Meaning of Farm Tools And Equipment
Farm tools and equipment are groups or sets of farm devices that are used in carrying out farming operations on the farm. The terms farm tools and equipment encompass different tools and materials used in achieving particular farming objectives.
According to the West Africa Examination (2017), equipment used in poultry includes wheelbarrows, spades, syringes, drinkers, candles, shovels, egg trays, hand incubators, buckets, brooms, and so on.
From the above illustration, you can see farm tools like shovels, wheelbarrows, and buckets, farm machines like incubators and debeakers, and items like brooms, hydroponic syringes, and mash boxes.
These sets of tools used in performing different farming activities on the farm are called equipment, while A tool refers to a particular device used on the farm to perform specific activities. This equipment could be simple farm tools, farm machinery, and farm implements.
Farmers use multiple kinds of farm tools and equipment to perform different operations on the farm. Regardless of the equipment and machines available on the farm, these tools and equipment are needed for major and minor farming operations.
Farm tools and equipment are crucial devices used in developed and developing countries and have become major devices used in performing the majority of farming activities.
Some of this equipment is very vital to small farm-holders, operating a small fraction of land, due to inadequate resources, and due to the inability to afford sophisticated implements.
While others are crucial to commercial or large farmers due to the ability to cover large areas of land within a short time, reduce drudgery in farming, release labour to other areas of production, and increase yield.
These farm tools and equipment are of great concern in the agricultural system due to their immense contribution to boosting production, and animal rearing.
In the agricultural production value chain, these farm tools and equipment are necessary at every stage of production, from site selection, land preparation, maintenance, harvesting, and marketing, these tools are required for performing different farm activities on the farm.
Every stakeholder in the agriculture industry such as Commercial farmers’ subsistence, livestock farmer’s gardeners, and farm implement engineers can use these tools for tilling the soil, planting seeds, loosening farm implements, harvesting, and carrying farm produce.
Materials for Farm Tools and Equipment Production
Some of the materials used for the production of farm tools and equipment in agriculture: are
- Metal: This is one of the most important materials used in the production or manufacturing of farm tools and equipment. The blades and handles of many farm tools are made of metal. Due to the properties of metal such as the ability to conduct electricity, conduct heat, ductile, malleable, and easily polished, or fractured, shows a lustrous appearance. In the industries or local blacksmiths, metal can be melted and fabricated into different shapes and sizes, which are often used in the production of agricultural equipment.
- Steel: many farm tools and equipment used in agriculture nowadays are made of steel. They are stainless and have the ability to withstand rust or corrosion. These types of farm tools are manufactured from iron and carbon with high qualities. Tools and equipment made from steel are highly resistant to fracture and possess great strength to withstand rough uses. They are highly attractive and low-cost and are used for making the blade and handle, or sometimes whole tools (i.e. the blade, handle, and the general body)
- Plastic: This is another material used for making farm tools and equipment. Tools such as plastic egg trays, plastic bows, knapsack sprayers, plastic fruit baskets, plastic fruit racks, handles of farm tools, and equipment such as hydroponic syringes, and handgloves are made of plastic, etc. These farm tools and equipment are produced either from synthetic or semi-synthetic and natural rubber of various polymers. The characteristics of rubber make it possible to be molded into various shapes. Plastic farm tools and equipment are very suitable for the on-farm or in the farmstead because of the ease of maintenance and does not habour pests and diseases.
- Wood: many farm tools and equipment used on the farm, and in the farmstead are made of wooden materials. They are designed with beautiful ergonomic wooden handles. Hardwoods are specially cut and carved to fit into the handles of different farm tools. Locally made farm equipment like wooden feeding troughs, folders, and other Do It Yourself (DIY) farm equipment. Wooden handles of farm tools and equipment are very popular on most farms because they are durable, repairability, and easy to maintain.
- Ceramics: these are modern materials used particularly for making handles, trays, pots, and other farm tools and equipment. They are materials made from treated clay. Farm tools made of ceramic are very easy to maintain and do not habour pests and disease but can easily be broken when not handled with care.
Difference Between Farm Tools and Equipment in Agriculture.
The noticeable differences between the farm tools and equipment are:
| S/no | tools | Equipment |
| 1 | They are hand-operated | They can be hand, electrical, or mechanically operated. E.g. incubator, |
| 2 | They can be used without or without special attachments. | They require special attachments, mounted, hitched, added, and pulled before they can be used. |
| 3 | Tools could be used in performing specific farming operation | They are sets or collections of tools used in performing different farming activities on the farm. |
Difference Between Farm Tools and Equipment
The noticeable differences between the farm tools and implements are:
| S/no | Farm tools | implement |
| 1 | They are hand-operated | They are tractor or harvester-mounted or operated |
| 2 | They can be used without special attachments or mounted | They require special attachments, mounted, hitched, added, and pulled before they can be used. |
| 3 | They are used most by subsistence farmers | They are majorly used by commercial farmers |
| 4 | The outputs from this type of tool are usually very low | The output from implements is usually very high |
| 5 | The small areas can be covered per unit area | A large area can be covered per unit area |
| 6 | It can easily lead to tiredness | It does not lead to tiredness |
| 7 | It does not require special skills to operate | It requires special skills or technical know-how to operate |
| 8 | It does not require special skill or technical know-how to service or repair | It requires special skill or technical know-how to service or repair |
| 9 | It is not expensive to purchase | It is very expensive to purchase |
Different Types of Farm Tools and Equipment
The different types of farm tools and equipment used in agriculture are
Storing Farm Tools and Equipment
These are collections of devices used in storing and preserving farm produce until they are required or already for sale. Farm produce requires adequate storage to prevent spoilage.
Storage of farm produce is very vital in agriculture because it helps farmers to make profits since crops are preserved till off seasons when the price of agricultural produce is high, to preserve the nutritional value of crops, increase the quality of agricultural produce, prevent crops from attack of pest and disease such bacteria, mold, and other contaminants, and reduce post-harvest losses.
Some storage equipment are sturdy, airtight containers, and perforated containers for free flow of air, Examples of storage tools and equipment in agriculture are Basins, Buckets, Gallons, Drums, Baskets, Tanks, Sacks, Silos, Sellable bags, Polythene bags, Refrigerator, Storages boxes, storage containers.
| S/no | Tools and equipment | Uses |
| 1 | Basin | Use for carrying and storage of liquid and solid produce |
| 2 | Bucket | Uses of the storage of water and other liquid farm produce |
| 3 | Gallon | It is used for storing oil palm, ground oil, and other agrochemicals such as herbicides, liquid fertilizers, and cleaning agents. |
| 4 | Drum | It is used for storing water, oil palm, ground oil, and other agrochemicals |
| 5 | Basket | It is used for storing fruits, such as tomatoes, apples, peppers, etc. |
| 6 | Tank | It is used for storing water, oil palm, vegetable oil, and other agrochemicals in large quantities. |
| 7 | Sack | It is used for storing grains such as rice, beans, groundnuts, and animal feeds. |
| 8 | silos | The silos are used for storing cowpea, Bambara nut, maize, soybeans, etc. |
| 9 | Sellable bags | It is used for storing grains such as maize, soybean, cowpea, etc |
| 10 | Refrigerator | It is used for storing fresh farm produce such as meat, fish, fruits |
| 11 | Polythene bags | It is used for storing animal feeds and grains such as rice, maize |
| 12 | Storages boxes | It is used to store animals’ feed and grains |
| 13 | cribs | It is an excellent facility used to store maize. |
| 14 | Wheelbarrow | Use for carrying farm produce from processing unit to stage units |
Poultry Farm Tools and Equipment
These are sets of tools or devices used for protecting, supplying, feeding, and maintaining poultry birds and their surroundings. Poultry operations such as hatching, brooding, housing, feeding, cleaning, and maintaining poultry farms require the use of various tools and equipment to keep birds in healthy status.
Every poultry farm whether commercial or small poultry farm, requires the use of this equipment for effective management practices. However, the uses of tools and equipment depend on the nature of production, and the financial deposition of the farmers.
Examples of poultry farm tools and equipment are debeakers, Nest boxes, Weighing balances, Perches / Roost, Rakes, Sprinklers, Sprayer Incubators, Brooders, bird Cages, Egg Crates, Feeders and Drinkers, hydroponic syringes, (Vaccination Equipment), Debeaking Machine, heater, etc.
| S/no | Tools and equipment | Uses |
| 1 | Incubator | For fertilizing and hatching pouty birds |
| 2 | Weighing scale | Use to determine the weight of birds and feeds |
| 3 | debeaker | Use reduce the beak of poultry birds to prevent cannibalism |
| 4 | Sprayer | Use for fumigating poultry houses and the surroundings. |
| 5 | Wheelbarrow | Use for carrying water, poultry feed, and other materials. |
| 6 | Shovel/spade | Use for packing poultry dung and feeds. |
| 7 | Rake | For leveling poultry bedding like sawdust, dry grass in the deep litter system. |
| 8 | Brooders, | For nursing birds until they have developed wind that provides sufficient heat |
| 9 | hydroponic syringe, (Vaccination Equipment) | Use for vaccinating chicks |
| 10 | heater | Use supplying heat to birds |
| 11 | Cages | Uses housing or carrying birds from one place to another |
| 12 | Feeders and Drinkers | Use to provide water and feeds for birds |
| 13 | Hand gloves | Use for protecting farmers from infection |
| 14 | rain boots | To prevent the spread of disease in the poultry |
Farm Tools and Equipment in Crop Production
These are groups of devices used for land preparation, cultivation, maintenance, harvesting, and processing of farm produce on the farm.
Agronomic practices such as planting, weeding, spraying, and harvesting require the use of various equipment are tools and equipment to ensure adequate growth and productivity of crops.
Crops require adequate maintenance. Examples of poultry farm tools and equipment are cutlass, spade, shovel, Rake, knapsack Sprayer, wheelbarrow, sickle, sharpening file, mallet, mattock, etc. Read 20 farm tools and their uses
Harvesting Equipment
These tools are designed to harvest crops on the farm. These tools and equipment are designed according to various sizes, patterns and the type of crop to be harvested.
Some of these tools are designed for harvesting easy to easy-to-reach crops, while others are constructed to harvest hard-to-reach crops on the farm. They have special features like comb-like structures and prongs to harvest crops of various types.
This equipment has helped reduce the difficulty associated with harvesting and reduce injuries to crops and fruits. Examples of harvesting tools and equipment are fruit pickers, berry pickers, cutlasses, spades, fruit rakes, fruit baskets, basins, fruit racks, wheelbarrows, sickles, pick axes, etc.
Read harvesting Tools and Their Uses
Spraying Equipment
These are tools and equipment used for applying liquid substances such as herbicides, fertilizers, pesticides, and agrochemicals to plant during the crop to ensure optimal growth and development.
These equipment are very crucial in agricultural industries for spraying water, weed killers, fertilizers applications, pests, and disease control and maintenance.
Different types of equipment and tools are used while spraying agrochemicals on crops and animals: knapsack sprayer,
Watering Can, bucket, gallons, wheelbarrow, cover all, rain boot, Google
| s/no | Spraying tools and equipment | Uses spraying equipment |
| 1 | knapsack sprayer | Use for spraying agrochemicals such as herbicides, fertilizers, irrigation, pesticides, fungicides, etc. |
| 2 | Watering Can | Used for spraying water and other agrochemicals such as herbicides, fertilizers, irrigation, pesticides, fungicides, etc. |
| 3 | bucket, | Use for carrying water for spraying |
| 4 | gallons | Use for storing water for spraying |
| 5 | wheelbarrow | Use for spraying agrochemicals such as herbicides, fertilizers, irrigation, pesticides, fungicides, etc. |
| 6 | cover all, | Use to protect the body from contact with dangerous agrochemicals |
| 7 | rain boot | Use to protect the legs from contact with dangerous agrochemicals and dangerous reptiles and objects while spraying |
| 8 | Eye Google | Use to protect the eye from having contact with dangerous agrochemicals |
Dairy Farm Tools And Equipment
These are sets or collections of tools and equipment used for production, and maintenance of dairy animals. Examples of dairy animals in agriculture are cattle, goats, and sheep. These animals are domesticated on the farm for the purpose of extracting milk.
These farm animals require special tools and equipment for optimal performance. These tools are needed for harvesting feeding, extracting, and preserving milk. Different types of equipment and tools are used on the farm for domestication, extraction, and preservation of milk.
Examples of diary tools and equipment are milking machines, buckets, gallons, wheelbarrows, hand gloves, pasteurizers, milk containers, and buckets, Cattle fodder trucks, fodder chaff cutters, tractors, milk chiller tanks, Ropes, chains, milk analyzers, refrigerators, Fodder Harvester, milk cooler, electricity generator.
| S/no | Dairy Equipment | Uses |
| 1 | milking machines | It is used to extract milk from a cow and other dairy animals |
| 2 | bucket, | It is used for storing and carrying extracted milk |
| 3 | gallons, | It is used for storing and carrying extracted milk |
| 4 | wheelbarrow | It is used for transporting and carrying extracted milk |
| 5 | hand glove | It is used to protect milk from farmer contamination |
| 6 | tractors, | It is used to treat milk so reduce harmful microorganisms for consumption |
| 7 | milk chiller tanks | It is used to store harvested milk to maintain the quality of the milk |
| 8 | pasteurizers | It is used to treat milk so reduce harmful microorganisms for consumption |
| 9 | milk containers | It is Used to store extracted milk |
| 10 | fodder chaff cutters, | It is used to cut straw, hay, forage, and folder into smaller pieces for feeding dairy animals |
| 11 | Ropes | Use to restrain dairy animals during the process of milk extraction |
| 12 | chains | Use to store fresh milk for a short period of time |
| 13 | refrigerator | It is used to empower the milking machine |
| 14 | Fodder Harvester | It is used for harvesting forage or fodder for feeding dairy animals |
| 15 | Electricity generator. | It is used to empower the milking machine |