The Agricultural Notebook

by Soffe, Richard J.

• ISBN13: 9780632058297
• ISBN10: 0632058293
• Edition: 20th
• Format: Paperback
• Copyright: 2002-03-12
• Publisher: Wiley-Blackwell

Summary

The Twentieth Edition takes The Agricultural Notebook into its third century; it has been thoroughly revised and updated to reflect the considerable changes in agricultural and rural practices and policies which have taken place since publication of the previous edition. The book is divided into four parts: Crops, Management, Animal Production, and Farm Equipment. New sections added to this edition include: 1) A Marketing Perspective on Diversification, 2) Organic Farming, and 3) Farming and Wildlife.Since the first edition was compiled by Primrose McConnell in 1883, The Agricultural Notebook has become established as the standard work of reference for all those in the farming industry. With each edition it has evolved and changed in such a way as to provide agricultural scientists, students of agriculture and related subjects, farmers, farm managers and land agents with an abundance of current information on all aspects of the business of farming.Many comments received from lecturers and students who have used previous editions of the book have been taken into account in producing the twentieth edition. The thirty contributing authors have fully updated chapters, a new clearer layout has been adopted and much new information is included in easy-to-use tables and figures.The Agricultural Notebook is an essential purchase for all students of agriculture, countryside, and rural studies. Professionals such as farmers, land agents, agricultural scientists, advisers, suppliers to the agriculture industry and all those with a connection and interest in the agricultural community will find a huge wealth of information within the book's covers. All libraries within universities, colleges and research establishments where agricultural and rural sciences are studied and taught should have multiple copies of this important new edition on their shelves.

Author Biography

Richard Soffe is Senior Lecturer based at Seale-Hayne, University of Plymouth, UK.

Table of Contents

Preface to the 20th Edition	ix
Primrose McConnell: a brief biographical sketch	xi
Contributors	xiii
Part 1 Crops	1	(246)
Soil management and crop nutrition	3	(60)
Introduction	3	(1)
Soil physical properties	3	(9)
Agricultural land drainage	12	(7)
Soil biological properties	19	(4)
Soil classification	23	(2)
Soil chemical properties and crop nutrition	25	(11)
Soil sampling and analysis	36	(2)
Nutrient sources: manures	38	(4)
Nutrient sources: inorganic fertilizers	42	(4)
Nutrient sources: organic fertilizers	46	(1)
Forms of fertilizer and application methods	47	(3)
Liming	50	(3)
Fertilizer recommendations	53	(7)
Soil management, crop nutrition and sustainable production	60	(3)
Crop physiology	63	(14)
Fundamental physiological processes	63	(2)
Growth	65	(1)
Crop development cycle	66	(3)
Environmental influences on growth and development	69	(4)
Competition	73	(3)
Modification of crops by growth regulators and breeding	76	(1)
Arable cropping	77	(54)
Introduction	77	(1)
Arable crop planning and production practice	78	(1)
Choice of arable crop	78	(2)
Choice of cropping system	80	(2)
Enterprise planning	82	(3)
Arable crop enterprises	85	(1)
Combinable crops	85	(21)
Root and vegetable crops	106	(17)
Fodder crops	123	(5)
Fibre, fuel and other non-food crops	128	(3)
Grassland	131	(46)
Introduction	131	(1)
Rough grazing	131	(2)
Permanent grassland	133	(1)
Rotational grass	133	(1)
Distribution and purpose of grassland in the UK	134	(1)
Grassland improvement for agricultural production	134	(5)
Characteristics of agricultural grasses	139	(2)
Herbage legumes	141	(2)
Herbage seed production	143	(1)
Fertilizers for grassland	144	(5)
Patterns of grassland production	149	(1)
Expression of grassland output on the farm	150	(2)
Grass digestibility	152	(1)
Output from grazing animals	153	(1)
Grazing systems	154	(4)
Conservation of grass	158	(10)
Grassland farming and the environment	168	(4)
Glossary of grassland terms	172	(5)
Farm woodland management	177	(36)
Introduction	177	(1)
Setting management objectives	177	(1)
Forest products and markets	177	(1)
Silvicultural options for existing woodlands	178	(3)
Improvement of neglected woodland	181	(1)
Forest measurement	182	(2)
Thinning	184	(2)
Harvesting	186	(1)
New farm woodlands	187	(7)
Establishment	194	(6)
Aftercare	200	(3)
Forest protection	203	(3)
Landscape design for farm woodlands	206	(1)
Forest management for non-timber uses	207	(2)
Forest investment	209	(1)
Integration of agriculture and forestry	209	(1)
Grants	210	(3)
Crop health -- responding to weeds, diseases and pests	213	(18)
Introduction	213	(1)
Abiotic challenges to crop growth	213	(1)
Biotic challenges to crop growth	213	(2)
Invasion	215	(1)
Infestation	216	(1)
Causes of crop losses	216	(1)
Impact	217	(1)
Interactions	218	(1)
Intervention	219	(3)
Weeds	222	(2)
Diseases	224	(1)
Pests	225	(3)
Integrated crop management	228	(1)
Decision support systems	229	(1)
Conclusions	229	(1)
Ten tips	229	(2)
Grain preservation and storage	231	(16)
Introduction	231	(1)
Conditions for the safe storage of grain	231	(2)
Grain moisture content and its measurement	233	(1)
Drying grain	233	(7)
Grain cleaners and graders	240	(1)
Handling grain	241	(2)
Management of grain in store	243	(2)
Alternatives to grain drying	245	(2)
Part 2 Management	247	(122)
The Common Agricultural Policy of the European Union	249	(17)
Background, institutions and the legislative process	249	(4)
Formation and development of the CAP	253	(4)
The CAP in practice	257	(9)
A marketing perspective on diversification	266	(16)
Introduction	266	(2)
What do we mean by diversification?	268	(4)
Small business management	272	(1)
What do we mean by marketing?	272	(5)
The application of marketing to diversified enterprises	277	(3)
Conclusion	280	(2)
Farming and wildlife	282	(6)
Introduction	282	(1)
The emerging forces	282	(2)
The process of farming for wildlife	284	(1)
Managing for wildlife	285	(3)
Organic farming	288	(16)
Definitions and historical perspectives	288	(2)
Organic farming in practice	290	(4)
Organic farming as a business	294	(3)
Organic farming and society	297	(2)
Organic farming and agricultural policy	299	(1)
Future potential for organic farming	300	(4)
Farm business management	304	(23)
What is business management?	304	(1)
Setting primary objectives	304	(1)
Planning to achieve primary objectives	305	(1)
Information for financial management	306	(16)
Sources of capital	322	(2)
Coping with risk and uncertainty	324	(3)
Farm staff management	327	(19)
Introduction	327	(1)
Job analysis and job design	327	(2)
Recruitment and pay	329	(2)
Interviewing and discrimination	331	(3)
Control, guidance and negotiation	334	(4)
Training and development	338	(2)
Maintaining and increasing performance	340	(3)
The employment environment	343	(1)
Glossary of key terms used	344	(2)
Agricultural law	346	(14)
Introduction	346	(1)
The English legal system	346	(2)
Legal aspects of ownership, possession and occupation of agricultural land	348	(5)
Access to the countryside and public rights of way	353	(2)
Legal constraints on the development of land	355	(2)
Nature conservation and production methods	357	(1)
Pesticides and pollution	358	(1)
Conclusions	358	(2)
Health and safety in agriculture	360	(9)
Introduction	360	(1)
The Health and Safety at Work etc. Act 1974 (HSW Act)	361	(1)
Basic statutory requirements of the HSW Act	362	(2)
The effect of European Directives	364	(1)
Other significant Regulations	365	(1)
Food and Environment Protection Act 1985 (FEPA)	366	(1)
Conclusions	367	(2)
Part 3 Animal Production	369	(234)
Animal physiology and nutrition	371	(60)
Introduction	371	(1)
Regulation of body function	371	(4)
Chemical composition of the animal and its food	375	(6)
Digestion	381	(6)
Metabolism	387	(13)
Voluntary food intake	400	(3)
Reproduction	403	(14)
Lactation	417	(6)
Growth	423	(5)
Environmental physiology	428	(3)
Animal welfare	431	(12)
Introduction	431	(1)
Background	431	(1)
What is welfare?	432	(5)
How do we assess welfare?	437	(3)
What is an acceptable level of welfare?	440	(3)
Applied animal nutrition	443	(30)
Introduction	443	(1)
Nutrient evaluation of feeds	443	(8)
Raw materials for diet and ration formulation	451	(14)
Nutrient requirements	465	(8)
Cattle	473	(27)
Introduction	473	(1)
Health scares of cattle	473	(2)
Grassland Management	475	(1)
Milk production	475	(3)
Definitions of common cattle terminology	478	(1)
Ageing	478	(1)
Calf rearing	478	(4)
Management of breeding stock replacements	482	(3)
Beef production	485	(6)
Dairying	491	(7)
Cattle breeding	498	(2)
Sheep and goats	500	(22)
Sheep	500	(17)
Goats	517	(4)
Appendix 1: Body condition scores	521	(1)
Appendix 2: Calendar for frequent-lambing flock	521	(1)
Pig meat production	522	(33)
Introduction	522	(1)
Trends in the global market for pig meat	522	(6)
Structure and performance of the UK pig industry	528	(2)
Pig housing and animal welfare	530	(4)
Genetics and pig improvement	534	(3)
Sow and gilt reproduction	537	(7)
The suckling pig	544	(1)
The newly weaned pig	545	(1)
Growing-finishing pigs	546	(9)
Poultry	555	(11)
Introduction	555	(1)
World poultry information	555	(1)
Meat production in the UK and Europe	555	(1)
The broiler industry	556	(1)
Anticoccidials and antimicrobials	557	(1)
Neutraceuticals	558	(1)
The broiler breeding industry	558	(1)
Commercial egg production	558	(3)
Welfare legislation	561	(2)
Feeding programmes for laying birds	563	(1)
Feed restriction for replacement pullets	563	(1)
Turkeys and water fowl	563	(1)
Geese	564	(1)
Micro-nutrients	564	(2)
Animal health	566	(37)
Introduction	566	(1)
Factors influencing the incidence of disease	567	(5)
Disease and immunity	572	(1)
Medicines	573	(1)
Signs of health and disease	574	(1)
Animal welfare and animal health	575	(1)
Disease legislation	576	(1)
The health of cattle	576	(16)
The health of pigs	592	(6)
The health of sheep	598	(5)
Part 4 Farm Equipment	603	(121)
Farm machinery	605	(51)
Introduction	605	(1)
The agricultural tractor	605	(5)
Cultivation equipment	610	(5)
Fertilizer application equipment	615	(3)
Sowing and planting machines	618	(6)
Crop sprayers	624	(3)
Irrigation	627	(7)
Forage harvesting	634	(7)
Grain harvesting	641	(4)
Root harvesting	645	(1)
Feed preparation and feeding equipment	646	(4)
Milking equipment	650	(2)
Manure handling and spreading	652	(4)
Farm buildings	656	(68)
Design criteria (BS 5502, Part 21, refers)	656	(5)
Planning and construction design	661	(5)
Stages in constructing a building (BS 5502, Parts 21 and 22, refer)	666	(4)
Building materials and techniques (BS 5502, Part 21, refers)	670	(19)
Water pollution control (BS 5502, Part 50, refers)	689	(3)
Functional design of specific purpose buildings	692	(32)
Index	724