भा.कृ.अनु.प.- भारतीय चरागाह एवं चारा अनुसंधान संस्थान, झाँसी

Machines for Forage Production, Processing and Conservation

• 1. Grass Seed Pelleting Machine: A grass seed pelleting machine (capacity: 60 kg/h) has been developed to enhance the germination potential of small and light grass seeds in unfertile lands, grasslands, forest areas and ravines. The machine mixes and layers naked seeds with soil to produce uniform pellets (5–10 mm diameter; 2–4 g weight) containing 3–5 seeds each. An optimal mix of 60–80 g true seeds per 10 kg soil achieved 90–94% germination.
• 2. Forage Seed Coating Machine: A forage seed coating machine with a capacity of 6 q/h and 97% coating efficiency was developed for uniform application of polymer-based chemical agents on seed surfaces. The technology reduces labour by 91%, lowers chemical use and ensures uniform coating quality.
• 3. Defluffing Machine: A defluffing machine was developed to efficiently separate true seeds from fluffy grass seeds, significantly reducing labour requirements. The machine operates at 5–8 kg/h capacity, 88–92% efficiency and 15–22% true seed recovery, saving 76% process cost and 90% transportation cost compared to manual methods.
• 4. Evaporative-Cooled Hydroponic Structure: A climate-smart evaporative-cooled hydroponic chamber was developed for year-round green fodder production under resource-limited and harsh conditions. The system maintains 27.5–29.7 °C temperature, 74–84% RH and 78.3% cooling efficiency.
• 5. Smoke Water Machine: A smoke water (SW) machine was developed to harness bioactive compounds from grass smoke for use in improving seed germination. It can produce 70 L smoke water per hour from 10 kg of grasses, providing a sustainable input for plant research and seed treatment applications.
• 6. Total Mixed Ration (TMR) for Goats: A balanced Total Mixed Ration (TMR) was formulated for goats to improve intake, digestibility and growth performance. The feed (density: 280 kg/m³; particle size: 2–5 mm) is nutritionally balanced and suitable for long-term storage and transport. Feeding trials showed 69% dry matter digestibility and 78 g/day average body weight gain in TMR-fed goats compared to 66% digestibility and 51 g/day gain in control groups.
• 7. Tractor-Operated Grass Seed Harvester: In collaboration with ICAR-CIAE, Bhopal, a tractor-operated grass seed harvester was developed at IGFRI, Jhansi. It efficiently harvests seeds of Dinanath, Cenchrus and Guinea grass, reducing manual labour. The machine has a capacity of 2–2.5 kg/day (for Cenchrus grass), and a patent has been granted recognising its novelty.
• 8. Solar-Operated Multipurpose Machine: A solar-powered multipurpose machine was developed for spraying and tilling operations. It operates with two 12V, 18Ah batteries and a 50W solar panel for continuous charging. The field capacity was 0.75 ha/h for spraying and 0.09 ha/h for tilling, offering an eco-friendly and energy-efficient solution for small-scale farmers.
• 9. Animal-Drawn Shed Scraper: An animal-drawn shed scraper was developed for efficient cleaning of animal sheds, capable of removing dung, straw and feed residues. The prototype demonstrated 0.08 ha/h field capacity at 89% efficiency, saving 2–3 labourers per cleaning operation.
• 10. BN Hybrid Forage Harvester: A BN Hybrid Forage Harvester was developed for single-row harvesting of hard-stem forage crops. The machine operates at 0.20–0.25 ha/h field capacity with a working width of 0.80 m, offering efficient mechanized harvesting of dense forage crops.
• 11. Animal Feed-Making Machine: An animal feed-making machine was developed for the preparation of Total Mixed Ration (TMR), consisting of mixing, compression and bagging units. The system has a capacity of 4 q/h and can pack 26 bags/hour, each weighing 15 kg, enabling efficient and continuous feed processing.