Managing waste produced by animals is one of the most common operation carried out by farmers. A well-managed manure is a valuable resource in providing nutrients for crop production. Farmers usually follow manual manure application practices which involves lot of drudgery and physical stress to pulverize as well as to apply in the field. So there is a need to create a medium between the farmers and manure application practices by introducing manure pulverizers and applicators. A manure pulverizer cum applicator helps in managing the waste by simultaneous pulverization and application in the field as basal application. The developed unit consists of a KAU manure pulverizer, feed chute, blower, frame&hitch, 3-way right angle bevel-gearbox and an extension shaft. The actual field capacity and efficiency of manure pulverizer cum applicator was found out to be 0.311 ha h-1 and 86.5 % at a forward speed of 2.0 km h-1, 0.356 ha h-1 and 79.2 % at a forward speed of 2.5 km h-1 and 0.395 ha h-1 and 73.1 % at a forward speed of 3.0 km h-1. Maximum field capacity was noted at a traveling speed of 3.0 km h-1. A larger application rate of 1387.1 kg ha-1 for cow dung, 1624.4 kg ha-1 for goat droppings and 1618.6 kg ha-1 for neem cake was noted at an engine rpm of 2500, forward speed of 2 km h-1 and a field capacity of 0.31 ha h-1. With increasing the forward speed to 2.5 and 3.0 km h-1, field capacity increases but the application rate is decreased.
Key words: Manure, vermicompost, pulverizer, applicator, field capacity, application rate
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