Farming And Agriculture

A tractor is a farming vehicle traditionally used to mechanise agricultural tasks such as tillage. However, the tractor has come a long way since its humble beginning as a steam engine on wheels during the early 19th century. Today, tractors are used for ploughing, tilling and planting fields. Modern tractors can be used for a variety of tasks including routine lawn care, landscape maintenance, moving or spreading fertiliser and clearing bushes.

Whether you own a small farm or would simply like to work on your lawn and garden, you will find that using a tractor will make these chores easier for you. In this article, we discuss the top advantages of using tractors to mechanise your farming, gardening or even excavating tasks.

Wide Range

There is a wide range of tractors available today, each suitable for a specific task. If you need to work on a large garden or an extensive area of field or pasture, a subcompact or compact tractor will fit heavy duty landscaping jobs and tasks like digging, hauling or ploughing. A subcompact tractor is a smaller version of a compact tractor. It has the power and versatility to perform a large range of gardening tasks including mowing, moving mulch and tilling gardens. A compact tractor is a smaller version of the utility tractor and is ideal for landscaping tasks. Subcompact and compact tractors have a horsepower that ranges from 15hp to 40hp.

If you have a small farm and need to mechanise more complex farming tasks, then you will need a utility tractor. Utility tractors come in different models and offer a horsepower that ranges from 45hp to 110hp. Utility tractors are also known as diesel tractors because diesel is typically used to fuel these large tractors. There is also a wide range of farming implements that can be attached to utility tractors to help you accomplish a variety of tough jobs on the farm.

Versatility

Tractors are now designed and manufactured to be versatile so that a single tractor can perform a wide range of tasks. For instance, a compact tractor can accomplish tasks that range from gardening to simple farming jobs. You can also attach implements to a compact tractor such as front loaders or back hoes to perform an even wider range of jobs.

Power and durability

Tractors are also typically designed to run over rough terrain and pull extremely heavy loads. The engine generates a large amount of force to get the tractor to run and perform its tasks, making it effective in tough farming or landscape tasks. Modern tractors also come with cast iron front axles for extra strength and durability, so you can rely on your tractor to perform under tough conditions.

Ease of transmission and operation

You might find a manual transmission on a tractor difficult to use, but features of modern tractors such as powershift transmission and hydrostatic transmission make operation much easier. Powershift transmission facilitates smooth shifting through 8 gears in low range and 8 gears in high range while hydrostatic transmission allows for effortless changes in direction. Modern tractors also provide power steering to make turning much easier. Some more advanced models are also able to reduce operator fatigue with exclusive shift controls and an automatically responsive transmission.

Ease of installing gardening and farming implements

A variety of gardening and farming implements including a front end loader attachment or a back hoe can be installed on to a tractor, so that it can perform a wider range of tasks. A tractor may have three-point hitches and a power take-off or PTO. A three-point hitch attaches an implement, secures it in place and also lifts and lowers the implement. The PTO is a shaft that goes from the tractor to the implement and transfers the tractor's engine power to it. Gardening and farming implements are considered heavy equipment so make sure you have the appropriate knowledge and training before you install and use it.

This article was written by Tom Jerrat for Boya Equipment. Boya Equipment is the leading Kubota and Schaffer Loaders dealership in Perth, Australia. They also provide machines including tractors, loaders, generators, mowers and utility vehicles. Please visit boyaequip.com.au for more information.