Basic Agricultural Terminology A Quiz for New Farmers

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Basic Agricultural TerminologyA Quiz for New
Farmers

• If you want to walk-the-walk
• you have to talk-the-talk

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Acre?

• Is it a part of your body thats sore?
• Its the unit of land measurement we use in
  agriculture. An acre is 43,560 ft2.

3
Animal Unit?

• Is it an essential part of an animals
  reproductive tract?
• Its a common animal denominator based on feed
  consumption. Typically, one mature cow
  represents one animal unit (A.U.).
• Also, government regulators are using A.U. at
  1,000 lbs. to determine animal density on farms.

4
Backgrounding?

• Is it plowing up the field in back of the barn?
• Its the feeding and management of slaughter
  animals during the period between weaning and
  finishing.

5
Bloat?

• Does this refer to the expanded condition of
  the waistline in older farmers?
• This is the abnormal accumulation of gases in
  ruminant animals which causes the upper left side
  of the animal to swell. This can be fatal.

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Carrying Capacity?

• Would this be how much weight a farmer can
  carry, or drag at least 10 yards?
• This is the number of animal units, or animals
  that a pasture can sustain over a given period of
  time.

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Carryover Nitrogen?

• Is this last years leftover bags of fertilizer
  the farmer finds in the barn?
• This refers to the nitrogen leftover in the soil
  from a previous crop, usually a legume.

8
Crop Residue?

• Is this the visible undigested plant material in
  cow droppings?
• This is the plant material left in the field
  following harvest.

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Cultipacker?

• Is this the title of a farm employee who
  packages direct farm products?
• This is a farm tool that is pulled behind the
  tractor to tighten-up the soil following
  plowing/disking/seeding. It looks like a large
  metal roller with grooves.

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Dry Matter?

• Does this refer to the dried manure tracked onto
  the living room carpets of most livestock
  operations?
• This is the non-water part of animal feed.

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Flushing?

• Does this refer to the act of eliminating solids
  in an indoor waste management system?
• This is the practice of feeding a higher than
  normal level of energy at breeding time to
  increase ovulation. This is commonly done in
  sheep and swine operations.

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Fodder?

• Is this farm slang for father?
• Typically refers to the parts of the corn plant
  (stalk and leaves) leftover in the field
  following grain harvest.

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Forage?

• Does this refer to the period in U.S. history
  known as the Farming Era?
• This is vegetable matter (plant material) in a
  fresh, dried, or ensiled state used to feed
  animals.

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Freshen?

• Is this the act of taking a shower, or bath
  after a hard day on the farm?
• This more often refers to cattle giving birth
  (calving) and thereby beginning a lactation
  cycle. A fresh cow has recently given birth.

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Greenchop?

• Is this a term commonly used to describe spoiled
  meat?
• This is freshly cut forage fed directly to
  animals.

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Harrow?

• Is this farm slang for the part in ones hair?
• This is a tool pulled behind the tractor to
  smooth out, or level a field after disking and
  prior to seeding.

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Haylage?

• Is this a word often used as a greeting in very
  rural areas of Frederick County?
• This is forage ensiled at between 35-55
  moisture. Silage is forage ensiled above this
  moisture.

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Inoculum?

• Is this farm slang used in reference to the
  urban population?
• This is the packaged bacterium used to treat
  legume seed prior to seeding to insure good
  nodule (knot) formation on the roots. The
  bacteria live in this nodule.

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Nitrogen Fixation?

• Is this a mental condition where farmers are
  so focused on nitrogen that they ignore all
  other plant nutrients?
• This is the process where free nitrogen is
  converted into a form plant can utilize. This
  typically refers to the symbiotic process
  involving bacteria and leguminous plants.

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Paddock?

• Is this the farm term for the cushion used on
  the tractor seat?
• This is the subdivided section of a pasture.

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Congratulations, you now know enough farm words
to sound like you know what youre doing!