Category: M

market gardening: The commercial production of vegetables, fruits, flowers, and other plants on a relatively small scale. Market gardening can provide farmers with high-value crops and income diversification.

milk recording: keeping a record of the milk given by each cow at each milking, the quality of the milk is analysed each month. Proper milk recording can help farmers manage dairy production more effectively, ensuring better quality and yield.

methyl alcohol: same as methanol. Understanding the properties and uses of methyl alcohol can help farmers utilize alternative fuels and solvents more effectively.

Meat Hygiene Service: a division of the Food Standards Agency which deals with hygiene in slaughterhouses and meat preparation facilities. Abbr MHS. Understanding the role of the Meat Hygiene Service can help farmers ensure the safety and quality of their meat products, leading to better marketability and consumer trust.

Milk Development Council: a body which collects levies on milk and distributes the money to research and development projects. Abbr MDC. Understanding the role of the Milk Development Council can help farmers access resources and support for improving milk production and quality.

meadow: a field of grass and wild plants, sometimes grown for fodder. Managing meadows can provide farmers with valuable grazing and hay resources, contributing to better livestock health and productivity.

mating likes: same as assortive mating. Understanding mating preferences can help farmers improve breeding programs and ensure better livestock productivity.

Mendel’s laws: the laws governing heredity. The two laws set out by Gregor Mendel following his experiments growing peas, were (in modern terms): that genes for separate genetic characters assort independently of each other and that the genes for a pair of genetic characters are carried by different gametes. For animal breeders, the main feature of Mendelism is that it is based on simple and clearly-defined traits that are inherited as separate entities: these were traits such as colour, which are controlled by single genes. Understanding Mendel’s laws can help farmers improve their breeding programs and ensure better genetic diversity and productivity.

methane: a colourless flammable gas produced naturally from rotting organic waste, as in landfill sites or animal excreta. Formula: CH4. Methane is produced naturally from rotting vegetation in marshes, where it can sometimes catch fire, creating the phenomenon called will o’ the wisp, a light flickering over a marsh. Large quantities may also be formed in the rumen of cattle. It occurs as the product of animal excretions in livestock farming. Excreta from livestock can be passed into tanks where methane is extracted leaving the slurry which is then used as fertiliser. The methane can be used for heating or as a power source. Methane is also a greenhouse gas, and it has been suggested that methane from rotting vegetation, from cattle excreta, from water in paddy fields, and even from termites’ nests, all contribute to the greenhouse effect. Understanding the production and management of methane can help farmers reduce greenhouse gas emissions and utilize methane as a renewable energy source, contributing to environmental sustainability and farm profitability.

mastitis: a common bacterial disease affecting dairy animals in which the udders become inflamed and swollen, and the passage of the milk is blocked. Common causes are staphylococci such as Staphylococcus aureus (staphylococcal mastitis), streptococci (Streptococcus uberis) or other bacteria (E. coli mastitis). The condition can be treated with antibiotics. Managing and preventing mastitis is crucial for maintaining the health and productivity of dairy animals, ensuring better milk yield and quality.

mechanisation: the introduction of machines for agricultural working purposes. Mechanisation has been an important factor in the contraction of the agricultural labour force. Mechanisation has not only involved increases in the number and range of machines, but also dramatic increases in their size and power. This has enabled slopes previously regarded as too steep for ploughing to be cultivated. The increased size of tractors and combines has encouraged enlargement of fields and the removal of hedgerows. This has caused alarm amongst conservationists and led to increased erosion in wet weather in some areas. Understanding the benefits and challenges of mechanisation can help farmers optimize their operations and improve productivity while managing environmental impacts.

mapping: the process of collecting information and using it to produce maps. Effective mapping can help farmers plan and manage their land more efficiently, leading to better resource allocation and improved farm productivity.

margin: the edge of a place or thing. Unploughed strips at the margins of fields can provide important habitats for wildlife, contributing to biodiversity and environmental sustainability on farms.

microorganism: an organism that can only be seen with a microscope. Viruses, bacteria, protozoa and fungi are all forms of microorganism. Understanding the role of microorganisms can help farmers manage soil and livestock health more effectively, ensuring better productivity and sustainability.

mids: middle-sized potatoes which are graded and sold for human consumption. Understanding the grading and marketability of mids can help farmers optimize their potato production and income.

mono-: prefix one. Understanding the uses of the prefix mono- can help farmers and researchers communicate more effectively about genetic and biological processes.

molluscicide: a substance that kills molluscs. Understanding the application and effects of molluscicides can help farmers manage mollusc infestations more effectively, ensuring better crop health and yields.

mountain dew: a Scottish term for whisky. Understanding the cultural and market dynamics of whisky can help farmers engaged in distilling operations improve their marketability and income.

maturity: the time when a plant’s seeds are ripe or when an animal has become an adult. Understanding maturity can help farmers manage harvest and breeding schedules more effectively, ensuring better yields and productivity.

MHS: abbreviation Meat Hygiene Service. Understanding the role of the Meat Hygiene Service can help farmers ensure the safety and quality of their meat products, leading to better marketability and consumer trust.

merchant: a person who sells a product. Seed merchant, corn merchant: trader who sells seed or corn, usually wholesale. Understanding the role of merchants can help farmers find reliable outlets for their products, improving marketability and income.

MHC: abbreviation moisture holding capacity. Understanding moisture holding capacity can help farmers manage soil and crop irrigation more effectively, ensuring better growth and productivity.

metabolic: referring to metabolism. Understanding metabolic processes can help farmers manage livestock nutrition and health more effectively, ensuring better growth and productivity.

multiple ovulation and embryo transfer: same as MOET. Understanding the techniques and applications of MOET can help farmers improve their breeding programs and livestock productivity.

macroclimate: the climate over a large area such as a region or country. Understanding macroclimate can help farmers plan their crop production and manage risks associated with climate variations, ensuring better crop yield and farm sustainability.

moist: slightly damp, containing a small amount of water. Understanding soil moisture levels can help farmers manage irrigation and crop health more effectively, ensuring better productivity and sustainability.

miticide: a substance that kills mites. Understanding the application and effects of miticides can help farmers manage mite infestations more effectively, ensuring better crop and livestock health.

moisture: a slight amount of water as found in the soil or air. Understanding moisture levels can help farmers manage irrigation and crop health more effectively, ensuring better productivity and sustainability.

milfoil: same as yarrow. Understanding the uses and management of milfoil can help farmers improve soil and crop health, ensuring better productivity and sustainability.

macronutrient: a nutrient that an organism uses in very large quantities, e.g. oxygen, carbon, hydrogen, nitrogen, phosphorus, potassium, calcium, magnesium or iron. Knowing the macronutrient requirements of crops and livestock can help farmers ensure proper nutrition, leading to better growth and yields, ultimately improving farm productivity and profitability.

millet: a cereal crop grown in many of the hot, dry regions of Africa and Asia, where it is a staple food. Genera: especially: Panicum or Eleusine. The two most important species are finger millet and bulrush millet. Millet grains are used in various types of food. They can be boiled and eaten like rice, made into flour for porridge, pasta or chapatis, and mixed with wheat flour to make bread. Millets can be malted to make beer. Millets are also grown as forage crops, and the seed is used as a poultry feed. Growing millet can provide farmers with a versatile and high-yield crop, particularly in regions with suitable climates, contributing to food security and economic stability.

Mg: symbol magnesium. Understanding the role of magnesium in soil and livestock nutrition can help farmers prevent deficiencies and ensure better crop and animal health and productivity.

myoglobin: the iron-containing protein that binds oxygen in muscle tissue, similar to the haemoglobin in blood. Understanding the role of myoglobin can help farmers manage livestock health and meat quality more effectively, ensuring better productivity and marketability.

monoplane leaf: a leaf that is flattened out horizontally and does not have a ridge or prominent vein. Understanding the characteristics of monoplane leaves can help farmers manage crop health and productivity more effectively.

modified atmosphere: an oxygen-depleted atmosphere enriched with carbon monoxide or carbon dioxide, used for disinfestation of pests or for increasing the shelf life of food. Abbr MA. Understanding the uses and effects of modified atmosphere can help farmers manage pest control and food preservation more effectively, ensuring better crop and product quality and marketability.

methyl phosphine: a compound with specific action against phosphine-resistant strains of storage pests. Understanding the uses and effects of methyl phosphine can help farmers manage pest infestations in stored products more effectively, ensuring better storage and marketability.

mountain timber: timber grown in mountain forests. Understanding the characteristics and uses of mountain timber can help farmers optimize their timber production and marketability.

MCPP: abbreviation mecoprop. Understanding the uses and effects of MCPP can help farmers manage weed infestations more effectively, ensuring better crop health and yields.

marjoram: a Mediterranean aromatic herb (Origanum), the dried leaves of which are used as flavoring. Growing marjoram can provide farmers with a high-value crop, particularly for markets interested in culinary herbs and natural flavorings.

MFHA: abbreviation Master of Foxhounds Association. Understanding the role of the Master of Foxhounds Association can help farmers engaged in foxhunting activities manage their operations more effectively.

mad cow disease: same as BSE (informal). Awareness and prevention of mad cow disease are crucial for maintaining the health of cattle and ensuring the safety of beef products, which protects the farm’s reputation and consumer trust.

medium: a substance in which an organism lives or is grown. Understanding the characteristics and uses of different media can help farmers optimize their crop and livestock production, leading to better yields and productivity.

micron: a measurement of thickness, one millionth of a metre, used in measuring the fineness of hair or wool. Understanding micron measurements can help farmers manage wool and other products more effectively, ensuring better quality and marketability.

meadowgrass: varieties of grass of the genus Poa. Understanding the characteristics and uses of meadowgrass can help farmers manage their grazing and hay production more effectively, leading to better livestock health and productivity.

manure spreader: a trailer with a moving floor conveyor and a combined shredding and spreading mechanism, used to distribute manure over the soil. Also called muck spreader. Using a manure spreader can help farmers efficiently apply manure to their fields, improving soil fertility and crop growth.

maintenance ration: the quantity of food needed to keep a farm animal healthy but not productive. Knowing the maintenance ration for livestock helps farmers manage feed costs and ensure animal health, leading to better resource allocation and farm efficiency.

multiple cropping: the growing of more than one crop on the same piece of land in one year, especially using early crops followed by later ones. Understanding multiple cropping can help farmers optimize their crop production and improve soil health, ensuring better productivity and sustainability.

morels: types of edible fungi which grow on chalky or limestone soils. Understanding the cultivation and marketability of morels can help farmers diversify their income streams and improve profitability.

morning glory: a climbing plant with attractive flowers. Genus: Ipomoea. Understanding the characteristics and uses of morning glory can help farmers manage their gardens and ornamental crops more effectively.

meat fly: same as blowfly. Managing meat fly infestations can help farmers protect their livestock and meat products, ensuring better health and marketability.