria. Properly managing food safety and hygiene helps prevent food poisoning and protect public health.

Footbath: 1. A trough containing disinfectant through which sheep or cattle are driven to prevent or cure various diseases such as foot rot. 2. A shallow container containing disinfectant in which a person walks to disinfect shoes or boots. Properly using footbaths helps prevent the spread of diseases and maintain farm hygiene.

FMA: Abbreviation for Fertiliser Manufacturers Association. This association supports the production and use of high-quality fertilizers to enhance crop growth and soil health.

FFB: Abbreviation for Food From Britain. This organization supports the marketing of British food abroad, helping farmers expand their markets and increase sales.

Fold: A movable enclosure, made of hurdles or electric wire fencing, used to keep cattle or sheep in a certain place. Proper use of folds supports controlled grazing and livestock management.

Founder Crop: A crop that was one of the earliest to be used and developed by humans, e.g., wheat, barley, lentils, and chickpeas. Growing founder crops supports food security and agricultural diversity.

Floodwater: Water that spreads uncontrolled onto land that is usually dry. After floodwater recedes, the center of the town was left buried in mud. Properly managing floodwater helps protect farmland and infrastructure.

Farmed: Grown or produced commercially and not in the wild. For example, farmed salmon. Farmed products help meet market demand and can be managed sustainably.

Farm Environment Record: A basic plan of a farm describing its landscape and main features. Abbr FER. Keeping an environment record helps farmers monitor and improve their environmental practices.

Fen: An area of flat marshy land with plants such as reeds and mosses growing in alkaline water. Managing fenland can provide valuable wildlife habitats and agricultural resources.

Firebreak: An area kept free of vegetation so that a fire cannot pass across and spread to other parts of the forest or heath. Creating firebreaks helps prevent the spread of wildfires and protects valuable land.

Fool’s Parsley: A species of hemlock (Aethusa cynapium) resembling parsley. Properly identifying and managing fool’s parsley helps prevent poisoning in livestock.

Fat: A white oily substance in the body of mammals, which stores energy and protects against cold. In farming, managing animal fat levels is important for meat quality and marketability.

Fahrenheit: Fahrenheit is a temperature scale where water freezes at 32°F and boils at 212°F. Monitoring temperature using Fahrenheit helps farmers manage environmental conditions, crucial for optimizing crop growth and livestock well-being.

Fertility: 1. The state of being fertile. 2. The proportion of eggs which develop into young. 3. A measure of the ability of a female to conceive and produce young or of the male to fertilise the female. Managing fertility is crucial for successful breeding and high productivity.

Farmer-Controlled Business: A farm owned and controlled by the farmer who also manages the land. These businesses often adopt long-term, proactive approaches to marketing and return value to members through innovative contracts.

Fructose: Fruit sugar found in honey as well as in fruit. Properly managing fructose levels supports plant health and crop quality.

Fungicidal: Referring to a substance that kills fungi. Properly using fungicidal products ensures effective disease control and crop health.

Food: The nutrient material eaten by animals for energy and growth. Properly managing food resources ensures the health and productivity of livestock.

Foggage: 1. A winter grazing of cattle on non-ryegrass swards. 2. Grass left standing to provide winter grazing for sheep and cattle. Proper management of foggage supports efficient grazing and livestock nutrition during the winter.

Frond: A large compound leaf divided into many sections, such as that found on ferns and palm trees. Properly managing fronds supports plant health and biodiversity.

Flint: A hard stone of nearly pure silica, found in lumps in chalk soils. Properly managing flint in soils helps prevent damage to farm machinery and improve soil workability.

Fluke: A parasitic flatworm. Proper monitoring and control of fluke infestations ensure livestock health and productivity.

Fatstock: Livestock fattened for meat production. Proper feeding and management of fatstock ensure high-quality meat and profitable market returns.

Feather: An outgrowth of the epidermis on a bird’s body and wings providing insulation. Proper management of poultry feathers ensures bird health and product quality.

Furrow Press: A special type of very heavy ring roller attached to the plough, used to press the furrow slices. Properly using furrow presses supports efficient soil management and crop establishment.

Fatty: Containing a lot of fat. Fatty foods contribute to the risk of obesity. Farmers must balance livestock diets to maintain animal health and product quality.

Fell: A high area of open moorland in the north of England. Fells can be used for grazing livestock, providing a natural and sustainable source of forage.

French Nettle: Same as red dead-nettle. Properly managing French nettles helps maintain crop health and biodiversity.

Fill-Belly: Feed that fills the animal’s stomach without providing any useful nutrients. Proper feed formulation ensures animals receive balanced nutrition and maintain optimal health.

Freestone: Referring to varieties of peach where the flesh does not cling to the stone. Properly managing freestone peach varieties ensures high-quality fruit production.

Feather Eating: The pulling of the feathers of a bird by another bird. Addressing feather eating through proper nutrition and management practices prevents harm to poultry.

Frost Pocket: A low-lying area where cold air collects. Properly managing frost pockets helps protect crops from frost damage and ensure healthy growth.

Food Standards Agency: A British government agency set up in 2000 to offer advice on food safety and quality. Abbr FSA. This agency provides valuable guidance to farmers on best practices for food safety and quality.