M

microbial: referring to microbes. Understanding the role of microbes can help farmers manage soil and livestock health more effectively, ensuring better productivity and sustainability.

metabolisable protein: a type of protein which can be metabolised by an animal, used as a feed supplement to improve lactation. Understanding the role of metabolisable protein can help farmers improve livestock nutrition and productivity.

mashlum: a mixture of oats and barley (and sometimes wheat), sown to provide grain for feeding to livestock. Also called maslin, meslen, meslin. Growing mashlum can provide farmers with a valuable feed source for livestock, improving farm sustainability and reducing feed costs.

microbial ecology: the study of the way in which microbes develop in nature. Understanding microbial ecology can help farmers manage soil health and crop production more effectively, ensuring better productivity and sustainability.

Multiple: multiple meaning that there are more than one. Understanding the implications of multiple factors can help farmers manage their operations and decision-making processes more effectively, ensuring better productivity and sustainability.

MP: same as member of parliament. Understanding the role and influence of MPs can help farmers navigate political and regulatory changes, ensuring better compliance and advocacy.

milk sinus: the space in each teat into which the milk is secreted. Understanding the function of the milk sinus can help farmers manage dairy production more effectively, ensuring better milk quality and yield.

MCPA: a herbicide that kills the most persistent broad-leaved weeds, such as nettles, buttercups, charlock, dock seedlings, plantains and thistles. Understanding the application and effects of MCPA can help farmers manage weed infestations more effectively, ensuring better crop health and yields.

magnesium: a light, silvery-white metallic element that burns with a brilliant white flame. The addition of magnesium to soil may prevent deficiency diseases in crops or in livestock, such as interveinal yellowing of leaves in potatoes and sugar beet, and hypomagnesaemia or ‘grass staggers’ in grazing animals. Ensuring adequate magnesium in soil and livestock diets is crucial for healthy crop and livestock growth, leading to better yields and farm sustainability.

mill: a factory where a substance is crushed to make a powder, especially one for making flour from the dried grains of cereals. Proper management of mills can help farmers process their crops more effectively, ensuring better quality and marketability.