Agricultural Terms and Helpful Expert Insight
Leader-Follower System: The leader-follower system is a system of grazing where priority is given to a group of animals (the leaders) and the crop is later grazed by a second group of animals (the followers). So first-year heifers might be followed by second-year heifers. Implementing the leader-follower system can optimize pasture use and improve livestock health.
Lambing Pen: A lambing pen is a pen in which a ewe is kept when giving birth to lambs. Using lambing pens can provide a safe and controlled environment for ewes during lambing, improving outcomes for both mothers and offspring.
Low-Input Farming: Low-input farming or lower input farming is a system of farming based on restricted use of chemical fertilizers, pesticides, and herbicides. Implementing low-input farming practices can support sustainable agriculture and reduce environmental impact.
Lifting Unit: A lifting unit is a pair of wheels or a triangular-shaped share, used on a harvester to lift the roots and pass them to the main elevator. Also called lifter. The roots are lifted by being squeezed out of the ground in between the two wheels. The distance between the two wheels or shares can be adjusted to suit the size of the crop. The wheels should be set quite close together at the bottom when harvesting small roots. The wheels run at an angle to each other so that their rims lie close together when in the soil and farther apart at the top. Using lifting units can enhance the efficiency of harvesting root crops.
Land Drainage: Land drainage is the process of removing surplus water from land. If surplus water is prevented from moving through the soil and subsoil, it soon fills all the pore spaces in the soil and this will kill or stunt the growing crops. Well-drained land is better aerated, and crops are less likely to be damaged by root-destroying fungi. Aerated soil also warms up more quickly in spring. Plants form deeper and more extensive root systems, grassland is firmer, and disease risk from parasites is reduced. The main methods of draining land are underground pipe drains, mole drains, and ditches. Proper land drainage improves soil health and crop yields.
Lincoln Red: Lincoln Red is a breed of cattle bred from the shorthorn. The animals are deep red in color. The breed was originally dual-purpose, but now is mainly used for crossing with dairy cows to produce beef calves. Raising Lincoln Red cattle can provide farmers with high-quality beef and enhance farm profitability.
Locust Bean: Locust bean is the broken-down pods of the carob tree, used as animal feed. Utilizing locust beans can provide a nutritious feed source for livestock.
Land Reform: Land reform is a government policy of splitting up agricultural land and dividing it up between those people who do not own any land. Land reform policies can increase access to land and promote equitable agricultural development.
Louse: A louse is a small wingless insect that sucks blood and lives on the skin as a parasite on animals and humans. There are several types, the commonest being body louse, crab louse, and head louse. Some diseases can be transmitted by lice. Genus: Pediculus. (NOTE: The plural is lice.) Managing lice infestations through proper pest control measures can protect livestock health and improve farm productivity.
Land Erosion Control: Land erosion control is a method of preventing the soil from being worn away by irrigation, planting, or mulching. Implementing erosion control techniques helps farmers preserve soil quality and prevent land degradation.
Leaf Scorch: Leaf scorch is damage done to leaves by severe weather conditions or herbicides. Also called leaf burn. Preventing leaf scorch through proper plant care and protection from extreme weather can ensure healthy crop growth.
Lettuce: Lettuce is a salad vegetable (Lactuca sativa) which comes in a variety of forms and leaf textures. The commonest are cos lettuce, cabbage lettuce, crisphead, and loose-leaved lettuces. Cabbage lettuces have roundish heads, while cos lettuces have longer leaves and are more upright. Growing different varieties of lettuce can provide farmers with a diverse and marketable crop.
Land Manager: A land manager is someone responsible for the condition of land, e.g., a farmer or landowner. Land managers play a crucial role in maintaining farm productivity and environmental health.
Line Breeding: Line breeding is the deliberate crossing or mating of closely related individuals in order to retain characteristics of a common ancestor. The purpose of line breeding is to try to preserve in succeeding generations the mix of genes responsible for a particularly excellent individual specimen. Utilizing line breeding can enhance desirable traits in livestock and improve breeding outcomes.
Love-In-Idleness: Love-in-idleness is the same as field pansy. Understanding plant species like love-in-idleness can aid in effective crop and pasture management.
Leaf Blotch: Leaf blotch is a disease of cereals (Rhynchosporium secalis) where dark grey lesions with dark brown margins occur on the leaves. Managing leaf blotch through disease prevention and control measures can protect cereal crops and improve yields.
Lymph: Lymph is a colorless liquid containing white blood cells, which circulates in the body, carrying waste matter away from tissues to the veins. It is an essential part of the bodys defense against infection. Understanding lymph and its role in the immune system can aid in managing livestock health.
Livestock Register: Livestock register is the same as herd register. Keeping a livestock register can aid in tracking animal health and breeding records.
Leek: Leek is a hardy winter vegetable (Allium ameloprasum) with a mild onion taste. To produce high-quality leeks, the lower parts of the stems need to be blanched. The stems are used in soups and stews. Growing leeks can provide farmers with a nutritious and versatile crop for market sales.
Long-Day Plant: Long-day plant is a plant that flowers as the days get longer in the spring. Comparing long-day plants with short-day plants can help farmers choose appropriate crops for their climate and growing conditions.
Lambing Season: Lambing season is the period of the year when a flock of ewes produces lambs, usually between December and January. The object is to produce lambs for the market when the price is highest, usually between February and May. Timing lambing season correctly can maximize profits for farmers.
Lamb Dysentery: Lamb dysentery is a bacterial disease which enters the lamb from the pasture. The bacteria infects the land for a very long time. The disease can be avoided by vaccinating the lambs as soon as possible after birth or by vaccinating the ewes before lambing. Understanding and preventing lamb dysentery can save farmers from significant livestock losses.
Lehmann System: Lehmann system is a system of pig breeding developed in Germany, where bulk food such as potatoes and fodder beet are fed after a basic ration of meal. Implementing the Lehmann system can optimize pig nutrition and improve breeding outcomes.
Land Agent: A land agent is a person employed to run a farm or an estate on behalf of the owner. Land agents can provide expertise in managing farm operations, improving efficiency and profitability.
Light Leaf Spot: Light leaf spot is a disease (Pyrenopeziza brassicae) which affects oilseed rape, causing light green or pale areas to appear on the leaves. Managing light leaf spot through disease prevention and control measures can protect oilseed rape crops and improve yields.
Laxtons Superb: Laxtons Superb is a variety of dessert apple formerly grown commercially in the UK. Growing heritage apple varieties like Laxtons Superb can attract niche markets and enhance farm diversity.
Ladybird: Ladybird is a beetle of the Coccinellidae family, which is useful to the farmer because it feeds on aphids which would damage plants if they were not destroyed. (NOTE: The US term is ladybug.) Encouraging ladybirds can be a natural pest control method, reducing the need for chemical pesticides.
Land Clearance: Land clearance is the removal of trees or undergrowth in preparation for ploughing or building. Effective land clearance allows farmers to prepare land for cultivation or construction, enhancing farm development.
Loganberry: Loganberry is a soft fruit, a cross between a raspberry and a blackberry. Growing loganberries can provide farmers with a nutritious and marketable crop.
Lynchet: Lynchet is 1. a strip of land formed as the result of a movement of soil down a slope as a result of cultivation. Negative lynchets form at the top of the slope and positive lynchets at the bottom. 2. an unploughed strip of land forming a temporary boundary between fields. Lynchets on former prehistoric fields can still be seen in the form of steps on the sides of hills. Understanding lynchets and their formation can aid in effective land management and erosion control.
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