Day 44..
Operating a telescopic handler on a farm yard - that was our practical session this morning! We met in the yard at Home Farm and Andy drove round the JCB telescopic handler - this machine is similar in appearance and function to a forklift but is more crane-like, with the increased versatility of a single telescopic boom that can extend forwards and upwards from the vehicle. We were each given instructions on how to start up and operate the machine and practiced going in-between cones - however, it was quite difficult to drive at first being an articulated vehicle - which means that it has two or more sections connected by a flexible joint - its quite bendy! The JCB was fitted with fork tines so we then had an introduction to handling and lifting and each collected two pallets from a stack and positioned them in another area. This is quite tricky as you need to make sure you are straight on approach to ensure both tines enter correctly and don't move the pallets by hitting the sides, top or bottom! then you need to carefully lift the pallets off before lowering the boom for transportation (remembering to stop and apply the handbrake before each task according to the forklift regulations) then when lowering your load off again apply the same straight and aligned approach. After this we were shown how to change the forks for a bucket - which is much easier to line up using the 'cone' like pins for guidance. Once attached you need to ensure the lock-in bolt is applied otherwise the bucket would fly off while in operating mode! Good introduction to driving a telescopic handler - lets hope I remember how to drive my car home!!!
This afternoons theory has been exchanged for tutorials as we are on a livestock trip tomorrow. So it was off to the library to work on assignments until called up for individual meetings with Dom.
Thursday, 30 January 2014
Wednesday, 29 January 2014
Wednesday January 29, 2014
Day 43..
Last soil lesson with mark boo - as we have really enjoyed these lessons its sad that its the last.. however, he set us straight to work on crops.. Key crops grown in agriculture to be exact and their relation to each other with regards to rotational growing. Crops are split in to groups known as cereals; winter wheat (first and second crop), spring wheat, winter barley, spring barley, winter oats, spring oats, rye and triticale, brassicas; winter oil seed rape and spring oil seed rape, legumes; winter and spring beans, combining peas and vining peas, along with spring linseed, potatoes, sugar beet and set-aside. Each of these belongs to a scoring system taking into account financial data, physical properties - crop cover and structure and chemical properties - Nitrogen off take and Nitrogen transfer. And, it is by combining all this information that we are able to plan a crop rotation program as well as utilising soil type and location and long term requirements. Crop rotations offer significant benefits to farmers, rebuilding nutrients and helping to reduce disease, pest and weed attacks <- due to their crop cover, winter crops are much better for weed control (planting in spring allows weeds to grow on the land during winter months when there is no 'crop cover'.
Lamma presentation done! All our team were present and correct and up first to talk about gps and automated steering systems. We took it in turns talking through the slides and on our specialist pieces each (Mandy - John Deere, Harry - Trimble and myself - TractorGPS). We were able to show a video online and answers questions at the end! We then took our seats for the next show..
And this little piggy.. Does end up as a chop! This afternoon our practical group visited Andrew Baugh's pig farm, near Wellow. All his breeding sows (female pigs) - landrace durock crosses, are bought in due to their mothering qualities, however, all the piglets remain on the farm and pass through the 'finishing' process before being sent away for slaughter! Each sow will have approximately 7 litters of 12 piglets before being culled - producing roughly 84 piglets in total. The piglets start their life outside being born in ark paddocks and staying with their mums until they are four weeks old. They then move in groups of around fifty piglets into the 'kozikennel' paddocks (weaning) before moving to the farm finishing units where they live in covered runs with an indoor and outdoor area. The piglets were really cute, but be warned, mother pigs do not like their piglets to be disturbed and can become very aggressive if they think they are under attack!
Last soil lesson with mark boo - as we have really enjoyed these lessons its sad that its the last.. however, he set us straight to work on crops.. Key crops grown in agriculture to be exact and their relation to each other with regards to rotational growing. Crops are split in to groups known as cereals; winter wheat (first and second crop), spring wheat, winter barley, spring barley, winter oats, spring oats, rye and triticale, brassicas; winter oil seed rape and spring oil seed rape, legumes; winter and spring beans, combining peas and vining peas, along with spring linseed, potatoes, sugar beet and set-aside. Each of these belongs to a scoring system taking into account financial data, physical properties - crop cover and structure and chemical properties - Nitrogen off take and Nitrogen transfer. And, it is by combining all this information that we are able to plan a crop rotation program as well as utilising soil type and location and long term requirements. Crop rotations offer significant benefits to farmers, rebuilding nutrients and helping to reduce disease, pest and weed attacks <- due to their crop cover, winter crops are much better for weed control (planting in spring allows weeds to grow on the land during winter months when there is no 'crop cover'.
Lamma presentation done! All our team were present and correct and up first to talk about gps and automated steering systems. We took it in turns talking through the slides and on our specialist pieces each (Mandy - John Deere, Harry - Trimble and myself - TractorGPS). We were able to show a video online and answers questions at the end! We then took our seats for the next show..
And this little piggy.. Does end up as a chop! This afternoon our practical group visited Andrew Baugh's pig farm, near Wellow. All his breeding sows (female pigs) - landrace durock crosses, are bought in due to their mothering qualities, however, all the piglets remain on the farm and pass through the 'finishing' process before being sent away for slaughter! Each sow will have approximately 7 litters of 12 piglets before being culled - producing roughly 84 piglets in total. The piglets start their life outside being born in ark paddocks and staying with their mums until they are four weeks old. They then move in groups of around fifty piglets into the 'kozikennel' paddocks (weaning) before moving to the farm finishing units where they live in covered runs with an indoor and outdoor area. The piglets were really cute, but be warned, mother pigs do not like their piglets to be disturbed and can become very aggressive if they think they are under attack!
Friday, 24 January 2014
Friday January 24, 2014
Day 42..
Grassland - today we started off in groups to do some research on specified topics. Paddock Grazing for my team! We described paddock grazing as a way to utilise your fields for the purposes of grazing livestock, whereby the livestock can be managed and moved from one field to another. Advantages include a field structure that is usually in place, fields get rested, can take advantage of new grass growth, livestock rotations (sheep and cattle) as well as reducing worm burden. And, the benefits of paddock grazing include helping to reduce poaching (fields cut up by wet weather conditions), conservation of lush grass, less forage costs and nutrient rich grass.
Machinery - an introduction to crop sprayers! In two teams there were white boards and markers and the mission to draw a sprayer! With two very different diagrams we then discussed how a sprayer is designed and how it works. You may think it quite a simple piece of machinery... Ohh no, it's a very sophisticated piece of kit, from foldable booms and suspension to directed spray application. Dealing with chemicals is extremely hazardous, and spraying is no exception. The chemical solution is added to the PLASTIC tank, and is pumped along the pipe system, at a set pressure, to the three boom extensions and then deposited out through the nozzles - which are set at half a metre apart - for directed application. Insecticides and fungicides are the most dangerous to apply and you are required by law to be certified to do so. However, fertilisers are less dangerous, and can be applied by anyone, but still with care and attention!
Grassland - today we started off in groups to do some research on specified topics. Paddock Grazing for my team! We described paddock grazing as a way to utilise your fields for the purposes of grazing livestock, whereby the livestock can be managed and moved from one field to another. Advantages include a field structure that is usually in place, fields get rested, can take advantage of new grass growth, livestock rotations (sheep and cattle) as well as reducing worm burden. And, the benefits of paddock grazing include helping to reduce poaching (fields cut up by wet weather conditions), conservation of lush grass, less forage costs and nutrient rich grass.
Machinery - an introduction to crop sprayers! In two teams there were white boards and markers and the mission to draw a sprayer! With two very different diagrams we then discussed how a sprayer is designed and how it works. You may think it quite a simple piece of machinery... Ohh no, it's a very sophisticated piece of kit, from foldable booms and suspension to directed spray application. Dealing with chemicals is extremely hazardous, and spraying is no exception. The chemical solution is added to the PLASTIC tank, and is pumped along the pipe system, at a set pressure, to the three boom extensions and then deposited out through the nozzles - which are set at half a metre apart - for directed application. Insecticides and fungicides are the most dangerous to apply and you are required by law to be certified to do so. However, fertilisers are less dangerous, and can be applied by anyone, but still with care and attention!
Thursday, 23 January 2014
Thursday January 23, 2014
Day 41..
Back to the learning..
This morning we accessed the library resources to enable us to work on our machinery presentations. Following on from our visit to the LAMMA show, we now have to collate our information and create a power point presentation ready for a class talks next week. Mandy and I got to work (while Harry enjoys a work experience break!) So we will leave him something to do upon his return. Mandy got to work on the John Deer GPS systems, following our discussion with the representative at the show, and I got further ahead with GPS and Steering system information pages. Andy was on hand to help advise how the presentations should flow, for example using bullet points instead of long, multiple sentences, and with the addition of some pictures here's hoping the class are kept entertained!
Our first livestock lesson looked at sheep housing, the importance of it - the advantages and the disadvantages. Some sheep farmers are restricted by facilities, such as hill farmers, but there are still ways to maintain sheep health during harsh weather conditions - such as building zig zag wind shields with bales of straw, where you will find sheep often retreat to get out of really windy conditions as well as blazing hot sun. With housing comes additional costs that need to be factored in according to your sheep production program. However, if you have the buildings it is beneficial to sheep to utilise the space as long as it is very well ventilated at all times and draught free. During lambing the ideal requirement is 1.3m2 per in lamb ewe, increasing to 2.3m2 per ewe with twins.
During our next lesson we moved on to parasites. Not a particularly nice topic but something that can have a significant affect on a sheep herd. In most sheep production methods, internal or gastro-intestinal parasites (i.e. worms) are the most common disease to affect sheep and lambs. Sheep are more susceptible to internal parasites than almost all other types of farm livestock, largely due to the fact that their small faecal pellets disintegrate easily thus releasing the worm larvae onto pastures.
Then the sheep graze closely to the soil surface and subsequently their faeces. They are slow to acquire immunity. It takes 10 to 12 months for most lambs to develop immunity to parasites. Sheep also suffer a loss of immunity at the time of lambing, which does not restore itself until approximately four weeks after lambing. Carry out regular worming and always treat a sheep as soon as you discover that something is wrong.
Back to the learning..
This morning we accessed the library resources to enable us to work on our machinery presentations. Following on from our visit to the LAMMA show, we now have to collate our information and create a power point presentation ready for a class talks next week. Mandy and I got to work (while Harry enjoys a work experience break!) So we will leave him something to do upon his return. Mandy got to work on the John Deer GPS systems, following our discussion with the representative at the show, and I got further ahead with GPS and Steering system information pages. Andy was on hand to help advise how the presentations should flow, for example using bullet points instead of long, multiple sentences, and with the addition of some pictures here's hoping the class are kept entertained!
Our first livestock lesson looked at sheep housing, the importance of it - the advantages and the disadvantages. Some sheep farmers are restricted by facilities, such as hill farmers, but there are still ways to maintain sheep health during harsh weather conditions - such as building zig zag wind shields with bales of straw, where you will find sheep often retreat to get out of really windy conditions as well as blazing hot sun. With housing comes additional costs that need to be factored in according to your sheep production program. However, if you have the buildings it is beneficial to sheep to utilise the space as long as it is very well ventilated at all times and draught free. During lambing the ideal requirement is 1.3m2 per in lamb ewe, increasing to 2.3m2 per ewe with twins.
During our next lesson we moved on to parasites. Not a particularly nice topic but something that can have a significant affect on a sheep herd. In most sheep production methods, internal or gastro-intestinal parasites (i.e. worms) are the most common disease to affect sheep and lambs. Sheep are more susceptible to internal parasites than almost all other types of farm livestock, largely due to the fact that their small faecal pellets disintegrate easily thus releasing the worm larvae onto pastures.
Then the sheep graze closely to the soil surface and subsequently their faeces. They are slow to acquire immunity. It takes 10 to 12 months for most lambs to develop immunity to parasites. Sheep also suffer a loss of immunity at the time of lambing, which does not restore itself until approximately four weeks after lambing. Carry out regular worming and always treat a sheep as soon as you discover that something is wrong.
Wednesday, 22 January 2014
Wednesday January 22, 2014
Day forty....
LAMMA
Today we attended the LAMMA show at the Peterborough Showground - and it really is the largest agricultural machinery show in Europe! Massive. Lots of shiny new machinery on offer, lots of stands boasting new technologies and lots of farmers with plenty of cash to spend on these new toys.
Although it was interesting to see all the modern technology and development of the machinery - even tractors have taken on a whole new look!, there was work to be done today - gathering information for our machinery class on our specific subjects - in my case GPS/Automated Steering Systems.
So, I gathered a few brochures and leaflets and spoke to a couple of suppliers and will collate this with my fellow team mates accordingly! I did find it hard to approach some manufactures/suppliers as this show felt extremely male dominated, that and I wasn't actually a 'real' customer - so they didn't really have the time to offer much information my way.
Just need to prepare the presentation now...
LAMMA
Today we attended the LAMMA show at the Peterborough Showground - and it really is the largest agricultural machinery show in Europe! Massive. Lots of shiny new machinery on offer, lots of stands boasting new technologies and lots of farmers with plenty of cash to spend on these new toys.
Although it was interesting to see all the modern technology and development of the machinery - even tractors have taken on a whole new look!, there was work to be done today - gathering information for our machinery class on our specific subjects - in my case GPS/Automated Steering Systems.
So, I gathered a few brochures and leaflets and spoke to a couple of suppliers and will collate this with my fellow team mates accordingly! I did find it hard to approach some manufactures/suppliers as this show felt extremely male dominated, that and I wasn't actually a 'real' customer - so they didn't really have the time to offer much information my way.
Just need to prepare the presentation now...
Friday, 17 January 2014
Friday January 17, 2014
Day 39..
Today we started
off with a PKA meeting with the farm manager Vic. During our two year
agriculture course we have been assigned a project that requires us to follow,
record, and track an autumn sown field and a spring sown field as part of the
200 hectare estates farming program. To enhance our theory based learning, this
project will allow us to experience the progress of a crop from field cultivation,
planting, growth, disease damage and prevention techniques to harvest and final
yield. The first field my group is working on is Sheepwalks West - an 8.09
hectare field that has been sown with winter wheat and we will now track the
growth of the crop and create a portfolio of information.
In our grassland
lesson today we discussed the importance of grassland. Of the UK's total
landmass 70% is farmed and of the farmed land 50% is grassland. This grassland
is then divided between grazing and conservation. Grazing is predominantly for
sheep, beef and dairy cattle and conserving grass incorporates the cutting of
grass as silage (fermented, high-moisture stored forage) and hay (grass that
has been mown and dried) to be fed to the animals during the winter months when
grass is scarce and offers much less nutritional value. The main nutrients
required by grass are Nitrogen (N), Phosphorus (P), Potash (K) and Sulphur (S).
Therefore it is essential to maintain these properties, not only to benefit the
animals that graze the land, but also for the harvested grass to provide good
quality fodder with a high nutrient value.
For our machinery
operations theory lesson, we watched a health and safety video and were asked
to take notes during the film as we would be asked questions afterwards! It is
easy to forget the importance of health and safety on and around a farm but on
average, between 40 and 50 workers including employers, employees and self
employed farmers are killed on British farms each year! Almost one person per
week - and compared to other industries such as construction and manufacturing
- farming has the highest death rate. So one must not become complacent.
Furthermore there are 120,000 injuries every year caused by farming or farm
related accidents that in most cases could have been prevented! And of those
injuries 1 in 6 are caused by animals. Always carry out machinery operations
with care and always carry out animal husbandry with attention - a farm
accident can happen to anyone - never think it will not happen to you.
Thursday, 16 January 2014
Thursday January 15, 2014
Day 38..
In this mornings workshop practical we continued to weld! Gas welding to be more precise and oxyacetylene to be exact! So being me I found it really hard to get started! I do not like fire I do not like flames I do not like the sparks hence I am a real wuss! However, after another demo from andy and a few over the shoulder hints and tips I finally managed to get going. Perhaps not my finest work as I did seem to keep blowing holes in the metal - but I now know why I was doing this - because I did not have the torch close enough to the metal. If you move away from the surface then you are heating a bigger area and not exactly where you need to be, so it is harder to get the molten pool started. This type of gas welding has its advantages over electric welding for example where accessing electricity (e.g., via an extension cord or portable generator) would present difficulties; it is more self-contained making it "more portable" which is great for farming environment. After practicing our technique and with our best pieces we went out to the benches to make key-rings. This involved filing the rough edges, rounding the corners and drilling a hole in to one corner. I have to say this little welded together pieces of metal looked well cool as key-rings perfect for a tractor key!
This afternoon in theory dom started the class off with some sheep husbandry revision - we were split in to groups and given a topic each regarding the preparation to breed. In my group our subject was the preparation of the ram for breeding purposes. We made a chart of the things we felt were most significant such as condition scoring and weight conformation - if he is underweight this could result in a low sperm count, checking his teeth and feet - as he will be required to mount all those ewes, ensuring he has two functioning testicles and a straight penis that is free of scabs - as these could cause pain when he starts his job. You should also check medicine and vaccination records ensuring that he is up to date, just as the ewes would be before breeding. And, you should just have a think about your breeding program and ensure that your ram is right for your requirements - if you are happy with the stock that he is producing, otherwise it is time to change!
In this mornings workshop practical we continued to weld! Gas welding to be more precise and oxyacetylene to be exact! So being me I found it really hard to get started! I do not like fire I do not like flames I do not like the sparks hence I am a real wuss! However, after another demo from andy and a few over the shoulder hints and tips I finally managed to get going. Perhaps not my finest work as I did seem to keep blowing holes in the metal - but I now know why I was doing this - because I did not have the torch close enough to the metal. If you move away from the surface then you are heating a bigger area and not exactly where you need to be, so it is harder to get the molten pool started. This type of gas welding has its advantages over electric welding for example where accessing electricity (e.g., via an extension cord or portable generator) would present difficulties; it is more self-contained making it "more portable" which is great for farming environment. After practicing our technique and with our best pieces we went out to the benches to make key-rings. This involved filing the rough edges, rounding the corners and drilling a hole in to one corner. I have to say this little welded together pieces of metal looked well cool as key-rings perfect for a tractor key!
This afternoon in theory dom started the class off with some sheep husbandry revision - we were split in to groups and given a topic each regarding the preparation to breed. In my group our subject was the preparation of the ram for breeding purposes. We made a chart of the things we felt were most significant such as condition scoring and weight conformation - if he is underweight this could result in a low sperm count, checking his teeth and feet - as he will be required to mount all those ewes, ensuring he has two functioning testicles and a straight penis that is free of scabs - as these could cause pain when he starts his job. You should also check medicine and vaccination records ensuring that he is up to date, just as the ewes would be before breeding. And, you should just have a think about your breeding program and ensure that your ram is right for your requirements - if you are happy with the stock that he is producing, otherwise it is time to change!
Wednesday January 15, 2014
Day 37..
Fertilisers! That's how we started the day! Looking at soil fertility and its requirement for fertilisation. When a soil has been determined as deficient in nutrient/s you need to work out the correct amount of fertiliser to be applied and to do this you will use the data as specified in the SNS Index (Soil Nitrogen Supply). Therefore, the amount to be applied is the figure, according to the soil type, in the index from 0 to 6. And, according to the ratio of nutrient application - which is commonly 20:10:10 (20% nitrogen 10% phosphate 10% potassium (potash) ) you need to work out the amount to be applied in kg. For example, if the mix is 20:10:10 and the soil was a deep clay - sns index of 4 you would need to apply 120kg of fertiliser per hectare, therefore;
20% = 120
0.2 = 120
120/0.2 = 600kg/ ha
We then went on to discuss the differences between organic fertiliser and inorganic! Organic is from plant and animal matter and inorganic being materials that have been chemically and synthetically made.
Our next lesson should have been machinery theory, however, we were taken down to Durdham farm because the pedigree bull was being tested for AI (artificial insemination) classification. As the bull mounts the cow the seaman is caught in a tube (by intercepting the process) and then a sample placed under a microscope to determine the amount and quality of the seamen. To be a registered bull with the AI organisation the sample has to fulfil certain criteria and on this occasion the bull was not successful (after three attempts).
For this afternoons practical we were doing a general health check on one of the flocks of sheep. Using the mobile penning system the ewes were herded in and generally checked over. As the weather has remained quite warm this winter there is a risk of flies and worms, so they will be wormed as a precaution. While we had the ewes penned in, we worked in pairs to carry out dagging - removing the stuck on poo from around the back ends with a pair of shears. Again, this could be a knock on effect of the warmer weather and means the sheep are 'looser' than normal! This is carried out as a preventative measure against fly-strike when there is an infestation of the wool, skin and eventually flesh caused by blowfly or botfly maggots.
When we arrived back at the farm dom discussed some of the cows digestive system and what happens when milk fever strikes as we looked at the calves with their mothers.
Fertilisers! That's how we started the day! Looking at soil fertility and its requirement for fertilisation. When a soil has been determined as deficient in nutrient/s you need to work out the correct amount of fertiliser to be applied and to do this you will use the data as specified in the SNS Index (Soil Nitrogen Supply). Therefore, the amount to be applied is the figure, according to the soil type, in the index from 0 to 6. And, according to the ratio of nutrient application - which is commonly 20:10:10 (20% nitrogen 10% phosphate 10% potassium (potash) ) you need to work out the amount to be applied in kg. For example, if the mix is 20:10:10 and the soil was a deep clay - sns index of 4 you would need to apply 120kg of fertiliser per hectare, therefore;
20% = 120
0.2 = 120
120/0.2 = 600kg/ ha
We then went on to discuss the differences between organic fertiliser and inorganic! Organic is from plant and animal matter and inorganic being materials that have been chemically and synthetically made.
Our next lesson should have been machinery theory, however, we were taken down to Durdham farm because the pedigree bull was being tested for AI (artificial insemination) classification. As the bull mounts the cow the seaman is caught in a tube (by intercepting the process) and then a sample placed under a microscope to determine the amount and quality of the seamen. To be a registered bull with the AI organisation the sample has to fulfil certain criteria and on this occasion the bull was not successful (after three attempts).
For this afternoons practical we were doing a general health check on one of the flocks of sheep. Using the mobile penning system the ewes were herded in and generally checked over. As the weather has remained quite warm this winter there is a risk of flies and worms, so they will be wormed as a precaution. While we had the ewes penned in, we worked in pairs to carry out dagging - removing the stuck on poo from around the back ends with a pair of shears. Again, this could be a knock on effect of the warmer weather and means the sheep are 'looser' than normal! This is carried out as a preventative measure against fly-strike when there is an infestation of the wool, skin and eventually flesh caused by blowfly or botfly maggots.
When we arrived back at the farm dom discussed some of the cows digestive system and what happens when milk fever strikes as we looked at the calves with their mothers.
Friday, 10 January 2014
Friday January 10, 2014
Day 36..
We are still waiting for our Friday timetable to be resolved following the departure of our teacher for the grassland, crop and soil topics that we study on a Friday, so today we started with our remaining mechanical theory lesson after a swap on Wednesday!
In our lamma field trip groups we spent the lesson doing some initial research on our classroom assignment. Mandy and myself (Harry was absent today) looked through the exhibitor list for the show and made a list of those we wish to visit on the day. In addition, we gathered bits of information to help with our introduction on our subject - GPS/automated steering systems.
We were then introduced to Gill, who will now be teaching us our grassland management module, and she got straight underway by recapping the various types of pasture; permanent, rough grazing and rotational. 70% of UK land is farmed so it is essential that as a farmer you maintain good grassland management. Grassland is predominantly used for grazing livestock and for conservation purposes, and ultimately it is the climate - warmth and amount of moisture, determining the enterprise choice, for example with a good amount of rainfall typical to the west, grass grows well and much of the land is used to graze sheep.
Meanwhile, conservation of grassland is significant, as animals would not survive as well if they were to graze all year round. Grass stops growing when the temperature drops below 5 degrees, therefore in the winter months the nutritional value decreases and supplementary feeding is required to maintain the health of the animal. Therefore conserving grass, in the form of silage and hay for example, will mean that adequate intake is being provided.
Part of managing grass growth is to ensure the soil contains all the nutrients it needs, and should you need to re-seed, then asses what you are trying to achieve - ensuring that you use the right mixture of grass seeds. For example, sheep nibble at the grass and therefore require shorter growing grass, while cows eat grass with their tongue, and so they require longer growing grass to maximise intake.
The productive capacity of grassland is limited by the following factors: climate, soil, sward damage, species mix and topography - the detailed mapping of the surface features of land!
We are still waiting for our Friday timetable to be resolved following the departure of our teacher for the grassland, crop and soil topics that we study on a Friday, so today we started with our remaining mechanical theory lesson after a swap on Wednesday!
In our lamma field trip groups we spent the lesson doing some initial research on our classroom assignment. Mandy and myself (Harry was absent today) looked through the exhibitor list for the show and made a list of those we wish to visit on the day. In addition, we gathered bits of information to help with our introduction on our subject - GPS/automated steering systems.
We were then introduced to Gill, who will now be teaching us our grassland management module, and she got straight underway by recapping the various types of pasture; permanent, rough grazing and rotational. 70% of UK land is farmed so it is essential that as a farmer you maintain good grassland management. Grassland is predominantly used for grazing livestock and for conservation purposes, and ultimately it is the climate - warmth and amount of moisture, determining the enterprise choice, for example with a good amount of rainfall typical to the west, grass grows well and much of the land is used to graze sheep.
Meanwhile, conservation of grassland is significant, as animals would not survive as well if they were to graze all year round. Grass stops growing when the temperature drops below 5 degrees, therefore in the winter months the nutritional value decreases and supplementary feeding is required to maintain the health of the animal. Therefore conserving grass, in the form of silage and hay for example, will mean that adequate intake is being provided.
Part of managing grass growth is to ensure the soil contains all the nutrients it needs, and should you need to re-seed, then asses what you are trying to achieve - ensuring that you use the right mixture of grass seeds. For example, sheep nibble at the grass and therefore require shorter growing grass, while cows eat grass with their tongue, and so they require longer growing grass to maximise intake.
The productive capacity of grassland is limited by the following factors: climate, soil, sward damage, species mix and topography - the detailed mapping of the surface features of land!
Thursday, 9 January 2014
Thursday January 9, 2014
Day 35..
Our practical session this morning saw us having a go at gas welding - this was another first for me! Also called oxyacetylene welding, this process uses fuel gases and oxygen to weld two pieces of metals into one. A welding torch is used to weld the metal by being supplied by oxygen (usually a black bottle/pipe) and acetylene (a maroon coloured bottle/pipe). The welding happens when two pieces are heated to a temperature that produces a shared pool of molten metal. The molten pool is then supplied with additional metal called filler which acts as the binding material.
We were given a safety brief and discussed the correct way to turn on all the equipment - for this exercise the gas and oxygen bottles were in another area with pipes leading down to each workstation but we turned each supply on at the regulator and then adjusted the pressure regulators accordingly. With a small nozzle fitted to the torch, the gas is turned on (ever so slightly) and then lit with a gas lighting device (never a lighter) once the flame is turned down with a little black smoke then the oxygen is turned on to create the blue triangle flame - which is perfect to create the heat required. A tip is to fuse both ends of the pieces together first then work your way along from one way to the other. While the torch is moved gradually across to create the pool in one hand, in the other hand the filler is heated and used to bind the pieces together. Quite tricky to master but I did have a good second run when I wasn't flapping my arms too much and glided across the area, while having a better view of the working area.
This afternoons classroom lessons began with vaccinations and the main types used in sheep husbandry - when they are used and for what. In order to be start the vaccination process it is best to start with the immune system as it is a vaccinations job to stimulate the recipients immune system developing adaptable immunity to a pathogen (virus, or microorganism that can cause a virus or disease).
A good way to think of the immune system is by using the following table (we were split in to groups and had to determine the correct flow):
Active-
Natural-
Passive-
Adaptive
Active-
Artificial-
Passive- = immunity
Innate
As we have another assignment coming up, we also recapped on diseases: the main to affect sheep and cattle, the causes and effects and what if any harm to humans!
Our practical session this morning saw us having a go at gas welding - this was another first for me! Also called oxyacetylene welding, this process uses fuel gases and oxygen to weld two pieces of metals into one. A welding torch is used to weld the metal by being supplied by oxygen (usually a black bottle/pipe) and acetylene (a maroon coloured bottle/pipe). The welding happens when two pieces are heated to a temperature that produces a shared pool of molten metal. The molten pool is then supplied with additional metal called filler which acts as the binding material.
We were given a safety brief and discussed the correct way to turn on all the equipment - for this exercise the gas and oxygen bottles were in another area with pipes leading down to each workstation but we turned each supply on at the regulator and then adjusted the pressure regulators accordingly. With a small nozzle fitted to the torch, the gas is turned on (ever so slightly) and then lit with a gas lighting device (never a lighter) once the flame is turned down with a little black smoke then the oxygen is turned on to create the blue triangle flame - which is perfect to create the heat required. A tip is to fuse both ends of the pieces together first then work your way along from one way to the other. While the torch is moved gradually across to create the pool in one hand, in the other hand the filler is heated and used to bind the pieces together. Quite tricky to master but I did have a good second run when I wasn't flapping my arms too much and glided across the area, while having a better view of the working area.
This afternoons classroom lessons began with vaccinations and the main types used in sheep husbandry - when they are used and for what. In order to be start the vaccination process it is best to start with the immune system as it is a vaccinations job to stimulate the recipients immune system developing adaptable immunity to a pathogen (virus, or microorganism that can cause a virus or disease).
A good way to think of the immune system is by using the following table (we were split in to groups and had to determine the correct flow):
Active-
Natural-
Passive-
Adaptive
Active-
Artificial-
Passive- = immunity
Innate
As we have another assignment coming up, we also recapped on diseases: the main to affect sheep and cattle, the causes and effects and what if any harm to humans!
Wednesday, 8 January 2014
Wednesday January 8, 2014
Day thirty four..
The new year return! And we started off the day in the lab! Today we were going to carry out a simple nutrient test for NPK - Nitrogen, Phosphate and Potassium (but actually only completed the test for N & P) using a pH NPK soil test kit. Using a soil sample provided we put 1ml into our sample bottle along with N1 solution to the 2.5ml mark. With a fitted washer band and filter paper disc we placed the plunger in the top of the bottle to shake the solution. the plunger was then depressed to compress as much of the solution as possible leaving a fluid that we could pour in to a test tube. Here we added a level spoon of N2 powder, gave it a shake and left for 5 minutes before taking a reading against the chart card provided - this read Low 0ml/l - So using the soil index we could determine this was a 0. Finding these results enables farmers to calculate how much fertiliser to add to the field according to what nutrients are / are not already available!
Next, and for our machinery theory we started off with a quiz, followed by a welding refresher! we were split in to groups and used heading and description cards in a matching game and then discussed our pairs as a group. For our next session, we were again split in to groups (different ones) and given a task ready for our field trip to LAMMA - the UK's largest agricultural machinery show. Our topic to research and report back to the class on is GPS/Steering Systems where at the show we will need to visit various stands and get as much information about these products as possible... tbc.
For this afternoons practical session we were given the opportunity to see the ewes scanned for pregnancy and first we had to herd the two groups of sheep to home farm. once penned in we built a penning system that attached to the crush where Ian would use his ultra sound scanning equipment to determine the number of lambs in each sheep. Scanning is typically carried out at 80 days after tupping (when the male served the lady) and advantages of scanning include identification of barren ewes - those which are empty and those carrying singles and multiples. These were identified using a spray marker on the sheep as it was released; dot on head = barren, dot on shoulder = 1, dot on hips = 3 and those left without a mark were carrying two lambs. These sheep can then be grouped accordingly and fed a diet accordingly ensuring that none is wasted.
The new year return! And we started off the day in the lab! Today we were going to carry out a simple nutrient test for NPK - Nitrogen, Phosphate and Potassium (but actually only completed the test for N & P) using a pH NPK soil test kit. Using a soil sample provided we put 1ml into our sample bottle along with N1 solution to the 2.5ml mark. With a fitted washer band and filter paper disc we placed the plunger in the top of the bottle to shake the solution. the plunger was then depressed to compress as much of the solution as possible leaving a fluid that we could pour in to a test tube. Here we added a level spoon of N2 powder, gave it a shake and left for 5 minutes before taking a reading against the chart card provided - this read Low 0ml/l - So using the soil index we could determine this was a 0. Finding these results enables farmers to calculate how much fertiliser to add to the field according to what nutrients are / are not already available!
Next, and for our machinery theory we started off with a quiz, followed by a welding refresher! we were split in to groups and used heading and description cards in a matching game and then discussed our pairs as a group. For our next session, we were again split in to groups (different ones) and given a task ready for our field trip to LAMMA - the UK's largest agricultural machinery show. Our topic to research and report back to the class on is GPS/Steering Systems where at the show we will need to visit various stands and get as much information about these products as possible... tbc.
For this afternoons practical session we were given the opportunity to see the ewes scanned for pregnancy and first we had to herd the two groups of sheep to home farm. once penned in we built a penning system that attached to the crush where Ian would use his ultra sound scanning equipment to determine the number of lambs in each sheep. Scanning is typically carried out at 80 days after tupping (when the male served the lady) and advantages of scanning include identification of barren ewes - those which are empty and those carrying singles and multiples. These were identified using a spray marker on the sheep as it was released; dot on head = barren, dot on shoulder = 1, dot on hips = 3 and those left without a mark were carrying two lambs. These sheep can then be grouped accordingly and fed a diet accordingly ensuring that none is wasted.
Scanning also helps to prevent disorders such as pregnancy toxaemia - which usually results in a dead lamb being born as well as simplifying tasks such as fostering spare lambs onto single mothers. Cull ewes (those identified as barren) can be sold immediately, taking advantage of winter prices.
A sector scanner is used which gives a better view of the ewe's uterus, making a correct diagnosis easier. This was interesting to watch!
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