Category: S

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

shifting cultivation: An agricultural practice using the rotation of fields rather than of crops. Short cropping periods are followed by long fallows and fertility is maintained by the regeneration of vegetation. A form of cultivation practised in some tropical countries, where land is cultivated until it is exhausted and then left as the farmers move on to another area. In shifting cultivation, the practice of clearing vegetation by burning is widespread. One of the simplest forms involves burning off thick and dry secondary vegetation. Immediately after burning, a crop like maize is planted and matures before the secondary vegetation has recovered. Where fire clearance methods are used, the ash acts as a fertiliser. Farmers benefit from understanding and managing shifting cultivation for sustainable land use and productivity.

salivary gland: A gland which secretes saliva. Farmers benefit from understanding the function of salivary glands to maintain the digestive health of their livestock.

sweetener: an artificial substance such as saccharin added to food to make it sweet. Properly managing sweeteners ensures product quality and consumer health, supporting market value and farm profitability.

staple crop: A crop that is grown in large quantities and forms the basis of a traditional diet. Understanding staple crops helps farmers meet food security needs.

silty soil: Soil containing a high proportion of silt. Such soils are difficult to work and drainage is a problem. Farmers benefit from managing silty soils to improve drainage and soil structure.

stecklings: young sugar beet plants grown in seedbeds in summer, to be transplanted in the autumn or following spring. Properly managing stecklings ensures healthy growth and optimal yields of sugar beet crops.

saline: Referring to salt. Farmers benefit from managing saline conditions to ensure optimal soil health and crop growth.

sawfly: A family of insects, the larvae or caterpillars of which cause serious damage to fruit and crops. Farmers benefit from controlling sawfly to prevent crop damage and yield loss.

sell-by date: A date on the label of a food product which is the last date on which the product should be sold and can be guaranteed as of good quality. Farmers benefit from understanding sell-by dates for food safety and quality control.