Farming Equipment Research Articles

Identifying Topics and Dissemination Methods for Agricultural Safety and Health Messages

As farm demographics change, it is important to create relatable, research-based safety and health materials, and deliver information via preferable methods. Three data collection methods (focus groups, surveys via National Agricultural Statistics Service, and face-to-face interviews) were administered to farmers in seven Midwestern states. Farmers were coded as retired, organic, residential/lifestyle, limited resource (<$249 K gross annual income), or large resource (>$250 K gross annual income). Issues addressed hazard perceptions, injury prevention measures, resource preferences and delivery, and preferred communication channels. Findings indicated that gender, age, and farming operation influence Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) use and communication preferences. Retired farmers and those with a higher percentage of income from farming are more likely to use radio as a communication medium. Research results will inform the creation of web-based, customizable educational materials for use by safety and health professionals and the public. Audio Public Service Announcements (PSAs) were recorded to reach farmers who indicated a preference for radio.

Wine vessels (Vasa vinaria) in roman law

The notion of 'wine vessels' in Roman law comprises all the winecontaining recipients. There is no legal standardization of wine vessels by means of volume, and although the terms amphora, urna and culleus are used to designate both the vessels and the units of measure, these are two different meanings of the terms. In regard of the question, whether the vessels make appurtenance of the wine, jurisprudents of proculean school divided them in two categories. In the first category are those that follow legal status of wine, usually amphoras and other jars (cadi) which are used for 'packaging', i. e. 'bottling' of the wine. The second category make mostly vats (cuppae) and ceramic cisterns (dolia), which don't follow legal status of wine, making instead part of farming equipment of a landed property (instrumentum fundi) and it's appurtenance. But, the roman jurists are not consistent regarding criteria for distinguishing these two categories.

The Australian Sugar Industry Museum

Steam, fire and hard yakka created the successful sugar cane industry!<br />There is more to the sweet tropical grass than the addictive sweet taste, however, and there is more to the Australian Sugar Museum, on the corner of the Bruce Highway and Peregrine Street, Mourilyan, south of Innisfail in far north Queensland, than a collection of old farming equipment.<br />Within its celebration of the sugar industry and the workers whose sweat watered the cane fields, there is an ongoing celebration of learning and art that is affecting not only Queensland but Australia as a whole.

FOOT AND MOUTH DISEASE AS A ZOONOTIC EMERGING DISEASE OF LIVESTOCK WITH SPECIAL REFERENCE TO ITS PUBLIC HEALTH HAZARDS IN EGYPT (A REVIEW ARTICLE)

FMD (Foot-and-mouth disease) or hoof-and-mouth disease (Aphtae epizooticae) is an infectious and sometimes fatal (contagious) viral disease that affects cloven-hoofed animals including domestic and wild bovids. The virus causes a high fever for two or three days followed by blisters inside the mouth and on the feet that may rupture and cause lameness. Foot-and-mouth disease virus (FMDV) is one of the most contagious viruses of animals and is recognized as the most important constraint to international trade in animals and animal products (Kwatra, et al. 1999). Foot-and-mouth disease is a severe plague for animal farming since it is highly infectious and can be spread by infected animals through aerosols through contact with contaminated farming equipment, vehicles, clothing or feed and by domestic and wild predators (Martinez-Salas, et al. (2008). Two fundamental problems remain to be understood before more effective control measures can be put in place. These problems are the FMDV (carrier state) and the short duration of immunity after vaccination which contrasts with prolonged immunity after natural infection (Hutber, et al. 1998). Its containment demands considerable efforts in vaccination, strict monitoring, trade restrictions and quarantines and occasionally the elimination of millions of animals. Susceptible animals include cattle, water buffalo, sheep, goats, pigs, antelope, deer, and bison. It has also been known to infect hedgehogs, elephants, llama, and alpaca may develop mild symptoms, but are resistant to the disease and do not pass it on to others of the same species (Murugavel and Veerapandian 1998). In laboratory experiments, mice and rats and chickens have been

Covered Wagon: Bror Julius Olsson Nordfeldt.

In the bright vignettes of American life and landscape found in examples of earlier work by Bror Julius Olsson Nordfeldt (1878-1955), upbeat colors and assertive shapes animated his compositions. His paintings were centered in feelings generated by a scene, and he expressively conveyed the individuals and objects in modernist terms. Nordfeldt was born in the southern part of Sweden as Bror Julius Olsson, moving with his family to Chicago in 1891. He found work after school with a newspaper published in Swedish, and given his aptitude for drawing he subsequently attended the Art Institute of Chicago, enrolling in 1899. He had the opportunity of assisting a teacher on a mural commission from the Illinois-based McCormick manufacturer of farming equipment for exhibit at the 1900 Paris Exposition. The company sponsored Nordfeldt in traveling to Paris, where he briefly attended the Academie Julien, and he achieved acceptance of his work for exhibition at the Salon des Artistes Francais. Nordfeldt’s developing artistic approach came to include a sense of density and simplification of shape, perhaps in part influenced by the work of Paul Cezanne. He next headed to England to receive training in woodblock printing at the Oxford Extension College at Reading (Coke VD. Nordfeldt the Painter. Albuquerque: University of New Mexico Press; 1972:1-149).

Metrics Proposed To Prevent the Harvest of Leafy Green Crops Exposed to Floodwater Contaminated with Escherichia coli

The California Leafy Green Products Handler Marketing Agreement (LGMA) requires leafy green crops within 9 m of the edge of a flooded field not be harvested due to potential contamination (California Leafy Green Products Handler Marketing Board, Commodity Specific Flood Safety Guidelines for the Production and Harvest of Lettuce and Leafy Greens, 2012). Further, previously flooded soils should not be replanted for 60 days. In this study, the suitability of the LGMA metrics for farms in the Mid-Atlantic region of the United States was evaluated. The upper end of a spinach bed (in Beltsville, MD) established on a -5% grade was flooded with water containing 6 log CFU/ml Escherichia coli to model a worst-case scenario of bacterial movement through soil. Escherichia coli prevalence in soil and on foliar tissue was determined by most probable number (MPN) analysis at distances up to 9 m from the edge of the flood for 63 days. While E. coli was quickly detected at the 9-m distance within 1 day in the spring trial and within 3 days in the fall trial, no E. coli was detected on plants outside the flood zone after 14 days. On day 63 for the two trials, E. coli populations in the flood zone soil were higher in the fall than in the spring. Regression analysis predicted that the time required for a 3-log MPN/g (dry weight) decrease in E. coli populations inside the flood zone was within the 60-day LGMA guideline in the spring but would require 90 days in the fall. Overall, data suggest that the current guidelines should be revised to include considerations of field and weather conditions that may promote bacterial movement and survival. This study tracked the movement of Escherichia coli from floodwater across a horizontal plane of soil and the potential for the contamination of distant leafy green produce. The purpose of this study was to address the validity of the California Leafy Green Products Handler Marketing Agreement recommendations for the harvest of leafy green crops after a flooding event. These recommendations were based on the turning radius of farming equipment but did not take into consideration the potential subsurface movement of pathogens in the water through soil. This research shows that further considerations of field slope, temperature, and additional rainfall events may be necessary to provide appropriate guidelines to prevent the harvest of leafy green crops contaminated by enteric pathogens in floodwaters. This study may be used to provide a framework for comprehensive recommendations to growers for good harvesting practices after a flooding event.

Determinants of crop-livestock integration by small farmers in Benin

Despite the numerous work conducted on integrated crop-livestock systems, very little is known about factors determining farmers’ trend to integrate. Our study aimed at a socioeconomic characterization of endogenous crop-livestock integration in Benin and identification of determinants of farmers’ decision to use these practices. Two hundred and forty farmers were surveyed in three agro- ecological regions randomly selected. A semi-structured questionnaire was used to collect information on farmer’s characteristics, production factors and agriculture and breeding by-products valorization practices. On the basis of main links between both productions, three integration levels (no integration, NI: 36%; partial integration, PI: 55%; total integration, TI: 9%) were identified and characterized according to socioeconomic characteristics of farmers. Then the multinomial logistic regression technique was used to predict the integration level of a given farmer in function of its socioeconomic characteristics. The three integration levels differ significantly (p<0.001) according to variables such as membership in farmers’ association, educational level, weight of agricultural experience, farming equipment and size of herds. The decision by a farmer to choose the total integration type significantly depends (p <0.001) on the size of his cattle herd, his membership in farmers’ association, the weight of his agricultural experience and his equipment value. Thus, integration is a practice used by small farmers with good experience in agriculture. Strategies for improving integration of cropping and breeding are to motivated farmers for cattle keeping and membership in an association.© 2015 International Formulae Group. All rights reserved.Keywords: Animal feeding, integrated soil fertility management, resilience, sustainability

Sorghum as an Indigenous Drought Resistant Crop for Food Security in the North West Province of Cameroon

The paper uses a participatory and case study approach to discuss the importance of sorghum as an indigenous drought resistant crop for food security in the North-West province of Cameroon. It was found that sorghum was experiencing a decline in production due to: the colonial introduction of exotic cash crops, limited cultivation land and tenure insecurity, lack of farming equipment and government financial support to small-scale farmers. It is recommended that the government develop policy strategies to promote the cultivation of indigenous food crops; support the interface between indigenous and modern knowledge systems to improve production; promote indigenous knowledge awareness among government extension officers; support small-scale sorghum farmers, especially women, with modern inputs and equipment, finance and research for information on sorghum production, post-harvest and marketing channels. This will assist them to improve productivity and sustainability of sorghum production.

Determinants of crop diversification amongst agricultural co-operators in Dundwa agricultural camp, Choma district, Zambia

A sound understanding of the socio-economic characteristics of smallholder farmers and how they influence their crop diversification decisions would help policy makers in crafting appropriate measures for promoting crop diversification. The objectives of this study is to assess the degree of crop diversification and the factors influencing crop diversification among the farm households at Dundwa Agricultural Camp of Zambia. The study uses primary data collected from 60 farm households using structured questionnaire during the period October to November 2014. The degree of crop diversification among farm households was measured using the Entropy index. Further, the censored Tobit model was used to examine how the farmers? socioeconomic characteristics influences crop diversification. The mean entropy index is 0.88 and this showsa very high degree of crop diversification among the farmers. The Tobit regression model showed that crop diversification is positively influenced by the gender of head of household, the production of cash crops by the household and household investment in basic farming equipment. On contrary, the age of head of household, total farm size, access to agricultural markets and total area cultivated negatively influenced crop diversification. The study recommends for increased capacity building of female headed households in farm decision-making and promoting household investment in basic farming implements as measures to promoting crop diversification.

Дома инвалидов как средство социальной защиты населения в первые послевоенные годы

In the given article on the basis of archival sources and published literature the author cosiders the functioning of social assistance institutions, their role in organizing assistance in the rehabilitation of disabled people in the early post-war years. Nursing homes provided the people in need with some vital facilities: home, food, clothes, medicine. The need for treatment and psychological support involved having the staff of qualified professionals, but due to very low salaries and rather harsh working conditions many institutions were not staffed with fully qualified general medical workers let alone doctors. The lack of qualified personnel resulted in the poor level of educational work. Nursing homes tried to solve the problems of irregular supply of food and food shortages by means of farming on the premises, but that, too, proved ineffective through lack of farming equipment. The food grown by the disabled, besides its apparent use in the homes’ dining-rooms, was partly given to the government. Moreover, despite the limited abilities, the charges worked in workshops. The study of material and household problems leads to the conclusion that the housing stock of the institutions in the early post-war years was in an extremely decrepit condition. In spite of limited investment it was not uncommon that the funds were not applied efficiently

Anthropometry of male agricultural workers of western India for the design of tools and equipments

Agricultural workers and farmers in India perform most of the agricultural operations manually. Hence, for the design of farm equipments, hand tools and machinery involving human efforts, region specific anthropometric data is needed. A survey was conducted to collect anthropometric dimensions of male agricultural workers in the state of Maharashtra in India in the age group of 18–60 years. Almost 59 body dimensions were selected for the measurement from the recommendations by All India Coordinated Research Project (AICRP) on Human Engineering and Safety in Agriculture (HESA) and requisite by digital human manikin modeling. Total 303 male agricultural workers were selected from 23 districts of Maharashtra by convenience sampling. Repeatability of the measurements was checked by paired samples t test. From the measured dimensions, the values of minimum, maximum, mean, standard deviation (SD), standard error of mean (SEM), coefficient of variation (CV), 5th and 95th percentile values were determined. The results of the survey were compared with results of other regions of India and other countries. Relevance to industryThe anthropometric data of user population is very utile for the design/improvement of farm equipments/implements for agricultural workers in order to reduce drudgery, increase efficiency, safety and comfort.

Formation of the taste of plum fruits under the influence of abiotic factors

The research deals with scientific substantiation of the impact of stressful weather factors on the formation of the taste of plum fruits in conditions of the southern steppe subzone of Ukraine and the development of mathematical models to forecast them. For this, fruits of three varieties of plums: Voloshka, Uhorka Italiis'ka, Stanley were selected. The fruits were gathered from trees, typical of the variety and of the same age. Agricultural background at the experimental site satisfied the requirements of the farming equipment. As a result of the studies, it was found that the average content of total sugars in the fruits of the studied plum varieties was 11.4 %, free acids - 0.65 % and was characterized by strong volatility for years of research, as evidenced by the high coefficients of variation. The main stressful abiotic factor that has the most significant influence on the formation of a mass fraction of sugars and organic acids in plum fruits are weather conditions of the last month of fruit formation, i.e., absolute maximum temperature and precipitation during this period respectively. Using the methods of variation statistics, regression models were developed to predict the content of sugars and free acids, depending on abiotic factors, which are as follows: У=0,00222Х1 – 0,064460Х2+0,75256Х3+0,81939Х4–7,20252 – for sugars and У=0,425513+0,005985 Х1 – for acids. As the regression model to predict the taste of the plum fruits from abiotic factors, the model to predict the content of free acids should be used.

Management of Fusarium wilt of lettuce

Fusarium wilt of lettuce, caused by Fusarium oxysporum f. sp. lactucae, is an important disease affecting lettuce production in many countries throughout the world. The pathogen can be seedborne, which provides a likely mechanism for long distance dispersal. Locally, F. o. lactucae can be moved between fields with contaminated soil on farming equipment. Minimizing opportunities for introduction of the pathogen with soil or seed is an important element of disease management. Once established, the pathogen will be difficult to eradicate, unless soil fumigation is an option. Propagules of F. o. lactucae have a half-life in soil of approximately six months, under fallow conditions. Persistence in soil may be enhanced if crops grown in rotation with lettuce support development of the pathogen. Cauliflower and broccoli appear to present a minor risk in this regard, whereas spinach is more extensively colonized and is therefore a less desirable crop to be grown in rotation with lettuce. Most commonly grown lettuce cultivars are susceptible to Fusarium wilt but some leaf and romaine types are highly resistant. Major gene resistance has been deployed in Japan, where three pathogenic races are known to occur. Symptom development is strongly influenced by ambient temperature, with higher temperatures resulting in more severe disease. For this reason, the risk of disease can be reduced by growing susceptible cultivars only during the cool part of the year.

Impacts of hydrometeorological extremes in the Bohemian-Moravian Highlands in 1706–1889 as derived from taxation records

Taxation records related to tax relief for farmers whose livelihoods were affected by hydrometeorological extremes (HMEs) on seven estates in the Bohemian-Moravian Highlands (Moravia) in the 1706–1889 period are used to study the impacts of HMEs on the socio-economic situation of the farmers. The impacts of HMEs are here classified into agricultural production, material property and the socio-economic situation of individual farmers. Direct impacts took the form of losses of property, supplies and farming equipment, and also of bad yields, depletion of livestock and damage to fields and meadows. Simple lack of income, debt, impoverishment, reduction in livestock and deterioration in field fertility were among the longer-term effects. The impacts are discussed with respect to approaches to mitigation of the negative effects of HMEs and to the problems associated with obtaining support and in terms of a hierarchy of consequent impacts. The paper embodies a methodological approach for analysis of HMEs impacts in South Moravia in the 17th–19th centuries.

Effective Factors on the Generated Transient Voltage in the Wind Farm due to Lightning

According to reports that had been published in many papers, wind turbines (WTs) fault due to lightning is one of the most difficult challenges. Lightning overvoltage lead to malfunction in the wind farm equipments. These improper functioning contain of malfunction electronic equipments and deformation of transformer winding and Surge arrester failures. The travelling waves which are generated due to high ground potential rise under lightning struck turbine cause these problems. To evaluate these cases, it must be performed an accurate analysis on the wave shape and level of the Lightning overvoltage and ground potential rise. This paper investigates the effective factors on the wave shape and level of the overvoltage, GPR and surge arrester burnout. These factors are included impulse Current-second characteristics, position of lightning, inception angle, multiple lightning strokes and chopped current. ATP-EMTP simulation program is applied to analyze the lightning over-voltage of onshore wind farm. This paper provides a practical procedure of lightning protection. DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.11591/telkomnika.v13i1.6844

Development and performance evaluation of a digger for harvesting onion (Allium cepa L.)

Onion harvesting machinery like all other farm equipments has passed through various stages of development. In this study an effort has been made to develop and evaluate the performance of an onion digger. Blade made up of high carbon steel material (EN 45) was the main component having dimensions 143cm × 7cm × 1.5 cm. Depth control wheels were provided to control the depth of cut by blade. Tests were conducted to check the comparative performance of developed onion digger and manual labor in the field. The digger was operated at a speed ranging 3.76 to 4.83 km/h with minimum losses at 4 km/h in first high gear at a field capacity of 0.46 ha/h. The average operational depth of 7.62 cm of the developed digger was suitable with practically no damage to the onion bulbs. The operational time of digger including and excluding the time in turning were 3.10 h/ha and 2.38 h/ha, respectively. Lift percentage, mean digger efficiency and damage percentage were 94.9, 89.8 and 5.1, respectively. It was found that there was 58 per cent and 49 per cent saving of labor and cost, respectively.

Improving ISO 11783 file transfers into mobile farm equipments using on-the-fly data compression

It is considered the bandwidth bottleneck problem arising in ISO 11783 networks of mobile farm equipments when large file transfers are performed. To overcome this problem, a compression protocol called ISOBUSComp allowing the implementation of dynamic (“on the fly”) data compression services for general ISO11783 file transfers is proposed. As a result, transmitting Electronic Control Units are free to choose any data compression technique they wish and receiving Electronic Control Units need not to be aware of such decisions, but just be able to process a suitable Universal Decompression Virtual Machine. Comprehensive simulation studies show that dynamic data compression services built upon the proposed protocol help to reduce bus utilization of ISO 11783 networks between a 28% and a 63%, thus speeding up the time for large file transfers.

Gender factors influencing technical efficiency of cassava farmers in Akwa Ibom State, Nigeria

It is seldom recognized that men and women have different interests in production, access to and use of resources for agricultural production. The resources they use in their production processes are very vital, due to their limited supply and stiff competition for them by many other enterprises, and as such needed to be properly utilized to increase production in asustainable manner. This work was therefore conducted in Akwa Ibom state to examine factors influencing the technical efficiency of farmer groups in cassava production. In carrying out the study, 120 respondents were randomly selected from two agricultural zones in the State and interviewed with interview schedule. Data were analyzed using descriptive and inferential statistics. The results showed that more of the female farmers than the male were in their active and productive ages, had more farming experience while the males were more educated. Labour, fertilizer and capital input had positive and significant effects on the output of the male farmers while farm size, cassava cutting, fertilizer, capital input and otherinput (such as herbicides, poultry manure, depreciated cost of fixed farming equipment such as hoe, knife etc.) had positive and significant effects on that of the females. Membership of cooperative, extension contact, age, and farm size significantly influenced the technical efficiency of the male farmers while land ownership, house hold size, education, farming experience and farm size had significant and positive influence on that of the females. The results further revealed that the farmer groups were not technically efficient in cassava production even though the males were found to be more technically efficient than their female counterparts. Key words: gender, factors, technical efficiency, cassava farmers

The feasibility of multisectoral policy options aimed at reducing trans fats and encouraging its replacement with healthier oils in India.

The World Health Organization recommends replacement of trans fat with polyunsaturated fat to reduce cardiovascular disease risk. Although several high-income countries have been successful in reducing trans fat in the food supply, low- and middle-income countries such as India may face additional contextual challenges such as the large informal sector, lack of consumer awareness, less enforcement capacity and low availability and affordability of healthier unsaturated fats. The objective of this study was to examine the feasibility and acceptability of multisectoral policy options aimed at supporting trans fat reduction and its replacement with polyunsaturated fats in India. Multisectoral policy options examined in this study were identified using food supply chain analysis. Semi-structured interviews (n = 17) were conducted with key informants from agriculture, trade, finance, retail, industry, food standards, non-governmental organizations and the health professions to gain their views on the feasibility and acceptability of the policy options. Purposive sampling was used to identify key informants. Data were coded and organized based on key themes. There was support for policies aimed at improving the quality of seeds, supporting farmer co-operatives and developing affordable farming equipment suited to smallholders to improve the production of healthier oils. Increasing the role of the private sector to improve links among producers, processors and retailers may help to streamline the fats supply chain in India. Blending healthier oils with oils high in saturated fat, which are currently readily available, could help to improve the quality of fat in the short term. Improving consumer awareness through mass media campaigns and improved labelling may help increase consumer demand for healthier products. Reorienting agricultural policies to support production of healthier oils will help increase their uptake by industry. Policy coherence across sectors will be critical to reduce trans fat intakes and could be improved by increasing engagement among researchers, the private sector and government.

Dynamics of Labour Supply and its Absorption in Gujarat Agriculture

The agricultural sector has undergone a perceptible change since the 1990s, and an apparent shortage of labour is observed in rural farms in India as well as in Gujarat. This study aims to examine the district wise temporal changes in agricultural labour supply during 1981 to 2001 by using district level workers' data and growth rates of labour absorption for different crops in Gujarat from 1990-91 to 2009-10 by using time series data on labour used for different crops. The results revealed that the share of agricultural labourers (both male and female) decreased during 2001 as compared to the year 1981 in most of the districts in Gujarat. The male and female workers depending on agricultural labourers increased across districts from the period from 1981 to 2001. It was also found that the growth rates of agricultural labourers had slowed-down during the 1990s. The results also revealed that the labour absorption declined in case of most of the foodgrain crops, while a reverse situation was observed in case of horticultural crops. Encouragement of micro-agricultural enterprises, integration of production practices with the market through value addition and research, and giving extension priority to female labour friendly farm equipments are the major suggestions that emerged from the present study.