FARM MACHINERY AND IMPLEMENTS

Subject:

Agricultural Science

 

Class:

SS 1

 

Term:

Second Term / 2nd Term

 

Week:

Week 8

 

Topic:

FARM MACHINERY AND IMPLEMENTS

 

Previous Knowledge: The pupils have previous knowledge of

 

SIMPLE FARM TOOLS, USES AND MAINTENANCE

 

that was taught in their previous lesson.

 

 

Behavioural  Objectives : At the end of the lesson, learners will be able to

 

 

• Define farm machinery
• Give the classification of farm machinery
• Say the examples of farm machinery
• Describe the uses of these farm machinery

 

 

Instructional Materials 

• Wall charts
• Online Resource
• Textbooks
• Laptop
• Soil samples
• Flash cards
• www.edudelighttutors.com

 

Methods of Teaching 

• Role modelling
• Questions and Answers
• Explanation
• Discussion
• Recitation
• Imitation
• Story Telling
• Dramatization

 

Content: 

Farm machinery are Tractor, Bulldozer, Sheller, Dryers, Incubators. Tractor- coupled implements: Plough, Harrow, Ridgers, Planters, Harvesters, Sprayer.

Definition of Farm Machinery
Farm Machinery refers to complex machine and implement used for carrying out farming operations.

Examples include: tractors, bulldozers, shellers, driers, and incubators.

The most important implement or machines in the farm, which is used for operating many farm implements is the tractor.

Classification of Farm Machines

Farm Machines and implements can be classified into three groups based on the source and generation of power as follows:

(i) Primary Machines: These are the machines that can supply power to other machines and implement for their farming operations. An example is the tractor.

(ii) Secondary Machines: These are tractors coupled or mounted machinery or implement used for different operations. Examples are Ploughs, harrows, ridgers, planters, harvesters, and sprayers.

(iii) Intermediate Machines: These are powered by a tractor, electricity, or an electric generating set. Examples include grinding machines, incubators.

Examples of Farm Machinery Examples of this farm machinery are: 1. Tractor

It is a powerful multi-purpose farm machine capable of using its power to perform various farm operations. It has internal combustion engine with either two or four strokes. It transmits power through the power take-off (PTO) shaft, or by means of a moving belt connecting the tractor to another machine.

A draw bar attached to the tractor is used in coupling other farm implement to it.

Tractors are of different types, namely: (a) Two-wheeled tractor

These are tractors with two wheels, used on small farms and in vegetable gardens. They are operated by a man walking behind them and used mainly for light cultivation.

(b) General-purpose tractor This is the most common type of tractor. It has power rating of between 30 to 60 horse powers. (c) Heavy-wheeled tractors

These are large tractors with rubbers tyres used for heavy work on the farm such as falling of big trees and stumping power rating.

(d) Track-laying tractors

These tractors are sometimes called crawler or bulldozer. They differ from the heavy wheeled tractors in that they move on tracks instead of rubber tyres. They can be used for cleaning very thick bush and falling of trees when equipped with a heavy steel blade.

Description of the Tractor

The tractor is a powerful and expensive multi-purpose motor vehicle used for lifting or pulling farm implements

It is equipped with a governor system

It has a power take off (P.T.O) shaft used in drawing farm implements like ploughs, harrows, harvesters, planters, etc.

It has hydraulic control system which lifts mounted implements under the control of the operator It consists of an internal combustion engine which uses diesel or petrol without spark plugs. It has four wheels with rubber tyres. Popular brands or models of tractors are: David Brown, Massey Ferguson, Ford and Fiat.

 

Uses of a Tractor A tractor is used to pull farm implements like ploughs, harrows, ridgers for land cultivation.

It is used for transporting farm inputs such as chemicals, fertilizers, manure and farm out puts when coupled with a trailer. It can also be used to transport workers within the farm. It can be used to apply herbicides, pesticides and plant seeds. It can also be used to operate a grinder thresher or pump.

It can be connected to an electric motor to generate electricity. 2. Bulldozer

This is a very powerful machine that has an internal combustion engine powered in diesel oil. It has a broad steel blade in front to raise vegetation and other obstacles. It moves on track wheels.

Description of Bulldozers

Bulldozers are powerful tractors and expensive machines with a broad steel blade or sheath at the front

It has track-type metal plate used for its movement It consist of internal combustion engine which uses diesel or petrol

The bulldozers which has track metal chains moves by the aid of driven sprockets, track rollers and idler rollers Uses of Bulldozers

Uses of Bulldozers

It is used for falling big trees It is used for stumping It can be used for levelling and moving of the earth on the farm. It can be used on the farm to construct fish pond. Bulldozer is used in road construction, irrigation and drainage channels. Disadvantages of Using Bulldozer for Land Preparation

It destroy soil structure It lead to reduction of soil fertility

It causes compaction of the soil It can cause air and noise pollution The bulldozer is an expensive machine that can not be afforded by peasant farmers It can cause soil erosion and water logging

Shellers

These are equipment fabricated for removing grains from their cobs or pods at a fast rate. They can be operated manually, mechanically or with electricity. They can be spring or cylinder shape.

Uses of the Sheller

They separate grains from cobs or pods. They can be used to remove hard outer covering of nuts as in groundnuts. It can be used for maize, rice, walnut, coconut and palm kennel.

4. Incubators

This is equipment used by farmers to provide necessary condition to fertilized eggs for hatching. It is electrically. The incubators may be in form of table incubators or cabinet incubators.

Components of Incubators The components of incubators include the following:

Turner which turns eggs at an hour interval. Trolleys or trays for setting eggs.

Thermostat for temperature regulation. The temperature is usually maintained between 37.5°C and 39.5°C Setter: The platform where the eggs stay from the 1st to 18th day of incubation. Hatcher: The platform where the eggs stay from the 19th to 20th day of incubation. Hygrometer to regulate humidity which is usually set at 60%.

Alarms: They alert someone if there is a deviation in the temperature and relative humidity and to indicate end of incubation. Fan/vent: For ventilation. Heater e.g. Lantern, heater or electric heater. It supply heat. Thermometer: To detect the degree of hotness or coldness of the machine Insulator: To prevent heat loss Egg tray: It is used in filling eggs i.e eggs are arranged in it.

5. Dryer

The dryer an electrically operated machine used in drying agricultural products such as tobacco leaves, tanning of leather fruits and grain crops. dryers pump in hot air or heated air which absorbs the moisture in the products to be dried

6. Milking Machine

This is an equipment for milking or extracting fresh milk from the udder of dairy animals like cow nanny goats, and sheep.

Tractor Coupled Implements

Tractor coupled implements are the implement that are usually attracted to the tractor in order to effectively carry out farm operations. These include:

1. Plough

This is a primary tillage or soil cultivation implement used in land preparation. There are two types of plough (a) Mould board plough (b) Disc plough

(a) Mould board plough consists of mould board, share and land slide. It is used in the temperate region where the soil is free of rocks, stones and tough plant roots and where the soil is soft.

FarmMachinery and Implements – Tractor coupled implements – Mould board plough

(b) Disc plough is made up of a beam, furrow wheel, disc, scraper, disc standard, etc. It is used in the tropics where the soil is tough and sticky and there is the presence of stones, rocks and stumps.

FarmMachinery and Implements – Tractor coupled implements – Disc plough

2. Harrow
This is a secondary tillage implement which is used immediately after ploughing. They are used to break soil clods into fine tilt and to drag roots and big stones out of the ground. There are different types of harrow. They include:
(a) Disc harrow: This consists of sets of concave discs. The discs are smaller, move in row and spaced closer unlike disc plough. The most common disc are the tandem discs in which the disc are dragged in four gaps.

(b) Spike tooth harrow: This consists of rigid times which are curved and made of spring steel that absorbs shock. When the shear comes in contact with a stump this type is useful in rocky or stumpy soil.

Spike tooth harrow

(c) Spike tooth Harrow which consists of a number of staggered spikes set perpendicularly to their frame.

(d) Chain harrow comprises of a flexible chain link mat that is pulled behind the tractor. It is useful for weed collection and manure mixing.

(e) Rotating cultivation which is used to break down big sol clods after ploughing. It can also be used for weeding and dragging roots and stones out of the soil.

3. Ridger

This consists of two sets of opposed single discs mounted on a frame. Two discs in each set make two full ridges while the remaining disc makes half a ridge. There are two types:

(a) Disc ridger (b) Mould board ridger Ridger is used to make ridges. It improves soil aeration and water percolation.

4. Planters

These are implements designed for planting of seeds. They are so designed to measure planting distance and depth. There are different types of planter. They include: (a) Broadcasting Planter (b) Drilling planter (c) Precision planter.

(a) Broadcasting Planter scatters the seed about the field randomly. It is used for planting crops like rice, millet, vegetable seeds.

(b) Drilling Planter: This put the correct number of seed into the soil at the required depth and spacing between rows.

(c) Precision Planter: This place the correct number of seeds in a hole, taking into consideration the spacing between and within rows and the planting depth.

5. Harvesters

These are machines used for harvesting various crops like grasses, maize, rice sorghum and soya bean.

The different types of harvesters are:(a) Mower: This is usually mounted on a tractor. It is designed to harvest hay and chop grasses from the lawn.

(b) Forage harvester: This is designed for cutting grasses and chop them either to feed the animals directly or to prepare silage and hay.

(c) Combined harvester: This is a large machine used for harvesting and threshing of grain crops. It also helps to separate grains from chaffs. It is used for harvesting crops like maize, sorghum, rice, and wheat.

(d) Corn Picker: – This is designed to cut off only the mature maize cob or ear within row.

(e) Root crop harvesters: – These are machines used for harvesting root crops like Irish Potato, sweet potatoes, cassava, sugar beet etc.

6. Sprayer

This is a machine designed for the spraying of agro-chemicals on the farm. There are different types of sprayer:

(a) Knapsack sprayer

(b) Tractor-mounted sprayer (c) Helicopter mounted sprayer. (d) Boom Sprayer

Sprayers are used to spray herbicides for controlling weeds. They are also used to spray insecticide or pesticide to eradicate pests.

They can equally be used to spray disinfectants on livestock. Terminologies in Processing

Processing is the activity directed at converting freshly harvested crop into new form for consumption, storage or sales. For example:

Shelling: The removal of maize grains from cobs Dehusking: The removal of maize cob from husk or coconut mesocarp from the husk Hulling: The removal of rice from stalk Winnowing: Separating cereal or legumes from chaff by tossing in the air Threshing: Separating rice grain from panicle or legumes from pod Decorticating: Separation of groundnut seed from pod Ginning: Separation cotton bolls from seeds Peeling: Removal of outer cover of farm produce e.g., yam and cassava. Curing: Partial drying of farm produce eg tobacco to maintain the flavour

Dying: Reducing the moisture content of farm produce.

 

 

 

The topic is presented step by step

Step 1: The class teacher revises the old topic

Step 2: The class teacher introduces the new topic

Step 3: The class teacher allows the pupils to give their own contributions and gives room for pupils” participation

 

Class Teacher and Pupils Activities. Interaction or Participation 

This involves class teacher and pupils’ interaction, conversation, imitation or modeling through discussion, play method or just by recitation or asking and answering questions that are related to the topic that has just been taught.

 

 

 

EVALUATION QUESTIONS

1. Mention five examples of farm machinery

2. Mention four types of tractor

3. State four uses of a tractor

4. State four uses of bulldozer

5. List five major parts of an incubator.

6. Briefly state the uses of the following machinery on the farm (a) Incubator (b) Sheller (c) Milking machine.

7. State four tractor coupled implement and discuss the use of the implements.

8.State four reasons why disc plough is more commonly used than mould board plough in West Africa.

9.State five uses of a tractor List five tractor-coupled implement and one use of each

10.State four reasons why disc plough is commonly used than mould board plough. Describe the components of an incubator

11. Give five reasons why hand tools are more commonly used in agricultural production in Nigeria than tractor based implements.

 

 

Conclusion : 

The class teacher concludes the lesson by giving the pupils some notes on the topic that has just been taught. He goes round to mark and he does the necessary corrections.