Category: S

scutch: Same as couch grass. Farmers benefit from managing scutch grass to prevent weed infestations and maintain crop health.

saliva: A clear fluid secreted by the salivary glands into the mouth, and containing water, mucus and enzymes to lubricate food and break down starch into sugars. Farmers benefit from understanding saliva’s role in animal digestion for better livestock health management.

stocky: referring to an animal with short strong legs. Properly managing stocky animals ensures healthy growth and productivity, supporting farm profitability.

sawdust: Powder produced when sawing wood. Sawdust is used both as a mulch for plants and as bedding for animals. Farmers benefit from using sawdust for soil improvement and livestock comfort.

spring wheat: wheat which is sown in spring and harvested towards the end of the summer. Growing spring wheat provides farmers with a seasonal crop that supports crop rotation and sustainable agricultural practices.

sphagnum: a type of moss that grows in acid conditions. Cultivating sphagnum provides farmers with a valuable resource for horticulture and soil improvement, supporting sustainable practices.

shoot: 1. A new growth from the stem of a plant 2. Part of a young seed plant, the stem and first leaves which show above the surface of the soil. To kill something with a gun. Farmers benefit from managing shoots for successful plant growth and crop production.

sole furrow: the last slice cut during ploughing. Proper ploughing techniques, such as creating sole furrows, ensure efficient soil preparation and promote healthy crop growth.

spot price: the market price for produce or livestock at a specific time. ‘If most of the feeds needed can be bought forward during dips in the market, the end result is a high quality, highly competitive diet and significant feed cost savings compared to spot prices.’ [Farmers Guardian]. Monitoring spot prices helps farmers make informed decisions about sales and purchases, optimizing profitability.

septic tank: An underground tank for household sewage that is not connected to the main drainage system and in which human waste is decomposed by the action of anaerobic bacteria. Farmers benefit from using septic tanks for waste management and sanitation.

swath turner: a haymaking machine used to move individual swaths sideways and turn them over at the same time, so making the drying process faster. It is also used in wet conditions to scatter a swath to dry it more quickly. Using swath turners ensures efficient haymaking and fodder quality, supporting livestock nutrition and farm productivity.

Slaughter Premium Scheme: until 2005, a subsidy that provided direct support to all producers of domestic cattle. (NOTE: Now superseded by the Single Payment Scheme.) Understanding historical subsidy schemes helps farmers adapt to current financial support structures and manage their operations effectively.

scale: A thin membranous leaf structure. Farmers benefit from understanding scale in plants for better crop management.

streptococcus: a bacterium belonging to a genus that grows in long chains and causes diseases such as strangles and mastitis. (NOTE: The plural is streptococci.) Understanding streptococcus bacteria helps farmers manage livestock health and prevent disease outbreaks, supporting productivity and well-being.

select: To identify plants or animals with desirable characteristics such as high yield or disease resistance as part of the activity of breeding new varieties. Farmers benefit from selecting plants and animals to improve crop and livestock productivity.

shorthorn: A breed of cattle, with short horns. In the 18th century, Charles Colling used many of the breeding principles established by Robert Bakewell to develop the shorthorn breed, which became the most common in Britain and remained so for over a hundred years. It has later developed into three different strains: the Beef Shorthorn, the Dairy Shorthorn and the Lincoln Shorthorn. Farmers benefit from raising shorthorn cattle for their versatility in meat and milk production.

successional cropping: the growing of several crops one after the other during the same growing season; the process of sowing a crop such as lettuce over a long period, so that harvesting takes place over a similarly long period. Properly managing successional cropping ensures efficient land use and continuous crop production, supporting farm productivity.

surface-rooting: referring to a plant whose roots are shallow in the soil. Compare deep-rooted. Properly managing surface-rooting plants ensures healthy growth and optimal yields, supporting productive agriculture.

starchy: containing a lot of starch. Properly managing starchy crops ensures high nutritional value and market demand, supporting farm income.

strip farming: a method of farming where strips of land across the contours are planted with different crops. Using strip farming techniques ensures sustainable soil management and healthy crop growth.

scald: 1. A defect in stored apples, where brown patches appear on the skin and the tissue underneath becomes soft 2. A bacterial disease of sheep. It causes lameness in lambs. Farmers benefit from managing scald to maintain the quality of stored produce and the health of their livestock.

Standard Gross Margin: a measure of the business size of a farm, calculated by looking at the different types of enterprises on the farm and how much each contributes to the overall profit made. Abbr SGM. Understanding Standard Gross Margin helps farmers manage financial performance and optimize farm profitability.

sustainable agriculture: environmentally friendly methods of farming that allow the production of crops or livestock without damage to the ecosystem. Adopting sustainable agriculture practices ensures long-term productivity and ecological balance, supporting farm profitability and environmental health.

sprinkler: a hose which sends out a shower of drops. Using sprinklers ensures efficient water distribution, promoting healthy crop growth and sustainable water use.

Statutory Management Requirement: a set of environmental and animal welfare requirements, which farmers must meet to receive a Single Farm Payment. Abbr SMR. Understanding Statutory Management Requirements ensures compliance with regulations and access to financial support, promoting sustainable agricultural practices.

speedwell: a widespread weed (Veronica persica) found in cereal crops and oilseed rape. Because it spreads rapidly it is a hazard in row crops. Managing speedwell ensures healthy crop growth and reduces competition for resources, leading to better yields.

seeding year: The calendar year in which the seed is sown. Farmers benefit from tracking seeding years for effective crop rotation and planning.

small and medium-sized enterprises: organisations that have between 10 and 500 employees and are usually in the start-up or growth stage of development. Supporting small and medium-sized enterprises in agriculture promotes innovation, economic growth, and job creation in rural communities.

shear: To clip the fleece from a sheep. Farmers benefit from shearing sheep to produce high-quality wool for the market.

sessile: Attached directly to a branch or stem without a stalk. The acorns of a sessile oak tree have no stalks or very short stalks. Farmers benefit from understanding sessile plant structures for better crop management and growth.

stomach digestion: the part of the digestive process which takes place in the animal’s stomach. Properly managing stomach digestion ensures optimal nutrition and health in livestock, supporting productivity and well-being.

semi-digger: A type of mouldboard on a plough. Farmers benefit from using semi-digger mouldboards for efficient and precise ploughing.

staggers: a condition of animals in which they stagger about, as in looping-ill and swayback disease. Grass staggers in cattle is caused by hypomagnesaemia. Managing staggers ensures livestock health and productivity, supporting farm profitability.

stabilisation lagoon: a pond used for storing liquid waste; a pond used for purifying sewage by allowing sunlight to fall on a mixture of sewage and water. Properly managing stabilisation lagoons ensures effective waste treatment and resource recycling, supporting sustainable farming practices.

stock bull: a bull kept for breeding purposes in a pedigree herd. Properly managing stock bulls ensures healthy breeding programs and improves livestock genetics, supporting farm profitability.

soil capping: a hard crust on the surface of the soil which can be caused by heavy rain drops or the passage of heavy farm machinery. Preventing soil capping ensures proper water infiltration and root growth, promoting healthy crops.

salinity: The concentration of salt in an amount of water or soil. Farmers benefit from monitoring and managing soil salinity to ensure healthy plant growth and soil conditions.

soot: a black deposit of fine particles of carbon which rise in the smoke produced by the burning of material such as coal, wood, or oil. Proper management of soot and air quality ensures environmental health and supports sustainable farming practices.

spit: the depth of soil that is dug with a spade. Proper soil management at different depths ensures healthy root growth and overall soil health, supporting productive agriculture.

sporicide: a substance that kills spores. Using sporicides helps farmers manage pests and diseases, ensuring healthy crop growth and better yields.

spirochaete: a bacterium with a spiral shape. ‘But there is a difference between bacteria normally associated with foot-rot and a type seen in the new strain. A spirochaete, a bacterium that can penetrate the skin surface and is more usually linked with digital dermatitis in cattle, has been identified.’ [Farmers Weekly]. Understanding spirochaetes helps farmers manage livestock health and prevent disease outbreaks, supporting productivity and well-being.

sugar beet: a specialised type of beet grown for the high sugar content of its roots. It is cultivated in temperate regions, and in Britain is an especially important crop in East Anglia. The crowns and leaves of the crop are used for feedingstuff, as is also the residue after the sugar content has been extracted from the roots. Properly managing sugar beet crops ensures healthy growth and high yields, supporting farm productivity and profitability.

soft wheat: wheat containing grains which, when milled, break down in a random manner. Soft wheats have less protein than hard wheats and have poor milling qualities. Growing soft wheat provides farmers with a crop suitable for specific market demands, such as pastry and cake flours.

systemic (of a pesticide): referring to a substance absorbed into the plant through the root or leaf and moved around within the plant. Properly managing systemic pesticides ensures effective pest control and healthy crop growth, enhancing farm productivity.

stripper-header: a machine which harvests a crop such as linseed and strips off the seedheads. Using stripper-headers ensures efficient crop harvesting, reducing labor costs and enhancing productivity.

salination: A process by which the salt concentration of soil or water increases, especially as a result of irrigation in hot climates. Also called salinisation. Farmers benefit from understanding and managing salination to prevent soil degradation and maintain crop productivity.

stud fees: money paid to the owner of a stud animal for servicing a female. Properly managing stud fees ensures fair compensation for breeding services, supporting farm income and genetic improvement.

spread: to put something such as manure, fertiliser, or mulch on an area of ground. Properly spreading agricultural inputs ensures even distribution and optimal benefits, supporting healthy crop growth and better yields.

spike tooth harrow: a tractor-trailed implement consisting of a simple frame with tines attached where the frame members cross. Using spike tooth harrows improves soil aeration and preparation, promoting healthy root growth and better crop yields.

soil mapping: the process of making maps showing different types of soil in an area. Using soil maps helps farmers manage land resources effectively, promoting sustainable agricultural practices.