Agriculture & Land UseQ&A by dot point

The roles of NIEA and DARD, how farmers can minimise their impact and improve biodiversity, hedging plant species, the meaning of priority species with named examples, conservation through sustainable agriculture, and the role of ASSIs and AONBs.

The terms habitat, ecosystem, biodiversity, abiotic and biotic factors, the main Northern Ireland habitats, studying one habitat by measuring abiotic factors and sampling biodiversity, and how species are adapted to survive there.

How energy is used on a farm, the meaning of biomass, the suitability of renewable energy sources such as wind, water, sun and energy crops, ways farmers can reduce their carbon footprint, and the impact of climate change on farming.

The importance of the agri-food industry to the Northern Ireland economy, the range of careers in the agri-food and land use sectors, the skills and qualifications needed for them, and the need for ongoing training in the industry.

The cause, symptoms, prevention and treatment of mastitis, fluke, pneumonia and salmonella, the effect and economic impact of tuberculosis and brucellosis, how their spread is limited, and the meaning of farm biosecurity.

The key parts of the ruminant, monogastric and avian digestive tracts, the meaning of dry matter intake, how food sources meet dietary requirements, the difference between maintenance and production rations, and how nutritional needs vary.

The five basic freedoms of farm animals, and the five vital signs used to assess the general health of an animal, including interest in food, alertness, skin and coat condition, urine colour and mucous membrane colour.

Gestation periods and fertilisation methods (natural, AI and embryo transfer) in cows, sheep and pigs, the value of colostrum and the lactation curve, lighting and egg production with egg structure, typical yields, and selective breeding, breeds and rare breeds.

The key factors affecting crop yield such as weather, soils, crop rotation, pests and diseases, the meaning of genetically modified crops, the advantages and disadvantages of widespread GM crop use, and the purpose of a seasonal crop management plan.

The most common crops grown in Northern Ireland, the identification of named grasses, weeds and crops, the need for continuous research into crop quality, and how the time of year and grass maturity affect nutritional value.

The production of one common farm crop from site selection through to distribution, the main costs at each phase, the main types of farm machinery used, and the differences organic methods would make to that crop.

The process of silage-making on Northern Ireland farms, assessing silage quality using colour, smell and moisture, using oven drying to find percentage dry matter, and estimating grass yields with a rising plate meter or herbage samples.

The terms income, cost and profit and how to calculate profit margins, the principal costs of an animal production system, farm support schemes such as NIFQA and the Countryside Management Scheme, the adoption of technology, and farm diversification.

How to approach animals and carry out routine health checks safely, the safe storage, use and withdrawal periods of agrichemicals and medicines, the dangers of slurry and machinery, and the key features of a risk assessment.

Consumer food choices and demand and their influence on farm production, the difference between intensive and extensive farming including organic methods, and how products are processed, preserved and transported from farm to supermarket shelf.

The main sources of farm pollution, the Nitrates Directive and Nitrate Vulnerable Zones, eutrophication using Lough Neagh, how farmers reduce pollution including technology, water quality using BOD and indicator species, and energy from anaerobic digestion.

The four components of soil, the physical characteristics of clay, sand, peat and loam, the factors and profiles behind Northern Ireland's soils, how particle size controls drainage, and how soil pH affects the crops that will grow.

The parts of a flower and their functions, the differences between wind-pollinated and insect-pollinated flowers, the process of pollination and fertilisation, and the role of bees and the impact of their decline.

The word equation for photosynthesis and how to investigate the effect of light and chlorophyll on it, the importance of photosynthesis and rainforests for life on Earth, and the annual, biennial and perennial life cycles with examples.

The conditions needed for germination, the process of germination including the radicle, plumule, root hairs and cotyledons, and the functions of the root, stem and leaves related to plant structure.

Protected cultivation using glasshouses and polytunnels and its economic importance, the factors that can be controlled in a greenhouse, the advantages and disadvantages of hydroponics for world food production, and the environmental and economic benefits of composting.

The roles of nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium in plant growth, how an NPK fertiliser bag is labelled, the nitrogen cycle including fixation, nitrification and denitrification, and the issue of keeping soil nutrient-rich under intensive arable farming.