Category: K

ketosis: Ketosis – a wasting disease in livestock caused by low levels of glucose in the blood. The symptoms are a chronic lack of energy, depletion of fat reserves and a sudden drop in milk production. Helps farmers identify and treat metabolic diseases in livestock.

knotgrass: Knotgrass – a common weed (Polygonum aviculare) which affects spring cereals, sugar beet and vegetable crops. Its spreading habit prevents other slower-growing plants from growing. Also called ironweed, irongrass, pigweed, wireweed. Helps farmers identify and control weed infestations.

kale: Kale – a type of brassica, sometimes used as a green vegetable for human consumption, but mainly grown as animal forage. Helps farmers provide nutritious forage for livestock.

kemp: Kemp – a very coarse fibre in fleece, covered with a thick sheath and shed each year. Helps farmers understand wool quality.

ked: Ked – the sheep tick; a bloodsucking fly (Melophagus ovinus) which is a parasite of sheep and causes extreme irritation. Helps farmers identify and control parasites in livestock.

knee cap: Knee cap – a felt protector for the knees of horses, used especially when transporting them as a protection against damage caused when slipping. Also used on young horses when jumping. Helps farmers protect horses during transport and training.

kibbutz: Kibbutz – a form of settlement in Israel, based on the collective farming principles. Helps farmers understand different farming systems and communities.

keeper: Keeper – 1. A person who looks after deer, pheasants or other animals and birds which are reared to be hunted. 2. A fruit which keeps well. Helps farmers manage wildlife and crop storage.

kidney bean: Kidney bean – a climbing French bean, with red seeds, used as a vegetable. Helps farmers diversify vegetable crops.

kohlrabi: Kohlrabi – a variety of cabbage with a swollen stem, used as a fodder crop, and also sometimes eaten as a vegetable. The leaves may be green or purple. Also called turnip-rooted cabbage. Helps farmers diversify crop production.

kid-snatching: Kid-snatching – the practice of taking a new-born kid away from its mother to prevent her from licking it and so passing on caprine arthritis-encephalitis. Helps farmers manage health risks in goat herds.

knife: Knife – an attachment on the cutter bar of a mower or combine harvester. Helps farmers maintain and operate agricultural machinery.

Kerry: Kerry – a rare breed of dairy cattle which is native to Ireland. The animals are small and black, sometimes with white patches on the udder, and have upturned horns. Helps farmers diversify dairy cattle breeds.

Kentish cob: Kentish cob – a commercially grown variety of hazel nut. Helps farmers grow nut crops for commercial production.

kJ: Kilojoule – an SI unit of measurement of energy or heat equal to 1000 joules. Symbol kJ. Helps farmers understand energy use in agricultural processes.

knacker: Knacker – a person who slaughters casualty animals, particularly horses. Helps farmers manage the disposal of animals.

karst: Karst – ground typical of limestone country, with an uneven surface and holes and cracks due to weathering. Helps farmers understand soil and land characteristics.

kip: Kip – a hide of a young animal, used for leather. Helps farmers understand animal byproducts and their uses.

kid: Kid – a young goat of either sex, up to one year old. Helps farmers manage goat breeding and rearing.

km: Kilometre – a measure of length equal to 1000 metres or 0.621 miles. Symbol km. Helps farmers understand distance measurements.

kernel: The edible part of a seed, nut, or fruit stone. Proper harvesting and processing of kernels ensure high-quality food products.

keep: Keep – grass or fodder crops for the grazing of livestock. Helps farmers manage grazing and fodder supply for livestock.

kidding pen: Kidding pen – a pen in which a doe is kept when giving birth to kids. Helps farmers provide safe and clean birthing environments for goats.

kieserite: Kieserite – magnesium sulphate powder, used as a fertilizer where magnesium deficiency is evident, especially in light sandy soil. Helps farmers correct soil nutrient deficiencies.

Kerry Hill: Kerry Hill – a breed of small hill sheep originating in the Kerry hills of Powys in Wales. It has a soft white fleece and speckled face and legs. The ewes are crossed with Down rams for lamb production. Helps farmers manage sheep breeding for meat and wool production.

kidding: The process of a goat giving birth. Managing kidding is important to ensure the health and survival of both the mother and the kids.

kindling: Kindling – the birth of a litter, especially rabbits. Helps farmers manage breeding and birthing in small animals.

killing out percentage: Killing out percentage – the deadweight of an animal expressed as a percentage of its live weight. Helps farmers assess meat yield from livestock.

kilojoule: Kilojoule – an SI unit of measurement of energy or heat equal to 1000 joules. Symbol kJ. Helps farmers understand energy use in agricultural processes.

kitchen garden: Kitchen garden – a garden with herbs and small vegetables, ready for use in the kitchen. Helps farmers grow and manage small-scale food production.

Kent: Kent – Romney. Helps farmers understand and manage this sheep breed.

knotter: Knotter – the mechanism on a baler which ties the bales. It has three basic parts: billhook, retainer disc and the knife. Helps farmers understand and maintain baling equipment.

Kyloes: Kyloes – a breed of small long-horned shaggy Highland cattle. Helps farmers manage and breed hardy cattle for meat production.

kg/ha: Kilograms per hectare – a unit of measurement for application rates of fertilizers and other inputs. Helps farmers manage input application rates.

kemp-free mohair: Kemp-free mohair – mohair which does not have any kemp. Helps farmers produce high-quality mohair.

kennel: Kennel – 1. A small hut for a dog. 2. A commercial establishment where dogs are reared or kept for their owners. Helps farmers manage and care for working and pet dogs.

kiln: A furnace or oven for burning, baking, or drying, especially for firing ceramics or drying grain. Using a kiln can help preserve and process agricultural products.

killing age: Killing age – the age of an animal or bird when it is slaughtered. Helps farmers determine the optimal time for harvesting livestock for meat.

kibbled: Kibbled – coarsely ground, as in kibbled maize. Helps farmers process feed for livestock.

K symbol: Potassium – a chemical element essential for plant growth. Symbol K. Helps farmers understand the importance of potassium in soil fertility and plant nutrition.

kainite: Kainite – a potash fertilizer, made of a mixture of potassium and sodium salts, with sometimes magnesium salts added, used mainly on sugar beet and similar crops. Helps farmers improve soil fertility and crop yields.

kilometre: Kilometre – a measure of length equal to 1000 metres or 0.621 miles. Symbol km. Helps farmers understand distance measurements.

knapweed: Knapweed – a perennial weed (Centaurea nigra). Helps farmers identify and manage weed control.

keiserite: Keiserite – magnesium sulphate powder, used as a fertilizer where magnesium deficiency is evident, especially in light sandy soil. Helps farmers correct soil nutrient deficiencies.

kilo: Kilo – same as kilogram. Helps farmers understand and use weight measurements.

kenaf: Kenaf – a fibre-producing plant similar to jute. Helps farmers diversify fibre crop production.

kilo-: Kilo- prefix – one thousand, 103. Symbol K. Helps farmers understand measurements and conversions.

kilogram: Kilogram – the base unit of mass in the SI system, equal to 1000 grams or 2.2046 pounds. Symbol kg. Also called kilo. Helps farmers understand and use weight measurements.

kg: Kilogram – the base unit of mass in the SI system, equal to 1000 grams or 2.2046 pounds. Symbol kg. Helps farmers understand and use weight measurements.

kilocalorie: Kilocalorie – a unit of measurement of heat equal to 1000 calories. In scientific use, the SI unit joule is now more usual. 1 calorie = 4.186 joules. Helps farmers understand energy content in animal feed.