Glossary – Meat in a green world
Acidification – is the process of becoming acidic or being converted into an acid (a pH below
7), e.g. acid rain.
Abiotic resource – extracted scarce minerals and fossil fuels
Ammonia – a colourless, pungent gas which both naturally occurs in the environment and can
be man-made. It is used in a wide variety of man-made products including refrigeration and
chemical fertilisers. It is also a constituent of livestock manures of value when absorbed by the
soil and available as a plant food, or a pollutant if released when manures are exposed to air.
Anerobic digestion – is where the biological process occurs in which organic matter (animal
excrement and vegetable waste) is degraded and produces bio-gas (predominantly methane),
which is a renewable energy source and a sludge used as fertiliser. The organic matter is
partially degraded by the combined action of several types of micro-organisms. The succession
of biological reactions (without oxygen) leads to the formation of the bio-gas energy and
sludge. This helps livestock farmers, for example, to manage methane and carbon dioxide
emissions from livestock.
Biotics – are living factors in the environment. These include plants, animals, fungi and
bacteria.
Carbon dioxide – is a colourless, odourless, incombustible gas formed during respiration,
combustion and organic decomposition. It is used in refrigeration, carbonated beverages, fire
extinguishers and aerosol. The chemical formula for carbon dioxide is CO2.
Climate change – is a long-term change in the Earth’s weather patterns over extended periods
of time. These changes may be limited to a specific region, or may occur across the globe.
Chlorofluorocarbon - are various halocarbon compounds consisting of carbon, hydrogen,
chlorine and fluorine once used widely as aerosol propellants, plastic foam and refrigerants.
The production and use of chlorofluorocarbons is restricted because when released into the
atmosphere, they contribute to the destruction of the ozone gas.
Eutrophication – where water bodies (e.g. lakes, estuaries or slow moving steams) receive
additional amounts of nutrients which stimulate excessive plant life, thereby depleting the
dissolved oxygen content of the water. This also can affect the balance of ecology resulting in
some species becoming dominant at the expense of others. The additional nutrition may come
from sources such as nitrites, phosphates and ammonia from fertilisers applied to agricultural
fields, golf courses; erosion of soil containing nutrients and sewage treatment plant discharges.
Forage crops –are grass and legume plant species which are grown specifically for livestock to
graze upon or conserved for hay or silage. In addition, forage crops can play an important role
in maintaining ground cover, preventing erosion, accumulating nitrogen in the soil and
improving land condition.
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Disease resistance – the capacity of an organisms to defend itself, or resist, against pathological
processes or agents of those processes. This may be naturally occurring or be a result of genetic
breeding to enhance the plant or animal’s ability to resist specific diseases.
Deforestation – is where trees are cut or cleared away from forests. The cleared land is often
converted to other land uses, e.g. farms or urban use. Deforestation occurs for a number of
reasons including the sale of trees to be used for fuel or to create room for alternative landuse.
Global warming - the gradual increase in the temperature of the earth's atmosphere and
oceans, which is thought to be due to increasing concentrations of greenhouse gases and other
pollutants (the greenhouse effect), which may result in changes in climate. Also see
greenhouse gases.
Global warming potential (GWP) - is a relative measure of how much heat a greenhouse gas
traps in the atmosphere. This can help to measure the total contribution of greenhouse gases
to global warming resulting. It is measured by comparing the emission of one unit of a gas
relative to one unit of carbon dioxide (the reference gas which is assigned the value 1).
Sustainable development – is a pattern of resource use which meets the needs of the present
without compromising the needs of the future. It considers the balance of different competing
needs against environmental, social and economic limitations.
Green house gases– are gases in the atmosphere that absorb and emit radiation with the
thermal infrared range. These include methane, chlorofluorocarbon and carbon dioxide. The
gases act as a shield which traps solar radiation in the earth’s atmosphere. The resulting
greenhouse gas effect is thought to contribute to global warming. Also see global warming.
Life cycle analysis (LCA) - is the investigation and evaluation to determine the environmental
impact of a product, system or technology. The stages of LCA include goal scoping, inventory
compilation, life cycle impact assessment and improvement assessment. The process of analysis
aims to reduce the impact of pollutants on the environment. Also see pollutants.
Permanent grassland - also referred to as pasture is grassland which is cleared and maintained,
often for at least five years by farmers. Permanent pasture is widely used in sheep and beef
farms and often contains a diverse mix of plants in the fields, not just grass.
Pollutants – waste matter than contaminates the water, air, soil or other natural resources
rendering these unsuitable for a specific purpose. A pollutant may cause long- or shot-term
damage.
Pollination – is the process by which pollen is transferred in the reproduction of plants, thereby
enabling fertilisation and sexual reproduction of plants. This occurs when plant pollen is
transferred from the male reproductive organs to the female reproductive organs to form
seeds. The process can be facilitated by insects, e.g. bees, butterflies, moths or wasps.
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Rotational grass - grass is sown in fields by farmers every few years as part of an arable crop
rotation. Rotational grass is often found on mixed arable or cattle/livestock farms.
Rough grazing – is where farm animals graze on unmanaged or uncultivated grass and other
vegetation growing on mountain slopes, moorlands and heaths. The grass is not treated with
fertilisers and grows in spite of poor drainage and steep slopes. This is commonly found in
upland areas of the country, where the land cannot be used for other purposes. Rough grazing
can provide an adequate diet for animals, but they may require a different, higher quality diet
to increase their weight before slaughter.
Rumen fermentation – rumen is the first division of the stomach of a ruminant animal (animals
with a four stomach compartments), in which most food collects immediately after being
swallowed and from which it is later returned to the mouth as cud for thorough chewing. The
mechanical process breaks the larger particles of food to increase the surface area for
microbial action. The rumen contains a large number of different micro-organisms which
breakdown coarse vegetation ingested by the animals.
Methane emissions – Methane is an odourless, colourless, flammable gas. It is classed as a
greenhouse gas as it can be carried to the stratosphere by rising air and has the potential to
trap substantial amounts of heat, which can result in global warming. Methane is emitted from
many natural sources including oceans as well as human activities, e.g. farming livestock.
Slurry – a semiliquid mixture or thin liquid with an insoluble substance, such as manure or clay.
In the context of farming, slurry will consist of animal excreta and urine, organic matter and
water. Farmers clean down areas of animal sheds and yards and can collect the mixture into
one area. The slurry can be pumped onto crops and pastures as a natural fertiliser.
Sustainable development –meeting the needs of the present generation without compromising
the ability of future generations to meet their needs. This requires a balance between
expanding economic opportunity, reducing hunger and poverty, whilst preserving the planet.
Waste management – the collection, transport, processing, recycling or disposal and
monitoring of waste materials. It encompasses the management of all processing and
resources for proper handling of waste materials. Types of waste includes solid, gaseous, liquid
or hazardous.
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