H
ha
ha symbol hectare
habit
habit noun the characteristic way in
which a specific plant grows
ć a bush with
an erect habit
ć a plant with a creeping
habit
habitat
habitat noun the type of environment in
which a specific organism lives
habitat action plan
habitat action plan noun a detailed
description of a specific habitat together
with the detailed actions and targets
proposed for conserving it. Abbr
HAP
habitat management
habitat management noun same as
nature management
habitat restoration
habitat restoration noun activity
carried out to return an area to a former
more favourable condition for wildlife
HACCP
HACCP /hsəp/ noun a process for
identifying and controlling hazards within
a process, e.g. in the food industry. Full
form

Hazard Analysis Critical Control
Points
hack
hack noun 1. a riding horse 2. a horse let
out to hire
í verb to ride a horse, especially
to ride a horse to a show, as opposed to
taking the horse in a box
hackles
hackles plural noun the long feathers on
the neck of a domestic cock
hackney
hackney /hkni/ noun a type of horse
used both for riding and as a draught
animal
haemoglobin
haemoglobin /himə
|
ləυbn/ noun a
red protein in red blood cells that combines
reversibly with oxygen and transports it
round the body. Abbr
Hb
COMMENT: Haemoglobin absorbs oxygen
in the lungs and carries it in the blood to
the tissues. Haemoglobin is also
attracted to carbon monoxide and readily
absorbs it instead of oxygen, causing
carbon monoxide poisoning.
Hagberg

Hagberg /hb/, Hagberg test
noun
a test used to determine the milling
quality of wheat
COMMENT: The test measures the falling
time of wheat, using ground wheat in
suspension in water. A good milling
wheat has a high falling time, and wheat
with low falling times is not normally
used in milling. Hagberg test kits are
available for farmers to make their own
tests on samples of wheat.
Hagberg falling number
Hagberg falling number noun the
falling time in seconds in the Hagberg test
ć a top quality wheat with a specific weight
of 79–80, Hagberg 350 and protein of 12%
hair balls
hair balls noun balls of hair which
collect in the stomach of animals making
digestion difficult. They can cause fits and
convulsions in very young calves, and
sight may be slightly impaired.
hairworm
hairworm /heəwm/ noun a very thin
worm of the species Capellaria, which
infests poultry
hake bar
hake bar /hek bɑ/ noun an attachment
which links a trailed plough to the tractor

half-breed
half-breed noun an animal of mixed
breed, mainly applied to crossbred sheep
half-hardy
half-hardy adjective referring to a plant
that is able to tolerate cold weather down to
about 5C.
ı hardy
Half long
Half long noun a sheep produced by
crossing a Cheviot ram with a Blackface
ewe
half-standard
half-standard noun a type of fruit tree
with a trunk shorter than that of a full
standard, about 1.2m from the ground to
the first branches
halo-
halo- /hləυ/ prefix salt
halo blight
halo blight noun a disease which affects
the pods of peas and beans, making them
brown and withered
halomorphic soil
halomorphic soil /hləυmɔfk sɔl/
noun
soil that contains large amounts of
salt
halophyte
halophyte /hləfat/ noun a plant that

is able to grow in salty soil, as in estuaries
Agriculture.fm Page 120 Tuesday, July 11, 2006 12:33 PM
121 hatchery
halothane gene
halothane gene /hləυθen din/
noun
a recessive gene found in some
breeds of pigs which affects the animal’s
susceptibility to stress and can lead to
porcine stress syndrome
(NOTE: The gene
is called the halothane gene because it
can be tested for by exposing the pigs to
the anaesthetic halothane.)
‘Molecular biology has enable
tremendous strides. Eliminating the
halothane gene is one example and there
will be more equally significant advances
to come.’ [Pig Farming]
halter
halter /hɔltə/ noun a rope with a noose
for holding and leading horses or cattle
ham
ham noun 1. the thigh of the back leg of a
pig
2. meat from this part of the pig,
usually cured in brine and dried in smoke
hammer mill
hammer mill noun a machine used in the
preparation of animal feed by grinding

cereals into meal
COMMENT: A typical hammer mill has a
high-speed shaft with a grinding rotor at
one end and a fan at the other. Eight
flails are attached to the rotor which beat
the grain into meal.
Hampshire
Hampshire /hmpʃə/ noun an Amer-
ican breed of black-haired pig with white
markings. It is similar to the British
Saddleback which has black skin and a
white saddle.
Hampshire Down
Hampshire Down noun a short stocky
early-maturing sheep, originating from
Berkshire ewe flocks and Southdown rams
hand
hand noun a measure used to show the
height of a horse. One hand is 10.16cm,
and the measurement is taken from the
ground to the withers of the horse.
hand collection
hand collection, hand picking noun
the picking of fruit such as bananas or
peaches by hand
hand feeding
hand feeding, hand rearing noun the
process of bringing up orphaned animals
by feeding them with a bottle
hand hoe

hand hoe noun a garden implement with
a small sharp blade, used to break up the
surface of the soil or to cut off weeds
COMMENT: There are several types of
hand hoe, including the Dutch hoe,
where the blade is more or less straight
and is pushed by the operator, the draw
hoe has the blade set at right angles to
the handle and is used for drawing drills
at seed-sowing time. The Canterbury
hoe does not have a blade, but is like a
three-pronged fork, with the prongs set a
right angles to the handle.
handle
handle noun a term used to describe the
texture or feel of wool
hand pulling
hand pulling noun the act of pulling
weeds or plants out of the ground by hand
hank
hank /hŋk/ noun wool which has been
spun into a thread and coiled into a loop for
convenience. A hank is 560 yards long.
HAP
HAP abbreviation habitat action plan
harden off
harden off verb to make plants which
have been raised in a greenhouse become
gradually more used to the natural temper-
ature outdoors

ć After seedlings have been
grown in the greenhouse, they need to be
hardened off before planting outside in the
open ground.
hardjo
hardjo /hɑdjəυ/  Leptospira hardjo
hardpan
hardpan /hɑdpn/ noun a hard
cement-like layer in the soil or subsoil,
which can be very harmful as it prevents
good drainage and stops root development
hard wheat
hard wheat noun wheat with a hard
grain rich in gluten
hardwood
hardwood noun a slow-growing broad-
leaved tree, e.g. oak, teak or mahogany
hardy
hardy adjective referring to a plant able to
tolerate cold weather, especially below 5
°C.
ı half-hardy
hare
hare noun a long-eared furry animal,
similar to but larger than a rabbit, with hind
legs longer than forelegs
haricot bean
haricot bean /hrkəυ bin/ noun the
dry ripe seed of the French bean
harrow

harrow /hrəυ/ noun a piece of equip-
ment with teeth or discs, used for breaking
up soil or levelling the surface of ploughed
soil
í verb to level the surface of ploughed
soil with a harrow, covering seeds that have
been sown in furrows
harvest
harvest noun 1. the time when a crop is
gathered
2. a crop that is gathered ć We
think this year’s wheat harvest will be a
good one.
í verb 1. to gather a crop that is
ripe
ć They are harvesting the barley. 2. to
gather a natural resource
harvester
harvester /hɑvstə/ noun a machine
which harvests a crop
ć Most crops are
now harvested by machines such as
combine harvesters or sugar beet
harvesters.
HASSOP
HASSOP /hsəp/ noun  HACCP
(
NOTE: HACCP is pronounced as if it were
spelt HASSOP.)
hatch

hatch verb to become mature and break
out of the egg
í noun a brood of chicks
hatchery
hatchery /htʃəri/ noun a place where
eggs are kept warm artificially until the
Agriculture.fm Page 121 Tuesday, July 11, 2006 12:33 PM
hatchery waste 122
animal inside becomes mature enough to
break out
hatchery waste
hatchery waste noun surplus chicks or
embryos produced in a hatchery
(NOTE:
The animal welfare code lays down rules
for the humane slaughter of hatchery
waste, and there are also strict rules
governing how this waste may be disposed
of.)
haulm
haulm /hɔm/ noun the stalks and stems
of peas, beans and potatoes
haulm roller
haulm roller noun a roller found on
potato harvesters and grading machinery
haulm silage
haulm silage noun silage made from the
stems and leaves of peas and beans left
after harvest
haunch

haunch /hɔnʃ/ noun the hind leg of an
animal, especially a deer
hawthorn
hawthorn /hɔθɔn/ noun a small tree
(Crataegus monogyna) with spiny shoots,
used for hedges round grazing areas
hay
hay noun grass mowed and dried before it
has flowered, used for feeding animals
COMMENT: Hay is cut before the grass
flowers and at this stage in its growth it is
a nutritious fodder. If it is mowed after it
has flowered it is called straw, and is of
less use as a food and so is used for
bedding.
hay bale
hay bale noun hay which has been
compressed into a square, rectangular or
round bale, so that it can be handled and
stored more easily
hay baler
hay baler noun a machine which gathers
cut hay and makes it into bales
haycock
haycock /heikɒk/ noun formerly, a
conical heap of raked hay
hay fever
hay fever noun same as pollinosis
haylage
haylage /heilid/ noun hay for silage,

cut and compressed in plastic bags so that
it stays green without any fungus being
able to spread
hayloader
hayloader /heiləυdə/ noun an imple-
ment for loading hay from the field into a
trailer
haymaking
haymaking /heimeikiŋ/ noun the
cutting of grass in fields to make hay
COMMENT: Haymaking normally needs
three to four days of fine weather in early
season and two to three days when the
humidity falls as temperatures rise. The
critical period for hay occurs when the
crop is partly dried in the field. The object
should be to dry the crop as much as
possible without too much exposure to
sun, and the least possible movement
after the crop is partially dry. Field-dried
hay is normally baled, and further barn
drying is common.
hay net
hay net noun a coarse meshed net bag
which is filled with hay and hung up for
horses to feed from
hay quality
hay quality noun the nutritional value of
hay, which can depend on the weather
conditions and the time taken to dry

‘The farm is now mainly permanent
pasture, or grass and legumes for grazing
and hay. Some of this pasture has been
renovated with clover, and rye is direct
drilled into hay fields in the autumn for
late season grazing and to improve hay
quality.’ [Farmers Weekly]
hay rack
hay rack noun a wooden frame
containing hay, which is placed where live-
stock can feed from it
hay rake
hay rake noun an implement used for
raking hay prior to collection or baling
hay seed
hay seed noun grass seed obtained from
hay
haystack
haystack /heistk/ noun a heap of hay,
built in the open air and protected by
thatching; not used very often nowadays
hay-sweep
hay-sweep noun an implement used to
collect hay from swaths and carry it to a
stack
hazard
hazard noun something with the poten-
tial to cause injury, damage or loss
ć a fire
hazard

ć a health hazard Compare risk
Hazard Analysis Critical Control Points
Hazard Analysis Critical Control
Points
noun full form of HACCP
hazel
hazel /heiz(ə)l/ noun a nut-bearing tree
(Corylus avellana)
Hb
Hb abbreviation haemoglobin
HCC
HCC abbreviation Hybu Cig Cymru
(NOTE: The English name is ‘Meat Promo-
tion Wales’.)
HDC
HDC abbreviation Horticultural Develop-
ment Council
headage
headage /hedid/ noun the number of
animals of a specified type, such as cattle,
used as a basis for calculating subsidy
payments
head corn
head corn noun the largest grains in a
sample of cereal
header
header noun a machine which removes
the seed heads from plants.
ı stripper-
header

headfly
headfly /hedflai/, head fly noun a para-
sitic insect Hydrotaea irritans which
mainly affects sheep and can transmit
summer mastitis
heading date
heading date noun the average date by
which a certain percentage of a crop has
Agriculture.fm Page 122 Tuesday, July 11, 2006 12:33 PM
123 hedge
formed seedheads. This is used by farmers
to make decisions on which variety of a
crop is more suitable for the environment
in which they are planning to grow it.
headland
headland /hedlənd/ noun an unculti-
vated area of soil at the edge of a field,
where a tractor turns when ploughing.
ı
conservation headland
headrail
headrail /hedrel/ noun a rail across the
front of a cubicle, to which a halter can be
attached
Health and Safety Executive
Health and Safety Executive noun a
UK government organisation responsible
for checking people’s working environ-
ment. Abbr
HSE

health and welfare plan
health and welfare plan noun a
written report made by a farmer in consul-
tation with a vet, describing how livestock
will be cared for
‘The guidance suggested that farmers
should prepare a herd health and welfare
plan with their vet which should include
measures to control the disease such as
early removal of diseased cattle, not
breeding from their offspring and making
sure that calves only receive colostrum
from their own mother where possible.
This culminated in last September’s
launch of the Johne’s Initiative with
backing from various industry bodies.’
[Dairy Farmer]
heart
heart noun 1. a muscular organ that
pumps blood round an animal’s body
2. the
compact central part of a vegetable such as
lettuce, cabbage or celery, where new
leaves or stalks form
3. the innermost part
of something
ć This tree grows only in the
heart of the forest.
4. ˽ soil which is in
good heart soil which is fertile and

produces large yields of crops
heart rot
heart rot noun a disease of sugar beet and
mangolds, caused by boron deficiency. A
dry rot spreads from the crown downwards
and attacks the roots. The growing point is
killed, and replaced by a mass of small
deformed leaves.
heartwood
heartwood /hɑtwυd/ noun the hard
dead wood in the centre of a tree trunk
which helps support the tree. Compare
sapwood. Also called duramen
heat
heat noun 1. ˽ to sow lettuces under
heat to sow lettuce seed in a heated green-
house
2. the period when a female animal
will allow mating. Technical name
oestrus ˽ an animal on heat a female
animal in the period when she will accept a
mate
heath
heath noun an area of acid soil where low
shrubs such as heather and gorse grow and
which are treeless as a result of grazing by
animals
COMMENT: Lowland heaths are found on
dry sandy soils or gravel below 300 m.
Upland heaths are found on mineral soils

or shallow peat and may be dry or wet,
with mosses growing in wetter condi-
tions.
heather
heather noun a plant (Calluna vulgaris)
found on acid soils, common in upland
areas. It is used by game birds such as
grouse for cover and food.
COMMENT: The main competing uses for
heather moorland in the UK are grouse
shooting, sheep grazing, afforestation,
recreational use and landscape conser-
vation.
heathland
heathland /hiθlnd/ noun a wide area
of heath
heat stress
heat stress noun distress and discom-
fort suffered by an animal because it is too
hot
heat treatment
heat treatment noun the use of high
temperatures, typically 45°C, to disinfest
storage areas or containers
heaves
heaves /hivz/ noun a condition of
horses, where spores from mouldy hay
block the animals’ lungs, making
breathing difficult
heavy cropper

heavy cropper noun a tree or plant that
produces a large crop of fruit
heavy grains
heavy grains plural noun cereal crops
such as maize, rye and wheat. Abbr
HG.
Compare
light grains
heavy soils
heavy soils plural noun soils with a high
clay content, which need more tractor
power when ploughing and cultivating
Hebridean sheep
Hebridean sheep /hebr
|
diən ʃip/
noun
a rare breed of small black sheep of
Scandinavian origin. The fleece is jet-
black in colour, and the animals have one
pair of horns curling downwards and
another pair almost upright.
hectare
hectare noun an area of land measuring
100 by 100 metres, i.e. 10000 square
metres or 2.47 acres. Symbol
ha
hecto-
hecto- /hektəυ/ prefix one hundred, 10
2

.
Symbol
H
hedge
hedge noun a row of bushes planted to
provide a barrier around a field or garden
COMMENT: It is said that you can judge
the age of a hedge by counting the
woody plant species in it and multiplying
by 100; the more species there are, the
older the hedge is. About three-quarters
Agriculture.fm Page 123 Tuesday, July 11, 2006 12:33 PM
hedgebank 124
of the farms in England and Wales have
hedges, with an estimated total length of
500,000km. Since 1997, there have
been regulations in place to restrict the
removal of hedges and it is illegal to
remove a hedge without permission from
the local planning authority.
hedgebank
hedgebank /hedbŋk/ noun a raised
strip of earth on which a hedge is planted
ć
primroses growing on the hedgebank
hedgecutter
hedgecutter /hed
|
ktə/, hedget-
rimmer noun

an implement attached to a
tractor, used to trim hedges. Smaller hand-
held units are available.
hedgelaying
hedgelaying /hedleŋ/ noun a tradi-
tional method of cultivating hedges, where
tall saplings are cut through halfway and
then bent over so that they lie horizontally
and make a thick barrier
hedgerow
hedgerow noun a line of bushes forming
a hedge
(NOTE: Under the Hedgerow Regu-
lations, it is now forbidden to remove a
hedgerow without permission from the
local planning authority.)
hedging
hedging /hedŋ/ noun the skill of culti-
vating hedges
heel in
heel in verb to place plants in a trench and
cover with soil until needed for permanent
planting
heft
heft /heft/ noun a group of mountain
sheep which graze the same area in which
they were born, although not kept in by
fences
heifer
heifer noun a female cow which has not

calved or has calved for the first time
hemlock
hemlock /hemlɒk/ noun a poisonous
plant. Latin name: Conium maculatum.
hemlock poisoning
hemlock poisoning noun poisoning of
young cattle by eating fresh shoots of the
hemlock. Sheep and goats are believed to
be resistant to the poison.
hemp
hemp noun a plant used to make rope and
that also produces an addictive drug. Latin
name: Cannabis sativa.
hemp nettle
hemp nettle noun a common weed
(Galeopsis tetrahit) which affects spring
cereals and vegetables. Also called
glide-
wort, holyrope
hen
hen noun 1. a female of the common
domestic fowl
2. any female bird, e.g. a
hen pheasant.
ı fat hen
henhouse
henhouse /henhaυs/ noun a small
wooden building for keeping hens
hen in lay
hen in lay noun a bird which is laying

eggs
herb
herb noun 1. a plant that is used to add
flavour in cooking
2. a plant that has
medicinal properties
3. a non-woody flow-
ering plant that has no perennial stem
above the ground in winter
herb-
herb- /hb/ prefix referring to plants or
vegetation
herbaceous
herbaceous /hə
|
beʃəs/ adjective refer-
ring to plants with soft non-woody tissue
that die down above ground to survive
through the winter
herbage
herbage /hbd/ noun the green
plants, especially grass, eaten by grazing
animals
herbage allowance
herbage allowance noun the weight of
herbage per unit of live weight at a point in
time
herbage consumed
herbage consumed noun the mass of
herbage once it has been consumed by

grazing animals
herbage mass
herbage mass noun the weight of
herbage produced in a specified area
herbage residual
herbage residual noun herbage
remaining after defoliation
herbarium
herbarium /h
|
beəriəm/ noun a collec-
tion of preserved plant or fungal speci-
mens, especially one that is used for scien-
tific study and classification
herbicide
herbicide noun a chemical that kills
plants, especially used to control weeds
herbivore
herbivore noun an animal that feeds only
on plants.
ı carnivore, detritivore, frugi-
vore, omnivore
herbivorous
herbivorous /h
|
bvərəs/ adjective
referring to an animal that feeds only on
plants
herd
herd noun a number of animals such as

cattle kept together on a farm or looked
after by a farmer
ć They have a herd of beef
cattle.
ć Dairy herds have been reduced
since the introduction of the milk quota
system.
(NOTE: The word ‘herd’ is usually
used with cattle; for sheep, goats, and
birds such as hens or geese, the word to
use is ‘flock’.)
í verb 1. to tend a herd of
animals
2. to gather animals together ć
herding the cows into the yard
herd book
herd book noun the record of animals
kept by breeding societies in which only
the offspring of registered animals can be
recorded
herd health
herd health noun the welfare of a herd
of cattle taken as a whole, particularly
regarding the spread of infectious diseases
herdmark
herdmark noun a unique marker
assigned to each herd of pigs by Defra and
Agriculture.fm Page 124 Tuesday, July 11, 2006 1:39 PM
125 highlands
used to identify the animals when being

moved from the farm
herd register
herd register noun an official record of
a herd’s movements, medical history and
birth and death figures
‘The bovine herd register is available as a
printed report and all subsidy claims are
catered for, while all programs record
movements, calvings and drying off as a
standard.’ [Farmers Guardian]
herdsman
herdsman /hdzmən/ noun someone
who looks after a herd of animals
herdsperson
herdsperson /hdzpsən/ noun a
farm worker who looks after a herd of live-
stock
herd tester
herd tester noun a person who tests a
dairy herd for butterfat content
Herdwick
Herdwick /hdwk/ noun a mountain
breed of sheep, native to the Lake District,
which are able to survive in bitter winter
conditions. The rams have horns.
hereditary
hereditary adjective referring to a genet-
ically controlled characteristic that is
passed from parent to offspring
heredity

heredity noun the transfer of genetically
controlled characteristics from parent to
offspring
Hereford
Hereford /herfəd/ noun a breed of
large, hardy cattle that are deep red in
colour, with a white head and chest. Here-
fords are an early-maturing breed, and are
important for beef production.
herringbone parlour
herringbone parlour /herŋbəυn
pɑlə
/ noun a type of milking parlour with
no stalls and where the operator works
from a central pit. The cattle stand side by
side at an angle on each side of the central
pit.
heterologous
heterologous /hetə
|
rɒləəs/ adjective
differing in structural features or origin
heterosis
heterosis /hetə
|
rəυss/ noun an
increase in size or rate of growth, fertility
or resistance to disease found in offspring
of a cross between organisms with
different genotypes. Also called

hybrid
vigour
. Compare inbreeding depression
heterotroph
heterotroph /hetərəυtrɒf/ noun an
organism that requires carbon in organic
form and cannot manufacture it
(NOTE:
Animals, fungi and some algae and
bacteria are heterotrophs.)
heterotrophic
heterotrophic /hetərəυ
|
trɒfk/ adjec-
tive
referring to a heterotroph ć a hetero-
trophic organism
heterozygous
heterozygous /hetərəυ
|
zaəs/ adjec-
tive
relating to a cell or organism that has
two or more variant forms (alleles) of at
least one of its genes
(NOTE: The offspring
of such an organism may differ with regard
to the characteristics determined by the
gene or genes involved, depending on
which version of the gene they inherit.)

Hevea
Hevea /hiviə/ noun the Latin name for
the rubber tree
HFA
HFA abbreviation Hill Farm Allowance
HFCS
HFCS abbreviation high fructose corn
syrup
Hg
Hg symbol mercury
HG
HG abbreviation heavy grains
HGCA
HGCA noun an organisation established
to improve the production and marketing
of UK cereal crops and oilseeds, and to
promote research. Full form
Home Grown
Cereals Authority
hide
hide noun the skin of an animal, which is
important commercially both in its raw
state and as leather
hide-bound
hide-bound noun a condition where
dehydration makes it difficult for the
animal’s skin to move over the underlying
tissues
HIE
HIE abbreviation Highlands and Islands

Enterprise
Higher Level Stewardship
Higher Level Stewardship noun one
of the categories under the Environmental
Stewardship scheme, where farmers can
apply for funding in return for imple-
menting complex environmental manage-
ment schemes on their land. Abbr
HLS
high fructose corn syrup
high fructose corn syrup noun a
sweetener used in the soft drinks industry,
extracted from maize. Abbr
HFCS. Also
called
isoglucose
high-input farming
high-input farming noun intensive
agriculture which uses fertiliser, pesticides
and modern machinery to guarantee a large
crop output. Compare
low-input farming
highland
highland /halənd/ adjective referring
to a hilly or mountainous area
ć Highland
vegetation is mainly grass, heather and
herbs.
Highland
Highland noun a hardy breed of beef

cattle, with long shaggy hair hiding a dense
undercoat. The breed is small, has very
long horns, matures slowly and is native to
the Highlands and Western Isles of Scot-
land.
highlands
highlands noun an area of mountains ć
Farmers in the highlands mostly raise
sheep.
highlands
Highlands and Islands Enterprise
noun a business and community develop-
Agriculture.fm Page 125 Tuesday, July 11, 2006 12:33 PM
high mortality rate 126
ment association for the Scottish High-
lands. Abbr
HIE
high mortality rate
high mortality rate noun a high
percentage of animals in a group which die
high-performance
high-performance adjective designed
to operate very efficiently
high-tech
high-tech adjective technologically
advanced
(informal)
high temperature short time method
high temperature short time
method

noun the usual method of
pasteurising milk, where the milk is heated
to 72°C for 15 seconds and then rapidly
cooled. Abbr
HTST
high-yielding
high-yielding adjective producing a
large crop
ć They have started to grow
high-yielding varieties of wheat.
hill
hill noun an area of ground higher than the
surrounding areas but not as high as a
mountain
hill drainage
hill drainage noun a small open chan-
nels about ten to sixty metres apart, dug to
drain hilly grazing areas
hill farm
hill farm noun a farm in mountainous
country, with 95% or more of its land clas-
sified as rough grazing, mainly for
breeding ewe flocks
Hill Farm Allowance
Hill Farm Allowance noun a support
payment available for owners of hill farms
to help with running costs. Abbr
HFA
hill grazing
hill grazing noun grassland used for

sheep and cattle grazing in hilly and moun-
tainous areas
hill land
hill land noun land on hills, mountains or
moors
(NOTE: The Hill Livestock Compen-
satory allowance order classifies such
marginal land in upland and hilly areas and
makes payments to compensate for
farming in these more difficult conditions.)
Hill Radnor
Hill Radnor noun  Radnor
hilum
hilum /haləm/ noun the point where a
seed is attached to a pod. When the seed is
ripe and has been separated from the pod, a
black scar can be seen on the seed.
hind
hind /hand/ adjective referring to the
back part of an animal
í noun a female
deer
hind legs
hind legs plural noun the back legs of an
animal
hindquarters
hindquarters /handkwɔtəz/ noun
the back part of an animal, including the
haunches and hind legs
hinge

hinge noun soil which is left uncut by a
plough when it has failed to cut a full
furrow
hirsel
hirsel /hsəl/ noun 1. a heft of sheep 2.
a piece of ground and flock looked after by
one shepherd
Hisex Brown
Hisex Brown /haseks braυn/, Hisex
White noun
a hybrid breed of laying fowl
histidine
histidine /hstədin/ noun an amino
acid which is considered essential in
infants and children
hitch
hitch noun the mechanism for connecting
implements to tractors. Also called
drawbar í verb to attach an implement or
trailer to a tractor
hive
hive noun a box in which bees are kept
hive-bee
hive-bee noun the domesticated bee
(Apis mellifera)
hl
hl abbreviation hectolitre
HLS
HLS abbreviation Higher Level Steward-
ship

hock
hock /hɒk/ noun the hind leg joint of
mammals, between the knee and the
fetlock
hoe
hoe noun an implement pulled by a tractor
to turn the soil between rows of crops, and
so to control weeds
í verb to cultivate land
with a hoe
hog
hog noun 1. a castrated male pig 2. US
any pig
hog cholera
hog cholera noun same as swine fever
hogg
hogg /hɒ/ noun a young sheep before
the first shearing
hogget
hogget /hɒt/ noun a sheep roughly six
to twelve months old
hold
hold verb to conceive after artificial
insemination
ć Thirty ewes were AI’d and
nineteen of them held.
holding
holding noun land and buildings held by
a freehold or leasehold occupier
holdover

holdover /həυldəυvə/ noun a situation
where a tenant farmer uses buildings and
crops on a farm, after leaving the farm at
the end of a tenancy. It may, e.g., involve
harvesting crops later in the year after the
tenancy has expired.
holly
holly noun an evergreen tree (Ilex aquifo-
lium) producing hard white timber
Holstein
Holstein /hɒlsten/ noun a Friesian
cattle imported into Canada from Holland
at the end of the 19th century, now a breed
of dairy cattle, black and white in colour.
Also called
Canadian Holstein, Holstein-
Friesian
holyrope
holyrope /həυlrəυp/ noun same as
hemp nettle
home farm
home farm noun a farm on a large estate,
usually farmed by the owner
Agriculture.fm Page 126 Tuesday, July 11, 2006 12:33 PM
127 horticultural
Home Grown Cereals Authority
Home Grown Cereals Authority
noun full form of HGCA
home-saved seed
home-saved seed noun same as farm-

saved seed
homestead
homestead noun a farmhouse with
dependent buildings and the land which
surrounds it
homogenised milk
homogenised milk /hə
|
mɒdənazd
mlk
/ noun milk which is made more
digestible by breaking up the fat droplets
into smaller particles which are evenly
distributed through the liquid
homograft
homograft /hɒmərɑft/ noun same as
allograft
homologous pair
homologous pair /hɒ
|
mɒləəs peə/
noun
a pair of chromosomes in a diploid
organism that are structurally similar and
have the same arrangement of genes,
although they may carry different alleles
(NOTE: One member of each pair is inher-
ited from each parent.)
honey
honey noun a sweet yellow fluid

collected by bees from nectar in flowers,
and stored in a beehive
honey bee
honey bee noun a common hive-bee
honeycomb
honeycomb /hnikəυm/ noun a
construction of wax, made by bees for
storing honey
honey fungus
honey fungus noun a fungus which
primarily attacks trees and shrubs. Roots
become infected by rhizomorphs. In the
spring the foliage wilts and turns yellow.
hoof
hoof noun a horny casing of the foot of a
horse, a cow or other animals
(NOTE: The
plural is either hoofs or hooves.)
hoof and horn meal
hoof and horn meal noun a fertiliser
made from animal hooves and horns
hookworm
hookworm /hυkwm/ noun a parasitic
worm in the intestine which holds onto the
wall of the intestine with its teeth and lives
on the blood and protein of the carrier
hoose
hoose /hus/ noun a popular name for a
lungworm
hop

hop noun a climbing plant that has long
thin groups of green flowers which are
used dried in brewing to add flavour to
beer. Latin name: Humulus lupulus.
hop bine
hop bine noun the new shoot of a hop
plant, which has to be made to coil round
climbing strings
hop mildew
hop mildew noun a fungal disease of
hops
hopper
hopper /hɒpə/ noun a container with a
hole at the bottom, for holding seed or
fertiliser granules. The seed drops from the
hole onto the ground or into channels
taking it to drills.
Hordeum
Hordeum /hɔdiəm/ noun the Latin
name for barley
horizon
horizon noun a layer of soil which is of a
different colour or texture from the rest
COMMENT: In general, the topsoil is called
the ‘A’ horizon, the subsoil the ‘B’ hori-
zon, and the underlying rock the ‘C’ hori-
zon.
hormonal
hormonal /hɔ
|

məυn(ə)l/ adjective
referring to hormones
hormone
hormone noun 1. a substance produced
in animals in one part of the body which
has a particular effect in another part of the
body
2. a plant growth factor
horn
horn noun a hard growth which is formed
on the tops of the heads of animals such as
cattle, deer, goats and sheep
hornbeam
hornbeam /hɔnbim/ noun a tree
which produces a very hard wood,
formerly used in making wheels for farm
carts
horned
horned /hɔnd/ adjective with horns ć a
horned variety of sheep
hornless
hornless /hɔnləs/ adjective without
horns
ć a hornless breed of cattle
horse
horse noun a hoofed animal with a
flowing mane and tail, used on farms as a
working animal, now mainly replaced by
tractors
COMMENT: The main groups of horses

are: the Heavy Draught Class, such as
the shire horse; the Light Draught
Class, such as the Cleveland Bay; the
Saddle and Harness Class, such as the
hackney; and the Pony Class, such as
the Shetland.
horse bean
horse bean noun a broad bean used as a
fodder
horsebox
horsebox /hɔsbɒks/ noun a closed
vehicle used for transporting horses
horsebreaker
horsebreaker /hɔsbrekə/ noun a
person who trains a horse
horsefly
horsefly /hɔsfla/ noun a general name
for many bloodsucking Tabanid flies. Also
called
cleg
horseshoe
horseshoe noun an iron shoe nailed to
the hard part of a horse’s hoof
horsetail
horsetail /hɔstel/ noun a poisonous
weed found in grassland
horticultural
horticultural /hɔt
|
kltʃərəl/ adjec-

tive
referring to horticulture
horticultural
Horticultural Development
Council
noun a non-departmental
government body providing information
Agriculture.fm Page 127 Tuesday, July 11, 2006 12:33 PM
horticulture 128
and support to people in the horticulture
industry, including producers of soft fruit,
mushrooms and tree fruit. Abbr
HDC
horticulture
Horticultural Trades Association
noun a body which represents the interests
of growers, workers and suppliers in the
garden industry. Abbr
HTA
horticulture
horticulture noun the cultivation of
flowers, fruit and vegetables in gardens,
nurseries or glasshouses, as a science,
occupation or leisure activity.
ı botanical
horticulture
Horticulture Research International
Horticulture Research Interna-
tional
noun the horticultural research

department of the University of Warwick.
Abbr
HRI
horticulturist
horticulturist /hɔt
|
kltʃərst/ noun
a person who specialises in horticulture
Hosier system
Hosier system /həυziə sstəm/ noun
a system of dairy cattle management,
where the milking of cows is done in the
field using a milking pail
host
host noun a plant or animal on which a
parasite lives
í adjective referring to a
plant or animal on which a parasite lives
hothouse
hothouse /hɒthaυs/ noun a heated
greenhouse
house
house noun a structure where animals or
machinery are kept
ć the reptile house ć
the engine house í verb to keep livestock
in a building
ć The animals are housed in
clean cubicles.
housing

housing noun a series of buildings for
livestock
HRI
HRI abbreviation Horticulture Research
International
HSA
HSA abbreviation Humane Slaughter
Association
HSE
HSE abbreviation Health and Safety
Executive
HTA
HTA abbreviation Horticultural Trades
Association
HTST method
HTST method abbreviation high
temperature short time method
hull
hull noun 1. the outer covering of a cereal
seed. Hulls form bran.
2. the pod of peas or
beans
huller
huller /hlə/ noun a kind of threshing
machine which removes seeds from their
husks
human-caused
human-caused adjective referring to a
disaster or event which has been brought
about by human beings

Humane Slaughter Association
Humane Slaughter Association
noun a charity which campaigns for animal
suffering to be minimised during the
slaughter process. Abbr
HSA
humate
humate /hjumet/ noun a salt that is
derived from humus
humid
humid adjective relating to air that
contains moisture vapour
ć Decomposition
of organic matter is rapid in hot and humid
conditions.
humidify
humidify /hju
|
mdfa/ noun to add
water vapour to air to make it more humid
humidity
humidity noun a measurement of how
much water vapour is contained in the air
humification
humification /hjumf
|
keʃ(ə)n/
noun the breakdown of rotting organic
waste to form humus
humify

humify /hjumfa/ verb to break down
rotting organic waste to form humus
hump
hump noun the rounded flesh on the back
or shoulders of an animal, such as a camel,
or certain breeds of cattle
humus
humus /hjuməs/ noun the fibrous
organic matter in soil, formed from decom-
posed plants and animal remains, which
makes the soil dark and binds it together
hundredweight
hundredweight noun a measure of
weight of dry goods such as grain
(NOTE:
Abbreviated after numbers to cwt: 5cwt.
The British hundredweight is equivalent to
50.8kg, and the US hundredweight is
equivalent to 45.4kg.)
hungry soil
hungry soil noun soil which lacks nutri-
ents, and so needs large amounts of ferti-
liser to produce good crops
hurdle
hurdle noun a portable rectangular
wooden frame used for temporary fencing
for sheep
husband
husband verb to use a resource carefully
husbanding

husbanding /hzbəndŋ/ noun the
activity of using a resource carefully
ć a
policy of husbanding scarce natural
resources
husbandry
husbandry /hzbəndri/ noun the
activity of looking after farm animals and
crops
ć a new system of intensive cattle
husbandry
husbandry system
husbandry system noun a written
plan for looking after a group of farm
animals, looking at considerations such as
their habitat, diet, medical care, production
rates and general welfare
husk
husk /hsk/ noun 1. the dry outer
covering of cereal grains, which has little
food value, and which is removed during
threshing
2. a parasitic form of bronchitis
which is caused by lungworms and is
Agriculture.fm Page 128 Tuesday, July 11, 2006 12:33 PM
129 HYV
found mainly in cattle í verb to remove the
husk from seeds
hybrid
hybrid noun a new form of plant or

animal resulting from a cross between
organisms that have different genotypes
ć
high-yielding maize hybrids í adjective
being the result of a cross between organ-
isms that have different genotypes
hybridisation
hybridisation /habrda
|
zeʃ(ə)n/,
hybridization noun
the production of
hybrids
‘Another area of interest was the
hybridisation of Italian and perennial
ryegrass varieties. Italian ryegrasses were
valued for their fast growth and bulk, but
Italian ryegrass swards tended to last only
two years. By cross-breeding perennial
ryegrass and Italian ryegrass, it was
expected to produce hybrid varieties
retaining many of the advantages of Italian
ryegrass but lasting for four or five years,
said Mr Johnston.’ [Dairy Farmer]
hybridise
hybridise /habrdaz/, hybridize verb
to produce hybrids by crossing varieties of
plants or animals
hybrid vigour
hybrid vigour noun same as heterosis

Hybu Cig Cymru
Hybu Cig Cymru noun the red meat
promotion board for Wales. Abbr
HCC
hydrated
hydrated /ha
|
dretd/ adjective refer-
ring to a chemical compound in which
water is bound
hydrated lime
hydrated lime noun a substance
produced when burnt lime is wetted. It is a
mixture of calcium oxide and water, used
to improve soil quality. The lime is in
powder form, having been burnt to break it
down from large lumps. Also called
slaked lime (NOTE: The chemical formula
is Ca(OH)
2
.)
hydraulic conductivity
hydraulic conductivity /ha
|
drɒlk
kɒndk
|
tvti/ noun the rate at which
water can move through soil, used as a
factor in soil management

hydrocarbon
hydrocarbon noun a compound formed
of hydrogen and carbon
hydrochloric acid
hydrochloric acid /hadrəklɒrk
sd
/ noun an inorganic acid which forms
in the stomach and is part of the gastric
juices
hydrocool
hydrocool /hadrə
|
kul/ verb to cool
fresh fruit to prevent it from deteriorating
during transport to the retail shop or
market
hydroelectricity
hydroelectricity /hadrəυlek
|
trsti/
noun
the electricity produced by water
power
hydroelectric power
hydroelectric power
/hadrəυlektrk paυə/ noun the elec-
tricity produced by using a flow of water to
drive turbines. Also called
hydropower
hydrogen

hydrogen noun a gaseous chemical
element that combines with oxygen to
form water, with other elements to form
acids, and is present in all animal tissue
hydrology
hydrology noun the study of water, its
composition and properties and in partic-
ular the place of water in the environment
hydromorphic soil
hydromorphic soil noun waterlogged
soil found in bogs and marshes
hydrophobia
hydrophobia /hadrə
|
fəυbiə/ noun
same as rabies
hydrophyte
hydrophyte /hadrəfat/ noun a plant
that lives in water or in marshy conditions
hydroponics
hydroponics /hadrəυ
|
pɒnks/ noun
the practice of growing plants in a nutrient
liquid with or without sand, vermiculite or
other granular material
hydropower
hydropower /hadrəυpaυə/ noun same
as
hydroelectric power

hydrops uteri
hydrops uteri /hadrɒps jut(ə)ri/
noun
a disease of livestock caused by
excessive amount of fluid in the pregnant
womb. The womb may need to be drained.
hydrostatic pressure
hydrostatic pressure /hadrəυ
|
sttk preʃə/ noun the pressure of water
that is not moving
hygiene
hygiene noun the state or practice of
being clean and keeping healthy conditions
hygrometer
hygrometer /ha
|
rɒmtə/ noun an
instrument used for the measurement of
humidity
ć The most common type of
hygrometer is the wet and dry bulb ther-
mometer arrangement.
hyperphosphate
hyperphosphate /hapə
|
fɒsfet/
noun
a soft rock phosphate obtained from
North America

hyphae
hyphae /hafi/ plural noun long thin
filaments which make up a typical fungus
hypocalcaemia
hypocalcaemia /hapəυkl
|
simiə/
noun
same as milk fever
hypomagnesaemia
hypomagnesaemia /hapəυmn
|
zimiə/ noun a condition caused by lack
of magnesium in the bloodstream that
makes animals shiver and stagger. Cattle
may be affected shortly after being turned
out onto spring pastures after having
wintered indoors. Also called
grass stag-
gers
HYV
HYV abbreviation high-yielding variety
Agriculture.fm Page 129 Tuesday, July 11, 2006 1:31 PM