Category: S

senescence: The process of growing older. Plant senescence. Farmers benefit from understanding senescence for managing crop life cycles and productivity.

SMR: abbreviation Statutory Management Requirement. Understanding Statutory Management Requirements ensures farmers comply with regulations, protecting their eligibility for government payments and subsidies.

sloe: the wild plum Prunus spinosa. Also called blackthorn. Cultivating sloe provides farmers with a resilient crop for hedgerows and wildlife habitats, supporting biodiversity and sustainable farming.

sole crop: a crop grown in a stand with no other crops. Growing sole crops provides farmers with a focused approach to crop management, optimizing yields and quality.

swill: waste food from kitchens, formerly used for pig feeding but banned after the foot-and-mouth outbreak of 2001. Understanding and adhering to regulations on swill use ensures livestock health and biosecurity, supporting farm productivity.

spear: a shoot of a green plant such as asparagus or broccoli. Proper management of spears ensures healthy growth and optimal yields of vegetable crops.

sward: a cover of grasses and clovers which makes a pasture. Properly managing swards ensures healthy pasture growth and livestock productivity, supporting sustainable farming practices.

Solanum: the Latin name for the potato family. Understanding the Solanum family helps farmers manage crop diversity and optimize production, supporting agricultural productivity.

sodium: a chemical element which is a constituent of common salt and essential to animal life. Ensuring adequate sodium levels in livestock diets supports overall health and productivity.

specific weight: the bulk density of a grain sample measured in hectolitres or bushels. Monitoring specific weight helps farmers assess grain quality, supporting market value and consumer trust.

stigma: the part of a flower’s female reproductive organ that receives the pollen grains. (NOTE: It is generally located at the tip of the style.) Understanding the structure and function of stigmas helps farmers manage plant reproduction and optimize yields.

spinney: a small wood with undergrowth. Managing spinneys provides farmers with valuable habitats for wildlife and supports biodiversity on farms.

synthetic pyrethroid: a chemical compound used as an insecticide, similar to a pyrethroid but manufactured artificially. Understanding and using synthetic pyrethroids effectively supports pest control and healthy crop growth, enhancing farm productivity.

saturate: To fill something with the maximum amount of a liquid that can be absorbed. Nitrates leached from forest soils, showing that the soils are saturated with nitrogen. Farmers benefit from understanding saturation to manage irrigation and prevent waterlogging or nutrient leaching.

specific: clearly defined and definite. Understanding specific agricultural practices helps farmers achieve targeted outcomes, supporting productivity and sustainability.

set to: An orphan lamb given to a foster mother. Farmers benefit from fostering orphaned animals to ensure their survival and growth.

sweeper bull: a bull used to serve cows that have not been artificially inseminated. Properly managing sweeper bulls ensures efficient breeding programs and livestock productivity, supporting farm profitability.

studded roller feed drill: a type of external force feed seed drill in which fluted rollers are replaced by rolls with studs or pegs. It is suitable for drilling most types of seed. Using studded roller feed drills ensures accurate seed placement and optimal crop establishment, supporting productive agriculture.

sward height record pad: a notebook in which the height of a sward is recorded. Properly managing sward height records ensures efficient pasture management and livestock productivity.

standing: growing upright. Properly managing standing crops ensures healthy growth and optimal yields.

Schleswig-Holstein system: A system of cereal cultivation practised in North Germany, giving high average yields. The system involves careful management of the crop and includes high seed rates and high amounts of fertiliser. Crops are carefully monitored and visited each day. Disease is controlled by spraying. Farmers benefit from adopting the Schleswig-Holstein system to achieve high yields and efficient crop management.

spurrey: a common weed on arable land. Also called corn spurrey. Managing spurrey populations protects crops from weed competition, ensuring healthy growth and better yields.

straw spreader: a device attached to the back of a combine when the straw is not wanted. The straw is spread over the ground and then ploughed in. Using straw spreaders ensures efficient straw management and soil preparation, supporting productive agriculture.

stable fly: a fly which is like the house fly, but with a distinct proboscis which can pierce the skin. It breeds in stable manure and is a serious pest to animals as the bites cause irritation. Managing stable fly populations protects livestock from irritation and disease, supporting overall health and productivity.

scouring: Diarrhoea in livestock. It may be a symptom of other diseases such as Johne’s disease, dysentery or coccidiosis, or it may simply be due to a chill or to poor diet. Farmers benefit from managing scouring to ensure livestock health and productivity.

Saanen: Saanen, a dairy goat breed known for high milk production. Farmers benefit from raising Saanen goats due to their efficiency in milk yield and adaptability to various climates.

SEERAD: Scottish Executive Environment and Rural Affairs Department. Farmers benefit from SEERAD’s support and resources for sustainable agriculture and rural development.

shire horse: A tall heavy breed of draught horse. The coat may be of various colours, but there is always a mass of feather at the feet. Farmers benefit from using shire horses for their strength and versatility in farm work.

short rotation coppice: Varieties of willow or poplar which yield a large amount of fuel and are grown as an energy crop. Though there are plenty of bio-feedstocks around, for example short rotation coppice, few can be cost- and carbon-effectively turned into transport fuel. Farmers benefit from growing short rotation coppice for sustainable energy production and soil improvement.

soil air: the air content of the soil. It contains the same gases as the atmosphere, but in different amounts, because it is modified by the constituent parts of the soil. Also called soil atmosphere. Proper soil aeration ensures healthy root growth and overall soil health, supporting productive agriculture.

saddleback: 1. A breed of pig now known as the British Saddleback 2. Any pig with a white saddle, such as the American-bred Hampshire breed. Farmers benefit from raising saddleback pigs due to their hardy nature and efficient meat production.

synthetic auxin: an auxin manufactured from synthetic materials. Understanding and using synthetic auxins effectively supports healthy plant growth and optimal yields, enhancing farm productivity.

semi-: 1. Half 2. Partly. Farmers benefit from understanding semi- processes for better management of partial growth or development stages.

seed royalties: Money paid by seed growers to breeders of seeds. Farmers benefit from seed royalties as a form of intellectual property protection and incentive for breeding new and improved seed varieties.

sheep’s sorrel: A common weed (Rumex acetosella). Farmers benefit from managing sheep’s sorrel to prevent weed competition and maintain crop health.

swell: to grow fat. Properly managing crop swelling ensures healthy growth and optimal yields, supporting farm productivity.

supplementary levy: in the EU, a payment introduced to penalise milk production over the quota level. Understanding and managing supplementary levies ensures compliance with regulations and financial planning for dairy operations, supporting farm profitability.

SSSI: abbreviation Site of Special Scientific Interest. Understanding SSSI designations helps farmers manage land resources effectively, promoting conservation and sustainable agricultural practices.

set: 1. A seed potato 2. A seed onion 3. A badger’s burrow. To harden. The resin sets in a couple of hours. To form fruit or seed. To plant something. Farmers benefit from understanding and managing set plants for effective crop production.

syndrome: a group of signs of a disease that occur together. Properly managing syndromes ensures effective disease control and livestock health, supporting farm productivity.

sand: Fine grains of weathered rock, usually round grains of quartz, found especially on beaches and in the desert. Farmers benefit from understanding soil composition, including sand content, to manage soil health and optimize crop growth.

shepherd: A person who looks after sheep. Farmers benefit from employing skilled shepherds for efficient and effective livestock management.

seedbed: An area of land tilled to produce a fine tilth, firm and level, into which seeds will be sown. Some crops such as potatoes do not need a fine tilth and a rough damp bed is preferable. Farmers benefit from preparing seedbeds to ensure successful seed germination and crop establishment.

shearer: A person who clips the fleece off a sheep. Farmers benefit from employing skilled shearers to ensure efficient and high-quality wool production.

screwworm: A fly similar to the bluebottle, but dark green in colour, common in Central and South America. It devastated cattle in the USA in the 1950s, but has now been eradicated there. Farmers benefit from preventing screwworm infestations to protect livestock health and prevent economic losses.

space allowance: the amount of space a farmed animal should have in which to move around, feed, and rest. (NOTE: Guidelines on minimum space allowances are set out in the animal welfare codes.) Ensuring proper space allowance for livestock supports animal health and welfare, promoting better productivity and ethical farming practices.

sulphuric acid: a strong acid that exists as a colourless oily corrosive liquid and is made by reacting sulphur trioxide with water. It is used in batteries and in the manufacture of fertilisers, explosives, detergents, dyes, and many other chemicals. Formula: H2SO4. Understanding and using sulphuric acid effectively supports soil fertility and healthy crop growth, enhancing farm productivity.

stipula: a newly sprouted feather. Properly managing stipula development ensures healthy growth and productivity in poultry farming.

Saler: A hardy breed of French cattle, found in the Cantal department of central France. The animals are reddish in colour and are reared both for meat and for milk production. The Saler is one of the best French suckler cows. Farmers benefit from Saler cattle due to their dual-purpose nature, providing both milk and meat efficiently.

string bean: same as French bean. Growing string beans provides farmers with a versatile crop for fresh and processed markets, enhancing farm income and sustainability.