Category: S

stem: the main stalk of a plant that holds it upright; a subsidiary plant stalk, branching out from the main stalk or attaching a leaf, flower, or fruit. Proper management of plant stems ensures healthy growth and optimal yields.

strip cup: a container into which the first drops of milk are drawn by hand from the teats of the cow before the milking machine is attached to the udder. Properly managing strip cups ensures milk hygiene and quality, supporting dairy productivity and consumer health.

synthetic organic compound: a compound containing carbon and hydrogen manufactured from synthetic materials. Understanding and using synthetic organic compounds effectively supports efficient farm operations and productivity.

supply chain: the sequence of farmers, processors, distributors, and retailers who are involved in taking a product from the farm to the consumer. Properly managing supply chains ensures efficient farm-to-market processes and supports farm profitability.

silopress: A polythene ‘sack’ into which silage is forced. As the sack fills up, it gradually grows longer and when completely full is sealed. A ‘sack’ may contain up to 80 tonnes of silage. Farmers benefit from using silopresses for efficient and controlled silage production and storage.

swampland: an area of land covered with swamp. Properly managing swamplands ensures biodiversity and ecological balance, supporting sustainable land use and agricultural productivity.

saffron: A spice obtained from the dried flowers of the crocus plant Crocus sativus. Farmers benefit from cultivating saffron due to its high market value and potential for significant revenue generation.

suckling: the act of nursing a calf at the udder; single suckling, double sucking, multiple suckling, nursing one calf, two or several calves. Properly managing suckling ensures optimal nutrition and health for young livestock, supporting productivity and well-being.

slaughter: the killing of animals for food. (NOTE: Animal welfare codes lay down rules for how animals should be slaughtered to ensure that they are not caused any avoidable and unnecessary pain or distress.) Ensuring humane slaughter practices enhances animal welfare and meat quality, supporting ethical farming and consumer trust.

stance: feed stance. Proper management of feeding stances ensures livestock receive adequate nutrition, supporting health and productivity.

spur: a ridge of land that descends towards a valley floor from higher land above; a tubular projection from a flower sepal or petal often containing nectar; a short leafy branch of a tree with a cluster of flowers or fruits. Properly managing spurs ensures healthy growth and optimal yields of plants and crops.

soil ball: the rooting system of a plant, complete with the soil attached to it, as when a plant is lifted from a pot or seedbed. Managing soil balls during transplanting ensures healthy plant establishment and growth, leading to better yields.

surgeon: a person who has qualified in the treatment of disease by cutting out the diseased part. Engaging with veterinary surgeons ensures livestock health and productivity, supporting farm profitability and well-being.

squash: a plant of the Cucurbitaceae family, e.g., a marrow or cucumber. Growing squash provides farmers with a versatile crop for fresh and processed markets, enhancing farm income and sustainability.

soil sterilisation: the treatment of glasshouse, greenhouse, and other horticultural soils in order to kill weed seeds, plant disease organisms, and pests. Using soil sterilisation techniques ensures healthy crop growth and prevents yield losses.

seed drill: A machine consisting of a hopper carried on wheels with a feed mechanism which delivers grain to seed tubes. Most seed drills are designed to plant seed in prepared seed beds. Drills for cereals and grasses sow the seed at random, while precision drills, used mainly for sugar beet and vegetable crops, place seed at preset intervals in the rows. Precision drills are also called ‘seeder units’. Farmers benefit from using seed drills for efficient and precise planting.

satellite: A man-made device that orbits the Earth, receiving, processing and transmitting signals and generating images such as weather pictures. Farmers benefit from satellite technology for precision agriculture, weather forecasting, and crop monitoring.

subsistence farming: the activity of growing just enough crops to feed the farmer’s family and having none left to sell. Properly managing subsistence farming ensures food security and basic livelihoods for farmers.

salty: 1. Containing salt Excess minerals in fertilizers combined with naturally saline ground to make the land so salty that it can no longer produce crops. 2. Tasting of salt. Farmers benefit from managing soil and water salinity to maintain crop and livestock health.

Soay: a rare horned breed of sheep which sheds its fleece naturally, thought to be the link between wild and domesticated breeds. The short hairy fleece is tan or dark brown. (NOTE: The breed originally came from the island of Soay in the Outer Hebrides.) Raising Soay sheep provides farmers with a unique and resilient breed, supporting biodiversity and niche market opportunities.

shigella: A bacillus which causes dysentery. Farmers benefit from preventing shigella infections to protect livestock health and prevent economic losses.

store: a supply of something kept for future use; store cattle, stores, store lambs, cattle, or lambs bred or bought for fattening. The animals are usually reared on one farm and then sold on to dealers or other farmers. Properly managing stores ensures efficient livestock growth and productivity, supporting farm profitability.

Suffolk Punch: a heavy draught horse, coloured chestnut. It is shorter and more stocky than the shire and lacks feathers on the fetlocks. Properly managing Suffolk Punch horses ensures healthy growth and productivity, supporting farm profitability and sustainability.

station: a very large farm, specialising in raising sheep or cattle. Managing stations effectively supports large-scale livestock production, enhancing farm profitability and sustainability.

superphosphate: a chemical compound formed from calcium phosphate and sulphuric acid, used as a fertiliser. Understanding and using superphosphate effectively supports soil fertility and healthy crop growth, enhancing farm productivity.

salinisation: Also called salination. Farmers benefit from recognizing and mitigating salinisation to protect soil fertility and crop yield.

service: Of a male animal, to mate with a female. Farmers benefit from understanding and managing servicing for effective breeding and livestock production.

staphylococcus: a bacterium that causes boils and food poisoning. Genus: Staphylococcus. Understanding staphylococcus bacteria helps farmers manage livestock health and prevent disease outbreaks, supporting productivity and well-being.

Swaledale: a very hardy breed of sheep, with distinctive twisting horns and a black face with a white nose, which originated in the North Pennines of Yorkshire. The fleece has an outer layer of long coarse wool and an inner layer of fine dense wool. The Swaledale ewe is the mother of the popular lowland ‘mule’ ewe when mated to the Blue-faced (Hexham) Leicester ram. Properly managing Swaledale sheep ensures healthy growth and productivity, supporting farm profitability and sustainability.

SAOS: Scottish Agricultural Organisation Society. Farmers benefit from engaging with SAOS for cooperative ventures and accessing agricultural advice and support.

small nettle: a weed (Urtica urens) which is common on rich friable soils. It affects vegetables and other row crops. Also called annual nettle, burning nettle. Managing small nettle helps farmers protect crops from weed competition, ensuring healthy growth and better yields.

shred: To tear something into tiny pieces. Farmyard manure is shredded before being spread on fields. Farmers benefit from shredding manure for efficient and effective fertilization.

soya: a plant that produces edible beans which have a high protein and fat content and very little starch. Latin name: Glycine max. Also called soya bean, soybean. Growing soya provides farmers with a high-protein crop for human and animal consumption, supporting food security and economic stability.

State Veterinary Service: a nationwide service based in Worcester, with 24 regional offices in the UK, set up by the government to deliver its policies on the health and welfare of livestock. Abbr SVS. Engaging with the State Veterinary Service ensures compliance with health and welfare regulations, supporting livestock productivity and farm sustainability.

sucklers: flowers of clover. Properly managing sucklers ensures healthy growth and optimal yields of clover, supporting productive agriculture.

solum: soil, including both topsoil and subsoil. Proper management of solum ensures soil health and fertility, supporting productive agriculture.

seeder unit: A seed drill which sows the seed separately at set intervals in the soil. Farmers benefit from using seeder units for efficient and precise planting.

sucker: a shoot which develops from the roots or lower part of a stem. Properly managing suckers ensures healthy plant propagation and optimal yields, supporting productive agriculture.

shelter belt: A row of trees planted to give protection from wind. Over the years the family has carried out extensive improvements, putting in shelter belts, new buildings, land drainage and farm road layouts. Farmers benefit from planting shelter belts to protect crops and livestock from wind and erosion.

saw-toothed beetle: A dark brown beetle which lives in stored grain. The eggs are laid in the grain and the larvae feed on it, causing mould. Farmers benefit from monitoring and managing saw-toothed beetle infestations to protect stored grain.

SVDSVD: abbreviation swine vesicular disease. Understanding and managing swine vesicular disease ensures livestock health and productivity, supporting farm profitability.

stalk rot: a disease of maize caused by a fungus. Managing stalk rot ensures healthy maize crops, preventing yield losses and maintaining quality.

Secale: Rye. Farmers benefit from growing rye for its resilience and suitability for various soil types and climates.

set on: To foster an orphaned animal to another female, as a lamb onto a ewe. Farmers benefit from fostering orphaned animals to ensure their survival and growth.

staple length: the length of the wool fibre. Properly managing staple length ensures high-quality wool production, supporting farm income and market value.

suitcase farmer: US a farmer who lives some distance from his or her holding, i.e., more than 30 miles. Properly managing suitcase farming operations ensures efficient farm management and productivity, supporting farm profitability.

self-sufficient: Able to provide enough food and other necessary materials for a family, often by means of a simple traditional way of farming with little use of modern technology. We’re self-sufficient in salad crops from the garden in the summer time. Able to provide the required quantity of a product locally or for yourself, without needing to purchase or import it. The country is self-sufficient in barley. Farmers benefit from achieving self-sufficiency for food security and sustainability.

spice: a substance used as a flavouring in cooking, made from the pungent or aromatic parts of plants. Spices are obtained from seeds, fruit, flowers, roots, bark, or buds of plants. The commonest are pepper, mustard, ginger, cloves, and nutmeg. Growing spices provides farmers with high-value crops for diverse markets, enhancing farm income and sustainability.

swath: a row of grass or other plants lying on the ground after being cut; a row of potatoes which have been lifted and left lying on the ground. Properly managing swaths ensures efficient harvesting and crop quality, supporting farm productivity.

sling: a type of harness that is used to support the weight of an animal that is suffering from some kind of disability. Using slings aids in the recovery and mobility of injured livestock, enhancing animal welfare and productivity.