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FARM MACHINERY AND IMPLEMENTS

FARM MACHINERY

Farm machinery includes various types of machines and implements used on the farm. These include tractors, ploughs, harrows, cultivators, ridgers, planters, harvesters, shellers, 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

  1. The power take-off shaft (P.T.O.) shaft used in drawing farm implements, e.g. plough, harrow, etc.
  2. The hydraulic control system lifts mounted implements under control.
  3. An internal combustion engine which uses diesel or petrol without a spark plug.
  4. It has four rubber tyres.

FUNCTIONS OF TRACTORS

  1. For transportation of farm inputs and outputs when the trailer is attached.
  2. It operates water pumps for irrigation or other farm purposes.
  3. Lifting of couples is implemented by the hydraulic system.
  4. Pulling of farm implement attached.
  5. Tilling the soil with an appropriate implement attached.
  6. Planting seeds when coupled with a planter.
  7. Spraying seedlings when coupled with a sprayer.
  8. Provision of electric power.
  9. Harvesting crops when coupled with harvesters.
  10. It can be used for mowing the lawn with a mower.

DAILY MAINTENANCE OF TRACTORS

  1. Remove trash and mud after every operation.
  2. Check the water level and top if necessary.
  3. Check tyre pressure daily before operation.
  4. Check the electrolyte of the battery every day and top when necessary.
  5. Adhere strictly to the manual or the manufacturer’s instructions.

 

EVALUATION

  1. What is farm machinery?
  2. List five functions of tractors.

 

PERIODIC MAINTENANCE OF TRACTOR

  1. The tractor should be serviced at regular intervals.
  2. Worn-out tyres should be replaced.
  3. Nuts, screws or shield should be checked and tightened regularly.
  4. Replace worn-out parts.
  5. Adhere strictly to manuals.
  6. Routine and regular changing of the engine oil.
  7. The air filter should be cleared when necessary.
  8. The oil filter should be changed during each service.

 

  1. BULLDOZERS: They are powerful tractors and expensive machines with a broad steel blade or sheet at the front. It has track-type metal chains used for its movement, it has an internal combustion engine which uses petrol or diesel.

 

USES/FUNCTIONS OF BULLDOZER

  1. A bulldozer is used for clearing bushes.
  2. Used for felling trees and stumps.
  3. Used for levelling the ground.
  4. Used for constructing roads in rural areas.
  5. It is used for moving and collecting the earth.

 

DISADVANTAGES OF USING A BULLDOZER FOR LAND PREPARATION

  1. It destroys the structure of the soil.
  2. It leads to a reduction of soil fertility.
  3. It leads to a reduction in soil fertility.
  4. It causes compaction of the soil.
  5. It causes air pollution.
  6. It is costly.
  7. It can cause soil erosion and waterlogging.

 

  1. TREE PULLERS: They are machines such as tractors or bulldozers. They are usually used to remove trees instead of bulldozers.

EVALUATION

  1. List three periodic maintenance of a tractor.
  2. List five disadvantages of using bulldozers in bush clearing.

ADVANTAGES OF USING TREE PULLERS OVER BULLDOZERS

  1. The tree puller does not compress the soil.
  2. It does not remove the fertile topsoil.
  3. Land is less prone to erosion.
  4. The organic matter content of the soil is retained.
  5. It leads to the non-destruction of soil structure.
  6. It uproots the tree with mineral disturbance of the soil.

 

  1. 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.
  1. DRYERS: These are farm machines used to reduce the moisture content of crop and animal products.
  1. INCUBATORS: These are machines which are used for hatching fertilised eggs artificially.
  1. MILKING MACHINE: This machine is used for milking or extracting fresh milk mechanically from the udder of cattle and other milk-producing animals like sheep and goat.

EVALUATION

  1. List three advantages of using tree pullers over bulldozers.
  2. State the functions of shellers, dryers and incubators.

TRACTOR COUPLED IMPLEMENTS

These are implements which are coupled or attached to a tractor to enable it to perform its work. They are also called intermediate farm machinery. Examples are ploughs, harrows, ridgers, planters, cultivators, harvesters, sprayers, mowers, balers, fertiliser 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

  1. Disc plough
  2. Mould broad plough

ACTIVITY:

Draw and list all the parts of both disc plough and mould board plough, and state the functions of all the parts in your notes.

  1. HARROWS

These are secondary tillage implements which are used to break up the clods of soil formed after ploughing.

  1. SPRING TINE CULTIVATOR

It is a type of harrow and a secondary tillage implement used for land preparation.

FUNCTIONS OF SPRING TINE CULTIVATOR

  1. It breaks down the soil clod or lump after ploughing.
  2. It aids the removal of weeds from the soil surface.
  3. It helps in dragging roots and stones out of the soil.
  4. It helps to stir the soil without turning it over.

 

  1. RIDGERS

It is a secondary tillage implement used for land preparation, it is used after a harrow and before a planter. The two types are disc ridgers and mould board ridgers.

  1. PLANTERS

These are machines or implements designed primarily to plant seeds of crops such as cowpea, cotton and cereals.

TYPES OF PLANTERS

  1. Broadcast crop planter
  2. Row crop planter
  3. Precision planter
  4. Grain drill planter

 

  1. HARVESTERS

These are machines or implements designed primarily to facilitate the process of harvesting various crops.

TYPES OF HARVESTERS

  1. Mower
  2. Forage harvesters
  3. Combine harvesters

 

  1. SPRAYERS

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

TYPES OF SPRAYERS

  1. Knapsack (Pneumatic Sprayer)
  2. Tractor-mounted sprayer
  3. Helicopter-mounted sprayer

FUNCTIONS OF SPRAYERS

  1. It can be used to control the growth of weeds.
  2. It can be used to control the effects of pest.
  3. It can be used to spray disinfectant.
  4. It can be used for light irrigation.
  5. It can be used to spray liquid fertiliser.

ACTIVITY

Draw the knapsack sprayer and state the functions of the label parts.

GENERAL EVALUATION

  1. State five precautions to take while using sprayers
  2. List five maintenance of sprayings
  3. List three types of planters
  4. State three functions of tractors
  5. List three types of harvesters

WEEKEND ASSIGNMENT

  1. The most useful farm machinery among these is _____ (a) tractor, (b) bulldozer, (c) tree puller, (d) mower
  2. The part of the tractor which is used for lifting the implement is _____ (a) PTO shaft

(b) hydraulic system (c) top shaft (d) combustion engine

  1. The machines used for removing seeds from the husk are called ____ (a) shellers

(b) mowers (c) tractor (d) bulldozer

  1. The machines which are used for hatching eggs are ______ (a) incubator (b) mower

(c) milking machine (d) candle

  1. Which of these is not a tractor-coupled implement? (a) plough (b) harrow (c) ridger (d) emasculator

SECTION B

  1. (a) List five daily maintenance of a tractor.

(b)        List five periodic maintenance of the tractor.

  1. (a) What is farm machinery?

(b)        List five uses of the tractor.

See also

FACTORS OF SOIL FORMATION

SOIL

AGRICULTURAL INSURANCE

AGRICULTURAL FINANCING

ARTIFICIAL INSEMINATION

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