Category: L

Lie: A lie is a place where an animal lies down. Livestock benefit from a dry lie at pasture. Providing comfortable resting areas for livestock can enhance their well-being and productivity.

Large White: Large White is an important commercial breed of pig that is white with pricked up ears. Raising Large White pigs can contribute to efficient pork production and farm profitability.

Leguminous: Leguminous refers to a legume. Growing leguminous crops can benefit soil health and support sustainable agriculture.

Lincoln Longwool: Lincoln Longwool is a rare breed of sheep now found mainly in Lincolnshire, with white faces and long shiny wool. The animals are very large and slow to mature. Raising rare breeds like Lincoln Longwool can enhance genetic diversity and resilience in sheep farming.

Linoil: Linoil is linseed oil. Producing linseed oil can add value to flax farming and provide a versatile product for various uses.

Lindane: Lindane is an organochlorine pesticide. It is a persistent organic pollutant and has been banned for all agricultural uses in the European Union. Formula: C6H6Cl6. Understanding the impacts of pesticides like lindane can help farmers adopt sustainable pest management practices.

Lemma: Lemma is the outer bract which encloses the flowers of grass. Knowledge of plant anatomy, such as the lemma, can aid in effective crop management.

Leaseholder: A leaseholder is a person who holds a property on a lease. Being a leaseholder allows farmers to use land or facilities for a specified period, supporting agricultural activities.

Liveweight Marketing: Liveweight marketing is the marketing of live animals. Utilizing liveweight marketing can provide farmers with a platform to sell animals and gain competitive prices.

Laver: Laver is the Welsh name for a variety of seaweed which is edible. Cultivating laver can provide farmers with a nutritious and sustainable food source.

Lugs: Lugs are projections from the tyres of tractor wheels. They increase traction by digging into the soil and by keeping the tyre in contact with solid surfaces in muddy conditions. Using lugs can enhance tractor performance and reduce slippage in challenging soil conditions.

Lonk: Lonk is a breed of moorland sheep, found in the Pennines of Lancashire and Yorkshire. It is one of the Swaledale group, although larger than other varieties, and produces finer wool than most hill sheep. The face and legs are white with dark markings. Raising Lonk sheep can provide farmers with high-quality wool and meat.

Loose-Leaved: Loose-leaved refers to a plant such as a lettuce with a loose collection of leaves and no heart. Growing loose-leaved plants can provide farmers with a diverse and marketable crop.

Livestock Records: Livestock records are simple records of all livestock, which each farm has to make and which are then available for the Defra returns which are compiled each year. Maintaining accurate livestock records can help farmers track animal health and productivity and comply with regulatory requirements.

Leaf Burn: Leaf burn is the same as leaf scorch. Preventing leaf burn through proper plant care and protection from extreme weather can ensure healthy crop growth.

Lump Lime: Lump lime is another name for burnt lime or quicklime. Utilizing lump lime can improve soil health and fertility, supporting crop growth.

Liming: Liming is the spreading of lime on soil to reduce acidity and add calcium. Also called lime treatment. Implementing liming practices can enhance soil fertility and support sustainable agriculture.

Lipase: Lipase is an enzyme that breaks down fats. Understanding enzymes like lipase can help farmers formulate balanced animal feeds and manage livestock nutrition.

List of Chemicals of Concern: List of Chemicals of Concern is a list of chemicals believed to be produced or used in the UK in substantial amounts and which meet specific criteria for concern relating to risks to the environment and human health. The list is drawn up by the UK Chemicals Stakeholder Forum and is intended for discussion and input. Being aware of chemicals of concern can help farmers adopt safe and sustainable farming practices.

Light Grains: Light grains are cereals such as barley and oats. Comparing light grains with heavy grains can help farmers choose appropriate crops for their land and market needs.

Liver Fluke: Liver fluke is a parasitic trematode which lives in the liver and bile ducts of animals, e.g., Fasciola hepatica which infests sheep and cattle, causing loss of condition. Managing liver fluke through proper treatment and prevention measures can protect livestock health and farm productivity.

Lignify: To lignify means to become hard and woody. Plants are less digestible as they become lignified. Managing lignification in forage crops can improve livestock nutrition and digestibility.

Lactate: To lactate means to produce milk as food for young. Understanding lactation is essential for managing dairy herds effectively, ensuring optimal milk production and the health of both mother and offspring.

Lambing: Lambing is the action of giving birth to lambs. Efficient lambing practices improve the health and survival of lambs, contributing to the overall productivity of the farm.

Lignify: To lignify means to become hard and woody. Plants are less digestible as they become lignified. Managing lignification in forage crops can improve livestock nutrition and digestibility.

Laminitis: Laminitis is the inflammation of the lamina in a hoof, causing swelling, and often leading to deformed hooves. It is possibly caused by too much grain feed. Managing laminitis through proper diet and hoof care can prevent lameness in livestock, ensuring their health and productivity.

Loose-Box: A loose-box is a stable for animals that are kept untied. A loose-box should have a hay rack, manger, water bowl, and tying rings. It should also have a grooved floor to make cleaning and drainage easier. Loose-boxes are also useful for housing sick animals. Using loose-boxes can enhance animal welfare and management.

Leader: A leader is an animal which goes first, leading the flock or herd. Understanding animal behavior and leadership dynamics can improve herd management.

Lavender: Lavender is a shrub (Lavandula officinalis) with small lilac-colored flowers and narrow leaves, cultivated for perfume. Growing lavender can provide farmers with high-value essential oils and aromatic products.

Land Use Classification: Land use classification is the classification of land according to the way it is used. Knowing land use classification assists farmers in optimizing land use and adhering to agricultural policies.

Lyophilise: To lyophilise or lyophilize means to preserve food by freezing it rapidly and drying in a vacuum. Utilizing lyophilization can improve food preservation and extend the shelf life of agricultural products.

LEAF: LEAF is an independent organization that promotes better understanding of farming by the public and helps farmers improve the environment by combining the best traditional farming methods with modern technology. Full form Linking Environment and Farming. Partnering with LEAF can enhance sustainable farming practices and public engagement.

Leghorn: Leghorn is an excellent laying breed of hen. It is a hardy bird, colored black, brown, and white. Leghorns produce good-sized white eggs. Raising Leghorn chickens can enhance egg production efficiency and farm profitability.

Local Air Quality Management: Local air quality management is the process of taking steps to improve the air quality in an area where it does not meet accepted standards. Abbr LAQM. Implementing local air quality management practices can enhance the health and well-being of farm workers and livestock.

Ley Farming: Ley farming is a farming system in which fields are left to pasture in rotation. Strictly speaking, ley farming is a system where a farm or group of fields is cropped completely with leys which are reseeded at regular intervals; alternatively, any cropping system which involves the use of leys is called ley farming. Ley farming is an essential part of organic farming. Pasture land is fertilized by the animals which graze on it, and then is ploughed for crop growing. When the land has been exhausted by the crops, it is put back to pasture to recover. Implementing ley farming can enhance soil fertility and support sustainable agriculture.

Landscape Manager: A landscape manager is somebody such as a farmer or landowner who is responsible for the way land is used and looked after. Many farmers find themselves as landscape managers, required to maintain the countryside in an aesthetically and environmentally pleasing condition for the predominantly urban population to enjoy. Managing landscapes effectively enhances environmental sustainability and public enjoyment.

Lambing Percentage: Lambing percentage refers to the number of live lambs born per hundred ewes. Monitoring lambing percentage helps farmers assess the productivity of their flock and make informed breeding decisions.

Lucerne: Lucerne is a perennial, drought-resistant, leguminous plant that is rich in protein. It is mainly used either for green feed for animals or for hay or silage. Latin name: Medicago sativa. The US name is alfalfa. Growing lucerne can provide farmers with a nutritious and resilient crop for animal feed.

Lungworm: Lungworm is a parasitic worm which infests the lungs. Infestation can be cured with anthelmintics. Also called hoose. Managing lungworm infestations through proper treatment and prevention measures can protect livestock health and productivity.

Locus: A locus is the position of a gene on a chromosome. Understanding loci can aid in genetic research and breeding programs.

Lamb’s Foot: Lamb’s foot is another name for parsley piert. Understanding different plant names helps farmers manage their crops and pastures effectively.

Leaching: Leaching is the process by which a substance is washed out of the soil by water passing through it. Preventing leaching through soil management practices can preserve soil nutrients and protect water quality.

Limousin: Limousin is a relatively hardy French breed of beef cattle, developed on the uplands around Limoges in central France. The cattle are red, with large bodies. Limousin bulls are used on dairy cattle producing a good crossbred calf. Raising Limousin cattle can provide farmers with high-quality beef and enhance farm profitability.

Landowner: A landowner is a person who owns land freehold, and may let it to a tenant or farm it himself. Owning land provides farmers with the opportunity to implement long-term agricultural strategies.

Land: Land refers to the solid part of the Earth’s surface. Back to the land is encouragement given to people who once lived in the country and moved to urban areas to return to the countryside. Land is also a section of a field, divided from other sections by a shallow furrow, a term used in systematic ploughing. Proper land management is crucial for sustainable agriculture and maximizing farm productivity.

Land Management: Land management is the use and maintenance of land according to a set of principles for a particular purpose such as the cultivation of crops or recreational activities. Effective land management ensures sustainable and profitable use of agricultural resources.

Liner: A liner is the rubber inner tube of a teat cup in a milking machine. Using liners can improve milking efficiency and hygiene in dairy operations.

Lea: A lea is open ground left fallow or under grass. Using leas as part of crop rotation can improve soil health and fertility.

Low: Low is the same as depression. A series of lows are crossing the North Atlantic towards Ireland. Low also refers to a sound made by a cow. To low means (of a cow) to make a sound. Comparing low with other animal sounds can aid in understanding livestock behavior and communication.

Light Soil: Light soil is soil consisting mainly of large particles which are loosely held together because of the relatively large pore space. Light soil is usually easier to cultivate than heavy soil, but may dry out too quickly. Understanding soil types and their properties can help farmers choose appropriate crops and cultivation methods.