Agricultural Terms and Helpful Expert Insight
Level: Level means having a flat, smooth horizontal surface. It also refers to a relative amount, intensity, or concentration, such as an unsafe level of contamination or reduced noise levels. A level is also a flat low-lying area of usually marshy land, often reclaimed by artificial drainage in parts of Fen Country in Eastern England round the Wash. Maintaining level land can improve water management and crop growth.
Liquefied Petroleum Gas: Liquefied petroleum gas is propane or butane or a combination of both produced by refining crude petroleum oil. Abbr LPG. Liquefied petroleum gas is used for domestic heating and cooking and for powering vehicles. Utilizing liquefied petroleum gas can provide farmers with a clean and efficient energy source.
Laying Hen: A laying hen is a female domestic fowl which is kept primarily for egg production. Raising laying hens can provide a steady source of income from egg sales.
Lupin: Lupin is a leguminous plant (Lupinus polyphyllus) grown as a crop for protein and seed oil. Lupins were originally grown in the UK as green manure on acid sandy soils, and for some sheep folding. They are now grown for grain production. The seeds of lupin contain 3040% protein and 1012% edible oil. The white lupin is an early-ripening sweet type but is difficult to harvest and must be combined carefully. Growing lupins can provide farmers with a nutritious and marketable crop for animal feed and oil production.
Land Tenure: Land tenure is the way in which land is owned and possessed. This may be by an individual owning the freehold, by a tenancy agreement between freeholder and tenant, or by a form of community ownership. Understanding land tenure arrangements is essential for securing land rights and planning long-term agricultural investments.
Long-Grain Rice: Long-grain rice is varieties of rice with long grains, grown in tropical climates such as India. Understanding rice varieties like long-grain rice can aid in crop selection and market targeting.
Lactic Acid: Lactic acid is a sugar which forms in cells and tissue, and is also present in sour milk, cheese, and yoghurt. Lactic acid is important for preserving dairy products and adding flavor, helping farmers and producers to create a variety of dairy goods.
Lomé Convention: Lomé Convention is an agreement reached in 1975 between the European Community and 66 developing nations (the ACP states). It gives entry into the EU for certain agricultural produce without duty, with sections on guaranteed prices. Cotonou Agreement. Understanding trade agreements like the Lomé Convention can help farmers access new markets and enhance agricultural trade.
Lamb: Lamb refers to 1. a young sheep under six months of age, and 2. meat from a lamb. To lamb means to give birth to lambs. Most ewes lamb without difficulty, but some may need help. Proper lambing management ensures the health of both ewes and lambs, leading to higher survival rates and better meat production.
Land Classification: Land classification is the classification of land into categories, according to its value for a broad land use type. In England and Wales, the Defra classification map has five main grades, between Grade 1 (completely suitable for agriculture) and Grade 5 (land with severe limitations, because of its soil, relief, or climate). Knowing land classification assists farmers in optimizing land use and adhering to agricultural policies.
Lambing Sickness: Lambing sickness is a bacterial disease of sheep picked up from the soil, which can cause rapid death. Managing lambing sickness through vaccination and proper hygiene can prevent significant losses in sheep flocks.
Linnaean System: Linnaean system is the scientific system of naming organisms devised by the Swedish scientist Carolus Linnaeus (170778). Carl von Linné is another form of his name. The Linnaean system (or binomial classification) gives each organism a name made up of two main parts. The first is a generic name referring to the genus to which the organism belongs, and the second is a specific name which refers to the particular species. Organisms are usually identified by using both their generic and specific names, e.g., Homo sapiens (man) and Felix catus (domestic cat). The generic name is written or printed with a capital letter. Both names are usually given in italics, or are underlined if written or typed. Utilizing the Linnaean system can aid in accurate identification and classification of plants and animals on the farm.
Lime: Lime is 1. calcium oxide made from burnt limestone, used to spread on soil to reduce acidity and add calcium, 2. a hardwood tree. Genus: Tilia, and 3. a citrus fruit tree, with green fruit similar to, but smaller than, lemons. Latin name: Citrus aurantifolia. To lime means to treat acid soil by spreading lime on it. Utilizing lime can improve soil health and fertility, supporting crop growth.
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.
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