Results from the Scottish Survey of Agricultural Production Methods, 2010

The Survey of Agricultural Production Methods (SAPM) formed part of the 2010 EU Farm Structure Survey and recorded details of farming practices across Scotland. This was the first occasion that the SAPM had been carried out in Scotland and, consequently, time series data are not available. The data will be used to inform the development of EU and national policies on agriculture and the environment.


4. Tables

Table 1: Area of arable land cultivated in the past twelve months using various tillage methods

Hectares Percentage of tillage Number of holdings Hectares per holding
Inversion tillage 457,125.9 88.9 8,589 53.2
Conservation tillage 57,221.2 11.1 1,471 38.9
Total 514,347.1
9,150 56.2

Note: Sum of sub-categories do not equal total holdings figure as holdings may employ more than one method of tillage. Excludes glasshouse crops and permanent crops and permanent grass.

Table 2: Area of sown or cultivable land over winter 2009/10 by soil cover method

Hectares Percentage of cultivable land Number of holdings Hectares per holding
Autumn/ winter crops 205,501.2 44.4 3,875 53.0
Cover/ intermediate crop 9,845.7 2.1 620 15.9
Plant residues or stubble 178,565.4 38.6 5,688 31.4
Bare soil 69,131.7 14.9 1,919 36.0
Total 463,044.0
8,211 56.4

Note: Sum of sub-categories do not equal base figure as holdings may employ more than one method of soil cover. Sum of percentages may not equal 100 due to rounding. Excludes glasshouse crops and permanent crops and permanent grass

Table 3: Distribution of holdings by percentage of arable land taken out of general crop rotation

Number of holdings Percentage of holdings
Zero 12,400 79.5
0-25% of arable area 2,314 14.8
25-50% of arable area 371 2.4
50-75% of arable area 235 1.5
75-100% of arable area 275 1.8
Total 15,595

Note: Excludes glasshouse crops and permanent crops and permanent grass

Table 4: Holdings applying manure by percentage of agricultural area

Number of holdings Percentage of holdings
0% of agricultural area 21,569 64.9
0-25% of agricultural area 7,575 22.8
25-50% of agricultural area 2,453 7.4
50-75% of agricultural area 933 2.8
75-100% of agricultural area 714 2.1
Total 33,244

Note: The total number of holdings in tables 9 and 10 do not agree due to rounding following weighting.

Table 5: Holdings applying slurry by percentage of agricultural area

Number of holdings Percentage of holdings
0% of agricultural area 28,821 86.7
0-25% of agricultural area 1,860 5.6
25-50% of agricultural area 1,239 3.7
50-75% of agricultural area 609 1.8
75-100% of agricultural area 714 2.1
Total 33,243

Note: Sum of percentages may not equal 100 due to rounding. The total number of holdings in tables 9 and 10 do not agree due to rounding following weighting.

Table 6: Holdings ploughing in manure within four hours by percentage of agricultural area

Number of holdings Percentage of holdings
0% of agricultural area 31,546 94.9
0-25% of agricultural area 1,433 4.3
25-50% of agricultural area 185 0.6
50-75% of agricultural area 50 0.2
75-100% of agricultural area 29 0.1
Total 33,243

Note: Sum of percentages may not equal 100 due to rounding.

Table 7: Holdings ploughing in or injecting slurry within four hours by percentage of agricultural area

Number of holdings Percentage of holdings
0% of agricultural area 32,865 98.9
0-25% of agricultural area 263 0.8
25-50% of agricultural area 86 0.3
50-75% of agricultural area 19 0.06
75-100% of agricultural area 10 0.03
Total 33,243

Note: Sum of percentages may not equal 100 due to rounding.

Table 8: Manure and slurry storage (including covered storage)

All holdings with storage …of which are covered
Number of holdings Percentage of all holdings Number of holdings As a percentage of holdings with storage
Storage for solid dung 7,762 23.1 816 10.5
Storage facilities for slurry… in a tank 4,016 3,665 11.9 10.9 2,170 54.0
in a lagoon 702 2.1
Total 9,129 27.1 2,745 30.1

Note: Sum of sub-categories do not equal base figure as holdings may employ more than one form of storage

Table 9: Number of holdings exporting manure by percentage of manure exported

Number of holdings Percentage of holdings
0% manure exported 20,651 94.3
0-25% manure exported 331 1.5
25-50% manure exported 161 0.7
50-75% manure exported 211 1.0
75-100% manure exported 538 2.5
Total 21,892

Table 10: Irrigated area (in last twelve months) by type of crop irrigated

Area irrigated (hectares) Percentage of irrigated area
Potatoes 6,222.7 74.1
Vegetables, melons, strawberries 1,269.5 15.1
Fruit & berry 136.7 1.6
Other 770.6 9.2
Total 8,399.5

Base: 501 holdings

Table 11: Holdings by source of irrigation water

Number of holdings Percentage of holdings
On-farm ground water 124 24.8
On-farm surface water 110 22.0
Off-farm surface water 313 62.5
Off-farm water from water supply networks 11 2.2
Other 39 7.8
Total 501

Base: 501 holdings

Note: Sum of sub-categories do not equal base figure as holdings may utilise more than one source of irrigation. Sum of percentages may not equal 100 due to rounding.

Table 12: Method and volume of irrigation

Method of irrigation (number of holdings)
surface irrigation - flooding and/or furrows 140
surface sprinkler 361
Volume of water used (1,000 m3) 14,133

Table 13: Percentage of holdings establishing or maintaining landscape features

Number of holdings Percentage of all holdings
Features established Hedges 2,806 8.3
Tree lines 3,235 9.6
Stone walls 1,422 4.2
Existing features maintained Hedges 12,722 37.8
Tree lines 4,844 14.4
Stone walls 10,375 30.8

Base: 33,636 holdings

Table 14: Grazing activity in the twelve months up to March 2010

Livestock numbers Area grazed Average months of grazing
Cattle only 842,827 372,919 7.5
Sheep only 1,781,581 602,366 9.9
Cattle and sheep 5,904,233 2,031,979
Total 8,528,641 3,007,264

Base: 24,929 holdings

Table 15: Cattle housing places by housing type

Places Percentage of places Number of holdings Places per holding
Tied byre with solid manure 28,324 1.9 1,146 24.7
Straw yards with solid manure 857,864 57.1 9,551 89.8
Slurry system (e.g. cubicle systems with scraped passages, Orkney sloped floors) 566,752 37.7 3,920 144.6
Other housing 49,935 3.3 1,603 31.2
Total 1,502,875
12,022 122.9

Note: Sum of sub-categories do not equal base figure as holdings may employ more than one form of housing. Cattle aged 6 months or less are excluded

Table 16: Pig housing places by housing type

Places Percentage of places Number of holdings Places per holding
Partially slatted floors 35,100 8.6 53 662.3
Fully slatted or perforated floors 114,924 28.0 83 1,384.6
Straw yards 207,338 50.5 508 408.1
Other housing 52,863 12.9 770 68.7
Total 410,225
1,189 345

Note: Sum of sub-categories do not equal base figure as holdings may employ more than one form of housing

Table 17: Poultry housing places by housing type

Places Percentage of places Number of holdings Places per holding
Deep litter housing 1,289,704 19.0 104 12,401
Cages, of which have… manure belt or scraper 3,229,095 47.4 107 65 37,187 49,678
deep pit 749,917 11.0 45 16,665
Other housing (e.g. free range, barns, percheries) 1,536,846 22.6 3,128 491
Total 6,805,562 3,326 2,046

Note: Sum of sub-categories do not equal base figure as holdings may employ more than one form of housing. Cage figures include both enriched cage systems and those types now banned.

Contact

Email: Graeme Kerr

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