AREN 308: Agricultural Machinery Technology

The performance and design characteristics of crop establishment, protection, harvesting and handling equipment, the selection of suitable machinery to meet the performance requirements of various agricultural operations. Tillage: Objectives of tillage, primary and secondary tillage equipment (plows, harrows, etc). Ploughs - Functions of the ploughs, principle of operation of the plough, types of ploughs, setting and adjustments of ploughs, calculating draught requirement for ploughs; Cultivators and Harrows - Types of cultivators, functions of the cultivators principle of operation of cultivators; Ridgers  - Types of ridgers, principles of operation of ridgers. Planters and seed drills; methods of seed establishment, functions of a seeder, seed metering devices. Fertilizer distribution/broadcasters, Husbandry equipment: Field sprayers/dusters: Types of sprayers (hydro-pneumatic, mist blower etc). Factors affecting sprayer performance.  Harvesting equipment: Harvesting methods, combine harvesters of grains, tubers and fruits (basic operations, working principles, and combine losses).

Equipment for Livestock - Milking systems an mechanisms, principle of operation, Hatchery equipment: setters and hatchers; egg handling - layout of setters, puckers etc.