Farm Machinery And Implements SS1 Agricultural Science Lesson Note

FARM MACHINERY

Farm machinery includes various types of machines and implements used on the farm. These include ploughs, harrows, cultivators, ridger planter, harvesters, sheller dryers, sprayers, and incubators.

1. Tractor: It is a powerful and expensive multipurpose motor vehicle used for lifting or pulling farm implements.

Important Parts Of The Tractor 

i. The power takeoff shaft (P.T.O) shaft used in drawing farm implements e.g. plough, harrow etc.

ii. The hydraulic control system which lifts mounted implements under the control.

iii. Internal combustion engine which uses diesel or petrol without a spark plug.

iv. It has four-wheel rubber tyres.

Functions Of Tractors 

i. For transportation of farm input and outputs when the trailer is attached.

ii. It operates water pumps for irrigation or other farm purposes.

iii. Lifting couples implemented by the hydraulic system.

iv. Pulling of farm implements attached.

v. Till the soil with the appropriate implements attached.

vi. Planting seeds when you coupled with a planter.

vii. Spraying seedlings when coupled with the sprayer.

viii. Provision of electric power.

ix. Harvesting crops when coupled with harvesters.

x. Can be used for mowing a lawn with mowers.

Daily Maintenance Of Tractors 

i. Remove trash and mud after every operation.

ii. Check water level and top if necessary.

iii. Check tyres pressure daily before every operation.

iv. Check electrolyte the of battery every day and top when necessary.

v. Adhere strictly to manual or manufacturer instructions.

Periodic Maintenance Of Tractors 

i. Tractors should be serviced at regular intervals.

ii. Worn-out parts should be replaced.

iii. Nuts, screws should be checked and tightened regularly.

iv. Replace worn-output parts.

v. Adhere strictly to manuals.

vi. Routine and regular changing of the engine oil.

vii. The air filter should be cleared when necessary.

viii. The oil filter should be changed during each service.

2. Bulldozers: They are powerful tractors and expensive machines with a broad steel blade or sheet at the front. It has that type of metal chain used for its movement, and it has an internal combustion engine which uses petrol or diesel.

Uses/Functions Of Bulldozer

i. Bulldozer is used for clearing bushes.

ii. Used for felling trees and stumps.

iii. Used for levelling the ground.

iv. Used for constructing roads in rural areas.

v. It is used for moving and collecting the earth.

Disadvantages Of Using Bulldozer For Land Preparation 

i. It destroys the structure of the soil.

ii. It leads to a reduction of soil fertility.

iii. It causes compaction of the soil.

iv. It causes air pollution.

v. It is costly

    3. Tree Pullers: They are machines such as tractors or bulldozers. They are usually used to remove trees instead of bulldozers.

Advantages Of Using Tree Pullers Over Bulldozers

i. Tree puller does not compress the soil.

ii. It does not remove the fertile topsoil.

iii. The land is less prone to erosion.

iv. The organic matter content of the soil is retained.

v. It leads to a non-destruction of soil structure.

vi. It uproots the tree without mineral disturbance of the soil.

  4. Shellers: These are machines operated electrically, mechanically or manually. Shellers are used to separate the seeds from the husk or cob. They are used for removing the hard outer covering of nuts and grains.

   5. Dryers: These are farm machines used to reduce the moisture content of crop and animal products.

  6. Incubators: These are machines which are used for hatching fertilized eggs artificially.

  7. Milking Machine: This machine is used for milking or extracting fresh milk mechanically from the udder of cattle and milk-producing in animals like sheep and goats.

Tractor Coupled Implements

These are implements which are coupled or attached tractor to enable them to perform their work. They are also called intermediate farm machinery. Examples are ploughs, harrows, ridgers, planters, cultivators harvest sprayer, mower balers, fertilizer applicators and harvesters.

1. The Plough: This is a primary tillage implement which is attached to a tractor. It is the first implement required in land preparation.

Types Of Plough

i. Disc plough

ii. Mold broad plough

2. Harrows: These are secondary tillage implements which are reused to break up the clods of soil formed after ploughing.

3. Spring Tine Cultivator : It is a type of harrow and a secondary tillage implement used for land preparation.

Functions Of Spring Tine Cultivator 

i. It breaks down the soil clod or lump after ploughing.

ii. It is the removal of weeds from the soil surface.

iii. It helps in dragging roots stones one of the soil.

iv. It helps to stir soil without turning it over.

4.Ridges: It is a secondary tillage implement used for land preparation, it is used at the harrow and before the planter. The two types are furrow ridges and mold ridges

5.Planters: These are machines or implements designed primarily to plant seeds of crops such as cowpeaspea, cotton and cereals.

Types Of Planters

i. Broadcast crop planter

ii. Row crop planter

iii. Precession planter

iv. Grain drill planter

6.Harvesters: These are machine implements designed primarily to facilitate the process of harvesting various crops.

Types Of Harvesters

i. Mower

ii. Forage harvesters

iii. Combine harvesters

7. Sprayers: These are types of equipment designed to spray certain chemicals in various farm operations.

Types Of Sprayers

i. Knapsack (Pneumatic Sprayer)

ii. Tractor-mounted sprayer

iii. Helicopter-mounted sprayer

Functions Of Sprayers

i. It can be used to control the growth of weeds.

ii. It can be used to control the effects of pests.

iii. It can be used to spray disinfectant.

iv. It can be used for light irrigation.

v. It can be used to spray liquid fertilizer.

ASSIGNMENT

1. State five precautions to take while using sprayers
2. List five maintenance of spraying
3. List three types of planter
4. State three functions of tractors
5. List three types of harvesters
6. Draw the knapsack sprayer and state the functions of the label parts.