Category: S

steer: a castrated male bovine over one year old. Also called bullock. Properly managing steers supports healthy growth and productivity in beef operations, enhancing farm profitability.

sedge: One of a number of grass or rushlike herbs of the family Cyperaceae, common in marshlands and poorly drained areas. They have minimal nutritional value. Farmers benefit from managing sedge to maintain soil health and prevent waterlogging.

salsify: A plant with a long white root which is used as a vegetable. Farmers benefit from growing salsify as a unique crop offering diversification and potential market niche.

SFA: Small Farms Association. Farmers benefit from engaging with SFA for support and resources tailored to small-scale farming operations.

skin: the outer layer on an animal, fruit, or vegetable. Proper management of skin health in livestock and produce helps farmers maintain quality and market value, reducing losses and enhancing profitability.

swing plough: a plough used in upland areas which is designed to swing from one side to the other when the tractor changes direction at the end of a furrow. Using swing ploughs ensures efficient soil preparation and crop establishment, supporting productive agriculture.

silviculture: The cultivation of trees as part of forestry. Farmers benefit from engaging in silviculture for sustainable forestry and timber production.

staphylococcal mastitis: a condition of cows caused by several types of staphylococci especially when accompanied by stress resulting from liver fluke or cold conditions. Milk becomes watery and the cow has a high temperature. Proper management of staphylococcal mastitis ensures dairy cow health and milk quality, supporting farm productivity.

synthetised protein: a protein manufactured from synthetic materials. Understanding and using synthetised proteins effectively supports livestock nutrition and health, enhancing farm productivity.

spinner: a device used for harvesting potatoes. The potatoes are left on the surface of the soil for picking later. Using spinners ensures efficient potato harvesting, reducing labor costs and enhancing productivity.

singleton: A single offspring. Farmers benefit from managing singletons for effective livestock production and growth.

seed-borne disease: A disease which is carried in the seed of a plant. Farmers benefit from understanding and managing seed-borne diseases to protect crop health and yield.

silk: A thread produced by the larvae of a moth to make its cocoon. It is used to make a smooth light fabric. Farmers benefit from producing silk for its valuable market demand and diverse applications.

safflower: An oilseed crop (Carthamus tinctorius) grown mainly in India. The oil is used in the manufacture of margarine, and the residual oilseed cake has a limited use as a livestock feed. Farmers benefit from safflower by diversifying crops and producing valuable oil and feed products.

selfing: Same as self-fertilisation. Farmers benefit from understanding selfing for breeding and crop production.

slip: a small piece of plant stem, used to root as a cutting, or in budding. (of an animal) to miscarry. Understanding propagation techniques with slips helps farmers efficiently reproduce plants and maintain crop diversity.

sustainable society: a society which exists without depleting the natural resources of its habitat. Engaging in sustainable practices ensures long-term agricultural productivity and environmental health, supporting a sustainable society.

spring: a place where water comes naturally out of the ground; the season of the year following winter and before summer, when days become longer and the weather progressively warmer; a metal device which, when under tension, tries to resume its previous position. Proper management of water resources from springs supports sustainable water use and healthy crop growth.

self-fertilisation: The fertilisation of a plant or invertebrate animal with its own pollen or sperm. Farmers benefit from understanding self-fertilisation for breeding and crop production.

smooth-stalked meadowgrass: a species of grass which can withstand quite dry conditions. It is a perennial grass with smooth greyish-green leaves and green purplish flowers. Cultivating smooth-stalked meadowgrass provides farmers with a resilient forage crop, supporting livestock production in dry conditions.

suboestrus: a situation where a female animal comes on heat but does not show any of the usual signs. Properly managing suboestrus ensures effective breeding programs and livestock productivity.

spinous: referring to a plant with spines. Properly managing spinous plants ensures healthy growth and optimal yields, supporting productive agriculture.

soil erosion: the removal of soil by the effects of rain, wind, sea, or cultivation practices. Preventing soil erosion protects land resources and maintains soil fertility, supporting sustainable agricultural practices.

silt: Small particles of soil that are finer than sand but coarser than clay. Managing soil texture, including silt content, helps improve soil fertility and structure.

succulent foods: feedingstuffs which contain a lot of water; they are palatable and filling, and usually have a laxative effect. Most root crops, e.g., swedes and turnips, are succulents. Properly managing succulent foods ensures efficient livestock nutrition and health, supporting farm productivity.

short duration ryegrass: A class of grasses which are important to the farmer, including Westerwolds, Italian and Hybrid. These grasses are quick to establish and give early grazing. They are used where persistency is not important. Farmers benefit from growing short duration ryegrass for quick establishment and early grazing opportunities.

surface water: water that flows across the surface of the soil as a stream after rain and drains into rivers rather than seeping into the soil itself. Compare ground water. Properly managing surface water ensures water conservation and healthy soil conditions, supporting productive agriculture.

sapwood: An outer layer of wood on the trunk of a tree, which is younger than the heartwood inside and carries the sap. Farmers benefit from identifying sapwood for sustainable timber harvesting and tree health assessment.

soil moisture deficit: the difference between the amount of water that is in a soil and the amount needed for crops to grow successfully. Abbr SMD. Monitoring soil moisture deficits helps farmers optimize irrigation practices, ensuring crops receive adequate water without overuse.

sweet potato: a starchy root crop grown in tropical and subtropical regions. COMMENT: The sweet potato is valuable as famine food in parts of Africa and South America. The main producing countries are Indonesia, Vietnam, and Japan. In the Southern USA, the tubers are called ‘yams’. The plant has no connection with the ordinary potato. Properly managing sweet potato crops ensures healthy growth and high yields, supporting farm productivity and profitability.

strake: an attachment bolted onto the rear wheels of a tractor to improve wheel grip. The strake has spikes which can be extended beyond the tyre and which dig into the soil. Using strakes ensures efficient tractor operation and soil preparation, supporting productive agriculture.

seed certification: The testing, sealing and labelling of seed sold to farmers. This ensures that the seed is free from disease and from weeds. Farmers benefit from seed certification to ensure high-quality and disease-free seeds for planting.

set aside: To use a piece of formerly arable land for something other than growing food crops. Farmers benefit from setting aside land for conservation and sustainable land management.

stud farm: a farm where horses are kept for breeding. Properly managing stud farms ensures healthy breeding programs and improves livestock genetics, supporting farm profitability.

summer feeding: the feeding of cattle on permanent pastures in the summer months. Properly managing summer feeding ensures efficient use of pastures and livestock productivity, supporting farm profitability.

synthetic fertiliser: a fertiliser made from synthetic materials. Compare organic fertiliser. Understanding and using synthetic fertilisers effectively supports soil fertility and healthy crop growth, enhancing farm productivity.

saprophytic: Referring to organisms that live and feed on dead or decaying organic matter. Farmers benefit from understanding saprophytic relationships for improving soil health and organic farming practices.

sustainable development: development that balances the satisfaction of people’s immediate interests and the protection of future generations’ interests. Engaging in sustainable development ensures long-term agricultural productivity and environmental health.

Scottish Crop Research Institute: A company which researches fertilisers and plant growth regulators, pests, pesticides and the genetic modification of crops. Abbr SCRI. Farmers benefit from the research conducted by SCRI to improve crop yields and pest management.

screenings: Grains which are small and pass through the sieve when grain is screened. Farmers benefit from managing screenings to ensure high-quality grain production.

spoil: (of food) to rot or decay. Proper storage and handling of food products prevent spoilage, ensuring quality and reducing losses.

seed potato: A potato tuber which is sown to produce new plants. In the UK, these are grown mainly in Scotland, and produced under a certification scheme (the Seed Potato Classification Scheme). Farmers benefit from using certified seed potatoes for disease-free and high-quality potato crops.

Sitka spruce: a temperate softwood coniferous tree that is fast-growing, used for making paper. Latin name: Picea sitchensis. Cultivating Sitka spruce provides farmers with a renewable source of timber and pulp, supporting sustainable forestry practices and economic growth.

seed-borne: Carried by seeds. Farmers benefit from understanding and managing seed-borne diseases to protect crop health and yield.

screen: A hedge or row of trees grown to shelter other plants, to protect something from the wind or to prevent something from being seen. To pass grain through a sieve to grade it. To protect plants from wind, e.g. by planting windbreaks. Farmers benefit from using screens for crop protection and quality control.

shepherd’s purse: A common weed (Capsella bursa-pastoris) in gardens and market gardens, found particularly among vegetables and root crops. Also called pepper and salt. Farmers benefit from managing shepherd’s purse to prevent weed competition and maintain crop health.

soil: the earth in which plants grow. chernozem, loess, podsol, subsoil, topsoil. COMMENT: Soil is a mixture of mineral particles, decayed organic matter and water. Topsoil contains chemical substances which are leached through into the subsoil where they are retained. Without care, soils easily degrade, losing the few nutrients they possess and becoming increasingly acid or sour. Proper soil management ensures fertility and productivity, supporting healthy crop growth and sustainable agriculture.

stell: a stone shelter for sheep and cattle in upland areas. Properly managing stells ensures livestock protection and well-being in challenging environments.

strangles: a disease of mangolds and sugar beet. It occurs in fairly large seedlings after singling. The stem is severely damaged. Managing strangles ensures healthy crop growth, preventing yield losses and maintaining quality.

SMEs: abbreviation small and medium-sized enterprises. Supporting SMEs in agriculture promotes innovation, economic growth, and job creation in rural communities.