S

salivary: Referring to saliva. Farmers benefit from recognizing the importance of salivary health in livestock for optimal feeding and digestion.

swidden farming: same as slash and burn agriculture. Properly managing swidden farming ensures sustainable land use and agricultural productivity.

straight fertiliser: a fertiliser that supplies only one nutrient such as nitrogen. Compare compound fertiliser, mixed fertiliser. Properly managing straight fertilisers ensures precise nutrient application, supporting healthy crop growth and better yields.

salt: Sodium chloride as part of the diet. Salt is used to preserve food by keeping it in salt or in salt water. Farmers benefit from using salt for preserving food and maintaining animal health by supplementing diets.

swayback disease: an often fatal disease of lambs caused by copper deficiency in the ewe’s diet. Lambs become unsteady and unable to walk. The disease is often a problem when there has been no snow during the winter. Managing swayback disease ensures sheep health and productivity, supporting farm profitability.

spider: one of a large group of animals, with two parts to their bodies and eight legs. Class: Arachnida. Managing spider populations on farms promotes ecological balance and reduces pest issues, supporting healthy crop growth.

sidewalk farmer: US a farmer who cultivates land some way away from his or her house in a town. Farmers benefit from understanding sidewalk farming for efficient land use and crop management.

Single Payment Scheme: An initiative under the CAP which calculates farmers’ subsidies with reference to the amount of land used in production, as well as the total eligible livestock or crop output. It replaces individual subsidy schemes. Abbr SPS. Farmers benefit from engaging with the Single Payment Scheme for financial support and resources in farming operations.

single flower: A flower with only one series of petals, as opposed to a double flower. Farmers benefit from understanding single flowers for better crop and ornamental plant management.

sycamore: a large tree with a smooth, greyish trunk, large broad leaves, and small yellowish-green flowers. Properly managing sycamore trees ensures healthy growth and optimal yields, supporting productive forestry and agricultural practices.

stag: a male deer; the male of various animals castrated after maturity; a male turkey. Managing stag populations on farms supports biodiversity and ecological balance, promoting sustainable agricultural practices.

slurry injector: a tractor-hauled machine which injects slurry into the soil. Using slurry injectors enhances soil nutrient levels and promotes healthy crop growth, reducing the need for artificial fertilisers.

squirrel: a medium-sized rodent living in trees. (NOTE: Squirrels are harmless as far as crops are concerned. There are two types of squirrel in the UK: the grey squirrel (Sciurus carolinensis) and the red squirrel (Sciurus vulgaris).) Managing squirrel populations supports biodiversity and ecological balance on farms.

self-raising flour: A type of flour with baking powder added to it. Farmers benefit from using self-raising flour for convenience in baking and food preparation.

stallion: an uncastrated full-grown male horse, especially one kept for breeding. Managing stallions effectively supports healthy breeding programs and improves livestock genetics.

staple: the length and fineness of fibres such as wool or cotton, used in determining quality. Properly managing staple quality ensures high-value wool and cotton production, supporting farm income and market value.

smudging: the process of burning oil to produce smoke to prevent loss of heat from the ground and so to minimise or prevent frost damage to crops and orchards. Using smudging techniques protects crops from frost damage, ensuring better yields and quality.

snap beans: US beans which are eaten in the pod, e.g., green beans or French beans, or of which the seed is eaten after drying, e.g., haricot beans. As opposed to broad beans or Lima beans, the seeds of which are eaten fresh. Growing snap beans provides farmers with a versatile crop for fresh and processed markets, enhancing farm income.

stem eelworm: a pest affecting cereals, in particular oats. The plant stem swells and is prevented from growing and producing any ears. Managing stem eelworm populations protects crops from damage, ensuring healthy growth and better yields.

straw walker: the part of a combine harvester where straw is carried away from the threshed grain after it has been separated from the stalks. Properly managing straw walkers ensures efficient combine harvester operation and crop quality.

suckler: a calf or other young animal which is suckling. Properly managing sucklers ensures healthy growth and development, supporting livestock productivity and farm profitability.