Science Masters – Sheep Production

Click the card (or the Flip button) to switch between the sheep term and its definition.

Card 1 of 50 | Learned: 0

Click a term on the left, then the matching definition on the right. Correct pairs turn green; incorrect attempts flash red.

Terms

Definitions

Pairs matched: 0 / 15

Attempts: 0

Score: 0%

Each question gives a sheep term. Choose the correct definition. You’ll get your score at the end.

Question 1 of 10

Score so far: 0 / 0

Your Sheep Production Quiz Summary

When you complete the matching game or MCQ quiz, your latest score will appear here.

Latest quiz score: 0%

Your grade: -

How confident do you feel with Sheep Production?

Use the slider to rate how confident you feel after this session.

Amber – You’re getting there, keep going!

🌾 Leaving Cert Agricultural Science
Numeracy & Literacy Cheat Sheet

A colourful, student-friendly revision poster covering **Soils, Grassland, Crops, Environment & Animals** — with clear formulas, spaced layout, emojis & maths formatting.

🌱 STRAND 1 – SOIL & FERTILITY NUMERACY

📊 Soil Particle Percentages (Sand/Silt/Clay)

Use sedimentation test values and place them on the **Soil Texture Triangle**.

Sand = 60%
Silt = 25%
Clay = 15%

→ Soil type: Sandy Loam

💧 Soil Moisture (%)

Soil Moisture % =
( Fresh Mass − Dry Mass ) ÷ Fresh Mass × 100

🔥 Soil Organic Matter (SOM %)

SOM % = ( Loss on Ignition ÷ Dry Mass ) × 100

🌿 Soil Organic Carbon (SOC)

SOC % = SOM % × 0.58

💧 Available Water Capacity (AWC)

AWC = Field Capacity − Wilting Point

🪱 Earthworm Population (per m²)

Worms per m² = Count in Sample ÷ Area Sampled

⚡ Cation Exchange Capacity (CEC)

  • Clay: 25–40 cmol(+)/100g
  • Loam: 10–25 cmol(+)/100g
  • Sand: 1–10 cmol(+)/100g

🔬 Target Soil pH

  • Grassland → pH 6.3
  • Tillage → pH 6.5–7.0
  • Potatoes → pH 5.5–6.0

🪨 Lime Requirement (Concept)

Based on difference between current pH and target pH + soil buffer pH.

🧪 Key Fertiliser Products

  • CAN → 27% N
  • Urea → 46% N
  • 10-10-20 → N 10%, P 10%, K 20%
  • 18-6-12 → N 18%, P 6%, K 12%

🌿 STRAND 2 – GRASSLAND NUMERACY

🌱 Seed Germination (%)

Germination % =
( Seeds Germinated ÷ Total Seeds ) × 100

🌾 Establishment (%)

% Establishment =
( Plants Established ÷ Expected Population ) × 100

🐄 Stocking Rate (LU/ha)

Stocking Rate = Total LU ÷ Farm Area (ha)
  • Dairy cow = 1.0 LU
  • Cattle 1–2 yrs = 0.6 LU
  • Ewe = 0.15–0.2 LU

🌾 Dry Matter (%)

DM % = ( Dry Mass ÷ Fresh Mass ) × 100

🌿 Botanical Composition

% Frequency =
( Quadrats Present ÷ Total Quadrats ) × 100

🌱 Ground Cover (%)

% Cover = ( Hits on Species ÷ Total Pins ) × 100

🌱 Grass Quality – Good vs Poor Silage

Key indicators (colour, smell, pH, DM):

  • Good → Lactic acid, pH 3.8–4.2, firm, DM 25–30%
  • Poor → Butyric acid, pH > 5.0, wet/slimy, low DM

📉 DMD Decline Over Time

Peak: 78–80% mid-May. Drops by **0.5% per day** after heading.

🌾 STRAND 3 – TILLAGE & CROP NUMERACY

🌱 Seed Rate (kg/ha)

Seed Rate =
( Target Population × TGW ) ÷ Establishment (decimal)

Convert 85% → 0.85

🌾 Establishment (%)

% Establishment =
( Actual Plant Count ÷ Target Count ) × 100

🌿 Planting Depth

  • Barley → 3–4 cm
  • Potatoes → 10–15 cm in 25–30 cm ridges

📊 Typical Yields

  • Winter Barley → 9–10 t/ha
  • Spring Barley → 7–9 t/ha
  • Main Crop Potatoes → 30–40 t/ha
  • Kale → 8–10 t DM/ha
  • Miscanthus (Yr 3+) → 10–13 t DM/ha

🌞 Photosynthesis

6CO₂ + 6H₂O → C₆H₁₂O₆ + 6O₂

word: CO₂ + water → glucose + oxygen

🔥 Respiration

C₆H₁₂O₆ + 6O₂ → 6CO₂ + 6H₂O + ATP

🌍 STRAND 4 – ENVIRONMENT & EFFLUENT

🌊 BOD Levels (mg/L)

  • Cattle slurry → 17,000
  • Pig slurry → 25,000
  • Silage effluent → 65,000
  • Milk → 100,000

🌱 Eutrophication – Key Points

  • Excess nutrients (N & P) → algal bloom
  • Dead algae → ↑ BOD
  • Oxygen drop → fish kill

💧 Water Treatment Stages

  • Sedimentation
  • Flocculation
  • Filtration
  • Chlorination
  • Fluoridation
  • pH Adjustment
  • UV disinfection

🐄 STRAND 5 – ANIMAL SCIENCE NUMERACY

📈 Average Daily Gain (ADG)

ADG = ( Final Weight − Initial Weight ) ÷ Days

🐖 Feed Conversion Ratio (FCR)

FCR = Feed Intake ÷ Weight Gain

Lower = better

🐄 Livestock Units (LU)

  • Dairy cow = 1.0 LU
  • Suckler = 0.8–1.0 LU
  • Cattle 1–2 yrs = 0.6 LU
  • Ewe = 0.15–0.2 LU

🔪 Kill-Out %

Kill-out % = ( Carcass Weight ÷ Live Weight ) × 100

Typical: 50–55%

🥛 Milk Composition

  • Water → 87%
  • Fat → 3.5–4.5%
  • Protein → 3.2–3.6%
  • Lactose → 4.5–5%

📉 SCC & TBC

  • SCC target → < 200,000
  • TBC target → < 30,000

🦷 Dental Formula

Ruminant:

0/4, 0/0, 3/3, 3/3

Pig:

3/3, 1/1, 4/4, 3/3

🔤 STRAND 6 – KEY ABBREVIATIONS

  • SOM – Soil Organic Matter
  • SOC – Soil Organic Carbon
  • DM – Dry Matter
  • DMD – Dry Matter Digestibility
  • CEC – Cation Exchange Capacity
  • LU – Livestock Unit
  • ADG – Average Daily Gain
  • FCR – Feed Conversion Ratio
  • BOD – Biological Oxygen Demand
  • SCC – Somatic Cell Count
  • TBC – Total Bacterial Count
  • EBI – Economic Breeding Index
  • AI – Artificial Insemination
  • BCS – Body Condition Score
  • DAFM – Dept. of Agriculture

Science Masters – Kale Revision Map

Soil requirements

  • Deep, well-drained, fertile soil.
  • pH close to neutral (around 6.0–7.0).
  • Avoid very stony or waterlogged fields.
  • Rotate with non-brassicas to reduce club root.

Sowing time & establishment

  • Usually sown in late spring–early summer.
  • Seedbed: fine, firm, weed-free tilth.
  • Roll after sowing for good seed–soil contact.
  • Good establishment = uniform leafy crop.

Seed rate, spacing & depth

  • Use certified seed of suitable variety.
  • Seed rate chosen to give a dense leafy canopy.
  • Shallow sowing in firm seedbed (a few cm deep).
  • Row and plant spacing chosen to suit grazing or zero-grazing system.

Fertiliser requirements

  • Apply P & K based on soil test index.
  • N applied in splits to drive leafy growth.
  • Sulphur often included with N on light soils.
  • Keep within Nitrates regulations and farm nutrient plan.

Weed & pest control

  • Control annual weeds early (before canopy closes).
  • Watch for flea beetle, aphids & caterpillars.
  • Club root risk ↑ if brassicas grown too often.
  • Crop rotation is key to reducing club root build-up.

Kale

High-yield winter forage
for cattle & sheep

Harvest time & utilisation

  • Used mainly as a winter forage crop.
  • Strip-grazed in situ with electric fence.
  • Can be zero-grazed and carted to yard.
  • Provide back-fence and access to dry lie-back area.

Dry matter & yield

  • Typical DM yield: ~8–10 t DM/ha.
  • Fresh yield: ~60–65 t/ha.
  • High-energy, leafy forage when well-managed.
  • Quality depends on variety, soil fertility & grazing timing.

Grazing management

  • Introduce stock gradually to avoid digestive upsets.
  • Always offer roughage (hay / silage / straw).
  • Use long narrow strips to reduce poaching.
  • Provide mineral supplementation where needed.

Health & safety hazards

  • Risk of bloat, acidosis & nitrate poisoning if change is too rapid.
  • Poached, muddy fields can injure stock & damage soil.
  • Monitor stock for iodine, copper & selenium issues.
  • Good fencing and safe access needed for people & machinery.

Advantages & disadvantages

  • Pros: very high winter yield, flexible grazing, can out-yield grass.
  • Pros: useful break crop from grass for weed & pest control.
  • Cons: high labour for fencing & stock moves.
  • Cons: poaching & runoff risk if badly managed.

Environmental considerations

  • Keep buffer strips beside watercourses to reduce runoff.
  • Avoid grazing on very wet soils to limit poaching & erosion.
  • Follow Nitrates & water-quality rules for fertiliser & slurry.
  • Include in a wider rotation to help soil structure & biodiversity.