Thursday October 17, 2013

Day 11..

Practical sessions back on so it was off into the workshop first thing. We started off by sticking labels on to what we thought were the right places of a tractor engine diagram. I didn't know them all yet as I haven't quite got there in my assignment! But I was able to name a few and then explain what I thought they did or what their functions were, there were a lot more bits and pieces to the engine than I thought there would be, but the more we do this section the more I hope to remember.

We then saw an old cam shaft part and a pistern and Andy explained how these worked together and explained the 4 stroke engine procedure; intake, compression, explosion, exhaust (or put another way; suck, squeeze, bang, blow!)

We were then let loose on a tractor! Whereby we learnt about the three point linkage system, how to assemble and disassemble again, in the correct order. The tractor must be lined up square and as well as keeping an eye on the centre line up, the left link arm is also a guide to line up correctly with the implement - this is because that is the fixed arm and cannot be altered later!. Once lined up, you connect the left (fixed arm) first, followed by the right link arm (with can independently be adjusted), then connect the top link arm to the tractor and implement - using either a linchpin or an r clip fastening. Then away you go!

Remember, always put the tractor in neutral if someone is about to connect things up behind! Oh connect the hydraulic hoses should your implement require so!

Pm lessons were livestock lectures and today we were discussing shepherding before moving on to feeding different cattle on silage, from how it's made and stored to how much to feed and when. We then covered a bit on notifiable diseases - and why we need to notify certain authorities when an animal gets a particular disease. The defra website is a useful place to get more on this subject as there are quite a lot of applicable criteria.

Interestingly, FMD (foot and mouth disease) isn't actually a fatal disease and the cow can recover (although it will probably loose condition and have poor milk production for the rest of its life), therefore the reason for culling is largely due to the economical impact of the virus spreading further and further and devastating more farms and farmers, and subsequently having an impact on import and exported meat as well as general market trading as a country as a whole! Food for thought..