Farm Structures, Machinery and Equipment
Farm structures, machinery and equipment includes livestock housing, stores, fences, dips, windbreaks, tractors and implements. The exam tests selection, maintenance, calibration, work rates and safety. A structure should suit the enterprise, climate and budget; a machine should be matched to the tractor and job.
Core rules
Animal houses need ventilation, dry bedding, drainage and protection from predators. Grain stores must be dry, sealed against insects and rodents, and ventilated. Fences divide camps and support rotational grazing. Implements include ploughs, harrows, planters, sprayers and trailers. Maintenance includes cleaning, lubrication, checking belts, tyres, hoses and safety guards. Calibrate sprayers and planters before use.
Worked example
A plough has a working width of 1.2 m and is pulled at 5 km/h with 80% field efficiency. Calculate the effective field capacity. Reasoning: theoretical capacity = width × speed ÷ 10 = 1.2 × 5 ÷ 10 = 0.60 ha/h. Effective capacity = 0.60 × 0.80 = 0.48 ha/h. The factor 10 converts metres and kilometres per hour to hectares per hour. Field efficiency accounts for turns, refuelling and adjustments.
Traps that cost marks
Do not mix metres with centimetres or hours with minutes. Do not use theoretical capacity as actual output. Do not operate a PTO shaft without guards, and never leave a tractor running unattended.