Category: M

mineralisation: the breaking down of organic waste into its inorganic chemical components. Understanding mineralisation can help farmers manage soil health and fertility more effectively, ensuring better crop yields.

meat: animal flesh that is eaten as food. Understanding the nutritional value and uses of meat can help farmers manage livestock production more effectively, ensuring better marketability and income.

morning milk: milk obtained from the first milking of the day. Proper management of morning milk can ensure better quality and yield, contributing to farm profitability and sustainability.

mow: a quantity of hay which has been cut, dried and stored in a stack or a barn. Proper management of mows can help farmers ensure better feed quality and availability for livestock, contributing to better health and productivity.

mononucleosis: an infection in humans caused by the Epstein-Barr virus. Understanding and managing mononucleosis can help farmers protect their health and productivity.

motility: the ability of organisms to move. Understanding motility can help farmers manage livestock health and breeding programs more effectively, ensuring better productivity.

Multilateral : multilateral involving more than two countries or groups. Understanding multilateral agreements can help farmers navigate international trade and market dynamics, ensuring better compliance and profitability.

mountain forest: a forest that grows in mountainous areas. Understanding the characteristics and management of mountain forests can help farmers optimize their timber production and environmental sustainability.

methionine: an essential amino acid. Understanding the role of methionine in livestock nutrition can help farmers ensure balanced diets and better animal health and productivity.

micropropagation: the propagation of plants by cloning a small piece of plant tissue cultured in a growth medium. Understanding the techniques and applications of micropropagation can help farmers improve crop production and genetic diversity.

monomolecular layer: a layer only one molecule thick. Understanding the applications of monomolecular layers can help farmers manage crop protection and other agricultural processes more effectively.

mixed culture: the process of growing several species of tree together on the same piece of land. Understanding mixed culture can help farmers manage forest resources more effectively, ensuring better productivity and sustainability.

mangold: same as mangel. Growing mangold can provide a valuable fodder crop for livestock, ensuring a steady supply of feed and improving farm sustainability.

myology: the study of muscles. Understanding myology can help farmers manage livestock health and productivity more effectively.

milk products: milk and other foodstuffs produced from it, which are sold for human consumption. The main milk products are liquid milk (homogenised, pasteurised, sterilised or UHT), butter, cheese, cream, condensed milk and milk powder. Understanding the production and marketability of milk products can help farmers diversify their income streams and improve profitability.

mercury: a metal element that is liquid at room temperature. It is used in thermometers, barometers and electric batteries and is poisonous. Also called quicksilver. Understanding the properties and risks of mercury can help farmers manage its use and disposal safely.

monogerm seed: a seed that produces a single seedling. Compare multigerm seed. Understanding the characteristics of monogerm seeds can help farmers manage crop production more effectively, ensuring better productivity and sustainability.

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.