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Mechanisation of Agriculture

Course developer

Course abstract

The aim of the course is to get acquainted with the modern technologies and machinery used in plant growing and animal farming that are applied in production and storage of plant and animal products: soil processing, grain sowing and planting of cultivated plants, primary processing of grain, plant fertilising and plant protection, production of grass forage, harvesting of grain, potatoes, vegetables, flax and hemp, preparation and distribution of animal feed, manure removal and management, milking of cows, ensuring favourable microclimate in farms of different animal breeds and observation of the animal welfare requirements. Farm building solutions depending on the animal breeds.

Learning outcomes and their assessment

After finishing the course in animal farming mechanisation the student will:
1) know the peculiarities of milk production in modern milk cow farms, including the possibilities of application of robotised and automated machinery, solutions of introduction and usage of precise animal farming (management systems),
2) understand the solutions of milk farming modernisation, as well as obtain preliminary knowledge on machinery that is used for animal feed distribution, manure removal and ensuring of the microclimate in modern milk production farms. Six practical works, report and presentation of the work are scheduled,
3) understand the solutions in modernisation of pig farming and poultry breeding; obtain knowledge on machinery that is used in modern pig and poultry housings. Two practical works, report and presentation of the work are scheduled,
4) be able to summarise the latest information, using the journals, booklets and other materials in the branch for developing technological solutions for improvement of farm animal breeding and handling, as well as for different presentations – home work. Test.
After finishing the course in plant growing mechanisation the student will:
1) obtain knowledge on technologies, motor vehicles, machinery, equipment and the purpose of their application – practical work 1, 2 and 3, test 1, 2 and 3,
2) understand the basic principles of plant breeding machinery structure and operation, types of working parts and their application – practical work 4, 5 and 6, test 4, 5 and 6,
3) be able to summarise the latest information, using the journals, booklets, presentations, normative documents and other materials in the branch for developing technological solutions in plant breeding for corresponding cultivated plants – home work.

Course Content(Calendar)

ANIMAL FARMING MECHANISATION
1. Breeding of milk cows, calves and young stock, insuring and improvement of animal housing microclimate in compliance with the welfare requirements for these farm animals – 3 h.
2. Modern technologies and machinery for preparation and distribution of animal feed mixtures for animals of different breeds – 3 h.
3. Modern solutions for farm manure removal, storage and management – 4 h.
4. Up-to-date machinery for milking and milk primary processing – 5 h.
5. Introduction and effective application of precise animal farming – 3 h. Test 1: Modern machinery and technology in milk farming.
6. Latest trends in installation of pig housings and ensuring of pig welfare requirements – 4 h.
7. Modern solutions of feeding pigs with dry and liquid feed – 3 h.
8. Manure removal from up-to-date pig housings and manure storage – 3 h.
9. Latest trends in breeding laying hens and other kinds of poultry: modernised cages, volieres. Up-to-date solutions for poultry watering, feeding, removal of manure, as well as ensuring of favourable microclimate for poultry – 4 h. Test 2: Modern machinery and technology in pig and poultry breeding.

MECHANISATION OF PLANT GROWING
1. Mechanisation of agriculture or technical supply, sources of energy used in agriculture, technologies and pulling machines used in agriculture. Soil cultivation machines. Soil cultivation methods, operating parts of soil cultivation machines, agrotechnical requirements for soil cultivation machines – 6 h. Test 1: Soil cultivation technologies and used machines.
2. Spreading machines. Kinds of sowing seeds, grain and fine seed sowing machines, precision sowing machines, potato and plant planting technologies and machines used, preparation of sowing material.
Plant fertilisation and chemical protection, mineral fertiliser spreaders and sowing machines, organic manure spreading technologies and machines used, field and garden sprayers, spray generators, environment protection requirements – 5 h. Test 2: Spreading machines, their kinds and application.
3. Culmiferous plant harvesting machines. Grass forage, hay, haylage, silage, machines and equipment for preparation, mowers, rakes, press wrapping machines, choppers, pick-up balers, labour safety and protection of field fauna. Grain production technologies and technical means, grain harvesting Technologies and harvesters, grain primary processing technologies, grain drying and cleaning, usage of straw, machines and technological methods of harvesting straw – 5 h. Test 3: Culmiferous plant harvesting technologies and machines used.
4. Grain and fine seed primary processing technologies and machines. Cleaning, drying, sorting and storage of grain and fine seeds, operating parts and operation principles of grain primary processing machines, grain drying and active ventilation, principles and used equipment for grain and other seed storage – 5 h. Test 4: Grain primary processing equipment and machines.
5. Potato production technologies, potato planting machines, machines for potato field cultivation and harvesting, potato sorters, potato storage warehouses and equipment, storage requirements. Oil and fibre plant growing technologies, growing of flax, rape, turnip rape and hemp. Machinery for sowing and field cultivation, harvesting technologies and machinery used, vegetable harvesting machines and primary processing equipment – 6 h.
Test 5: Potato, vegetable, flax and hemp growing, harvesting machines, storage buildings and equipment.
6. Technologies in orchards and berry gardens, machinery and technologies for organising and cultivating orchards and berry gardens, fruit and berry harvesting machinery, buildings and equipment for fruit and berry storage, orchard and berry garden protection measures from unfavourable natural phenomena (frosts, hail, birds) – 5 h.

Test 6: Fruit and berry cultivation and harvesting machines.

Requirements for awarding credit points

Automatic pass, if all tests have got the average assessment not less than „8”. All scheduled tasks are finished and successfully defended.

Description of the organization and tasks of students’ independent work

Preparing for tests the literature sources used in lectures and practical works should be studied, consulting the teacher of the study course.

Criteria for Evaluating Learning Outcomes

Assessment of the study course depends on the cumulative assessment of the examination task and study course tests.
Students can have a successful grade for the test and examination, if at least 50% of the test questions are answered correctly.
Examination grade is calculated as the mean average of the average results of the tests passed in the animal farming and plant growing mechanisation sections.

Compulsory reading

1. Dairy Farming Handbook. DeLaval. 2012. 305p. Ir LLU FB 1 eks.
2. Guide to good dairy farming practice. Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations, International Dairy Federation. Rome: Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations, 2011. 36 p.
Pieejams: http://www.fao.org/3/ba0027e/ba0027e00.htm
3. Banks S., Skinner J.L. The Complete Handbook of Poultry-keeping. Van Nostrand Reinhold Company, 1979. ISBN 0442233825, 9780442233822
4. Gadd J. Modern Pig Production Technology A Practical Guide to Profit. Nottingham University Press, 2011. ISBN 1907284478, 9781907284472
5. Agricultural automation: fundamentals and practices. Edited by Q. Zhang, F. J. Pierce. Boca Raton: CRC Press, Taylor & Francis Group, 2013. 397 p. ISBN 9781439880579.
6. Precision agriculture technology for crop farming. Edited by Qin Zhang. Boca Raton [u.c.]: CRC Press 1 tiešsaistes resurss (13 datnes, 368 lapas) : grafiki, ilustrācijas, tabulas. ISBN 9781482251081 (PDF).E-grāmata [tiešsaiste] [ skatīts 02.10.2019.] Pieejams:
https://www.taylorfrancis.com/books/9780429159688
7. Emerging Technologies in Agricultural Engineering. Edited By Megh R. Goyal. 1st Edition. New York: Apple Academic Press, 2017. 426 p. DOI https://doi.org/10.1201/9781315366364
[tiešsaiste] [ skatīts 02.10.2019.] Pieejams: https://www.taylorfrancis.com/books/e/9781315366364
First Published 2017
eBook Published 1 September 2017
Pub. location
Imprint
Pages 426 pages
eBook ISBN 9781315366364
SubjectsEnvironment & Agriculture
8. Agricultural Automation Fundamentals and Practices
Edited by Q. Zhang, F. J. Pierce. 1st Edition Boca Raton: CRC Press, 2013. 411 p. DOI https://doi.org/10.1201/b13962
[tiešsaiste] [ skatīts 02.10.2019.] Pieejams:
https://www.taylorfrancis.com/books/9780429112171
First Published 2013
eBook Published 19 April 2016
Pub. location
Imprint
Pages 411 pages
eBook ISBN 9780429112171
SubjectsEarth Sciences, Engineering & Technology, Environment & Agriculture
9. Soil-Specific Farming. Precision Agriculture. Edited by R. Lal, B.A. Stewart. 1st Edition. Boca Raton: CRC Press, 2015. 431 p. DOI https://doi.org/10.1201/b18759
[tiešsaiste] [ skatīts 02.10.2019.] Pieejams:
https://www.taylorfrancis.com/books/9780429172496
First Published 2015
eBook Published 20 August 2015
Pub. location
Imprint
Pages 431 pages
eBook ISBN 9780429172496
SubjectsEarth Sciences, Environment & Agriculture, Environment and Sustainability

Further reading

1. Ahmad L., Mahdi S. S. Satellite Farming: an Information and Technology Based Agriculture. Latief Ahmad, Syed Sheraz Mahdi. Cham: Springer Nature Switzerland, 2018 190 p.
2. Phocaides A. Handbook on pressurized irrigation techniques. A. Phocaides. Food and Agriculture organization of the United Nations. 2nd ed. Rome: FAO, 2007. 268 p. : il., tab. ; 22 cm.
Pilns teksts: ftp://ftp.fao.org/docrep/fao/010/a1336e/a1336e.pdf
3. Handbook of farm, dairy, and food machinery. Edited by M. Kutz. Norwich, NY: William Andrew Publishing, 2007. 732 p. : il. ; 26 cm. ISBN 9780815515388
4. Handbook of precision agriculture: principles and applications. A. Srinivasan, editor. Bringhamton, NY: Food Products Press, 2006. 683 p. : il., tab., kartes ; 23 cm. ISBN 9781560229544 (alk. paper)

Periodicals and other sources

1. https://www.sufisa.eu/
2.https://www.goataid.com/guide-for-starting-commercial-goat-farming-business/
3. https://www.eurofins.com/agro/sectors/sheep-farming/
4. Aktuālie nozares normatīvie dokumenti

Notes

Compulsory course for the Faculty of Agriculture academic bachelor study programme „Sustainable Agriculture” students