by

Alexis T. Belonio, MS, PAE, ASEAN Engineer

Former Associate Professor, College of Agriculture Resources and Environmental Sciences, Central
Philippine University, Iloilo City
Affiliate Professor, College of Engineering, Central Luzon State University
Science City of Munoz, Nueva Ecija

Revised 2015

AGRICULTURAL POWER AND ENERGY SOURCES

 Learning Objectives
• To be familiar with the importance of animal power;
• To enumerate the advantages and disadvantages of animal power;
• To enumerate and describe the different draft animals;
• To enumerate the different factors affecting the performance of
animals;
• To identify the various uses of draft animals in farming;
• To learn how to compute the draft or animal pull given its size and
weight;
• To discuss harnessing animals; and
• To identify the various animal driven equipment used in the farm.
 Topical Outline
• Introduction
• Draft Animals
• Performance Efficiency
• Uses of Draft Animals
• Draft Power Mechanics
• Harnessing Draft Animals
• Equipment for Draft Animals
• References
• Study Questions
• Problem Exercises
 INTRODUCTION
• Animal power has been largely used as source of power for various
farming operations.
• It is accounted for about 20% of agricultural mechanization in developing
countries.
• In Asia, about 80 million draft animals are used to sustain power of about
40 million horsepower. Worldwide, there are still around 400 billion
heads of draft animals providing power for various tasks.
• Reduced energy potential, characteristics, and working ability of animals
are the factors that limit the use of animals for work.
Advantages
• Great reserve power for emergencies and temporary loads.
• Consume feed that is largely produced in the farm.
• Flexible in size of power unit.
• Practically adapted to all draft work.
• Fairly good traction on wet or loose ground.
• Can be produced in the farm.
• Provide a relatively deep, cheap type of power in areas where
there are surplus of both grains and roughages.
Disadvantages
• Require feed and care when not working.
• Work with heavy load limited to short period.
• Require frequent resting period.
• Cannot work efficiently in hot weather.
• Working speed is limited and relatively low.
• Not efficient for stationary work.
• Require a relatively large amount of time for feeding, harnessing,
and care.
 DRAFT ANIMALS
• Draft animals are large domesticated
four-footed animal that are used for
power in agriculture.
• It is also refers to the muscle power of
draft animals used in pulling
agricultural machines.
• Primary draft animals include:
• Oxen
• Water Buffalo
• Horses
• Mule
• Camels
• Donkey
Advantages of Draft Animals
• They can feed themselves.
• They can maintain themselves.
• They can be trained for automatic control.
• They can reproduce by themselves.
 PERFORMANCE EFFICIENCY

• Animal’s performance efficiency ranges from 9 to10% for bovines

and 10 to 12% for horse family.
• Generally, draft animal force is approximately 10% of the body
weight.
• Of all the draft animal, horse has the highest output.
• Animals can work within 8 to 10 hours for horse and 5 to 8 hours for
adult oxen.
 Characteristics Affecting the Performance of Animals

• Breed
• Weight
• Sex
• Age
• Health
• Training
• Quality of Feed

These all determines their working

abilities. Farmers cannot control
these. Their only room for
maneuver is in the choice they can
make between various species
locally available and affordable.
USES OF DRAFT ANIMALS

• Pulling agricultural machines

such as field implements for
land preparation (plowing and
harrowing), seeding and
planting, cultivation, and
others.
• Providing motive power to
devices such as water pumps,
cane and seed crushers, and
even electricity generation.
• Hauling products using carts,
sledge, and transporting by
carrying them at the back
using saddles.
 DRAFT POWER MECHANICS

• A draft animal supplies useful power by exerting a pull at a certain

speed.
• The magnitude of pull exerted by the animal depends on the load
and the method of attaching the hitch of animals to the load.
• The maximum pulling capacity of an animal depends on several
factors such as the breed, sex, age, health, nutrition, training, ground
condition, etc.
Forces Acting in an Animal

P1 cos 

P1 sin  CG

h2
W
h1

L2 L1


L
Pull Formula
P = (W L1 ) / ((L + h2 ) cos  + L2  sin 
where:
P - pull, kg
W - weight of the animals acting at CG, kg
 - angle of line of pull, deg
L - horizontal distance between front and rear feet, m
L1 - horizontal distance between front foot and CG
of the animal, m
L2 - horizontal distance of the neck load point from the
front foot, m
h2 - height of the neck load point from the ground, m
 - coefficient of friction between hoof and ground
surface, dmls
Calculate the pull that can be developed by a 900-kg ox in pulling a load
at an angle of 30 deg. The horizontal distance between the front and
the rear foot is 1.4 m. The center of gravity is located 0.7 m from the
front foot. The horizontal distance from the yoke point to the rear foot is
0.3 m. The height of the neck yoke point was measured 1.2 m from the
ground. Assume a coefficient of friction of 0.95 between the hoof and
the ground surface.

Given:
W - 900 kg h2 - 1.2 m
L - 1.4 m  - 30 deg
L1 - 0.7 m  - 0.95
L2 - 0.3 m
Required: Pull
Solution:
900 kg x 0.7 m x 0.95
P =
[1.4 m + 1.2m (0.95)] cos 30 + 0.3 m (0.95} sin 30

900 kg x 0.665 m
=
(2.54 m)0.866 + (0.285 m) 0.5

= 255.76 kg
Drawbar Horsepower

DHP = F x V / 76.2

where:
DHP - draft horsepower, hp
F - draft, kg
V - velocity of travel, m/s
Compute the draft power developed by an 800-kg buffalo in pulling 80-
kg load on a plow and traveling at a speed of 0.9 m/sec.

Given:
Weight of animal - 800 kg
Draft - 80 kg
Speed - 0.9 m/sec

Required: Draft horsepower

Solution:
DHP = F xV
= 60 kg x 0.9 m/s
= 72 kg-m/sec or 0.96 hp
 Draft and Horsepower

Animal Average Approx. Average Power

Weight Pull Speed Developed
(kg) (kg) (m/s) (Hp)
Light Horse 400-700 60-80 1.0 1.00
Bullocks 500-900 60-80 0.60-0.85 0.75
Buffalos 400-900 50-80 0.80-0.90 0.75
Cows 400-600 50-60 0.70 0.45
Mules 350-500 50-60 0.90-1.00 0.70
Donkey 200-300 30-40 0.70 0.35
 HARNESSING DRAFT ANIMALS
• Animals are harnessed either singly or
in multiple numbers to match the
pulling capacity or load.
• Generally, pulling efficiency decreases
with more number of animals
harnessed together.
• Horses are harnessed in several
numbers while oxen are mostly
harnessed in pairs.
• A poorly designed or ill-fitting harness
reduces the power available in animals
and causes the animals to suffer
physically.
• Harnessing System –It is a set of elements involving a harness,
driving fitting such as steering, ropes and bridles, and a single or
multiple hitching system (abreast or in tandem).
• Animals used for carting require additional fittings to assume other
functions such as cart balance, braking, and reversing.
• A harness is the main part of a harnessing system. It optimizes the
energy potential of an animal in exerting a force for pack transport,
for pulling a cart, for pulling implement, or in driving animal-powered
gear.
• Types of Harness
(1) Collar – This is the most suitable harnessing system. It includes a
frame for fitting on the animals, padding for protection and comfort,
and a device for hitching implements.
(2) Breast band – This is a lighter and simpler harness and is widely
used for horses and mules because of simplicity and lower cost.
(3) Yoke - This is mainly used for bovines. Power is taken from points
higher on the animal than collars and breast bands. It can be used
either for single, double, or triple number of animals.
(4) Head Yoke – It is known as a forehead yokes which are tied in front
of the horns. Padding is required between the yoke and the
animals neck.
(5) Withers Yoke – It is applied on the withers, in front and over the
shoulder of the animal.
Harnessing Factor
No. of Animals Factor
1 1.0
2 1.9
3 2.5
4 3.1
5 3.5
6 3.8

Draft = No. of Animals x Specific draft

x factor
Six (6) horses can provide a pulling load of 60 kg per animal. How much
draft can the 6 horses provide in pulling a load?

Given:
No. of Animals -6
Specific draft - 60 kg/animal

Required:
Total draft of the animals

Solution:

Draft = 6 horses x 60 kg/horse x 3.8/6

= 229 kg
 EQUIPMENT FOR DRAFT ANIMALS
• Equipment for Transport
(1) Saddles – Common method of transporting by putting the load
directly on the back of the animal. A donkey can carry around 80 to
100 kg.
(2) Wooden sledges – They are cheap and easy to make and maintain.
They are narrower and has lower center of gravity than cart. Can be
used in steep, wet, and unbearing ground. A pair of oxen can load
about 200 kg at 0.8 m/s over several kilometers.
(3) Cart – It is a widely used transport equipment in rural areas for
hauling water and firewood, agricultural inputs such as seeds, fertilizer,
manure, and harvest. They are used to carry farm products for trading
as well as for social purposes. They are available in 2 or 4 wheels and
has a load capacity of around 500 kg when used with donkeys and
1000 kg with a pair of oxen. Breaking system is required for carts used
in hilly areas.
• Equipment for Tillage
This includes equipment used to loosen the soil creating a conducive
condition for in-depth aeration and water movement that is important
to promote root growth, and for facilitating proper water infiltration
thus achieving a condition that is convenient for germination of seeds.
Tillage equipment also include weeder, cultivator and rototiller.

- Plowing can be done using a simple moldboard plow and ridges can
be made using a ridging plow. A donkey can pull a 25- to 30-kg plow
with 15- to 18-cm shares. Moreover, a pair of oxen can pull a 35- kg
plow with 25- to 30-cm shares.
 REFERENCES
• Boie, W. Introduction to Animal-Powered Cereal Mill. GATE/GTZ,
Postbox 5180, D-6216 Eschborn 1. Federal Republic of Germany.
70pp.
• Campbell, J. K. 1990. Dibble Sticks, donkey, and diesels. Machines in
Crop Production. The International Rice Research Institute, Los
Banos, Laguna. 329pp.
• CIGR. Plant Production Engineering. Volume III. CIGR Handbook of
Agricultural Engineering. American Society of Agricultural Engineer.
USA. pp. 22-40.
• Copland, J. W. Draught Animal Power for Production. Proceedings of
an International Workshop held at James Cook University. Townsville,
Queensland, Australia. ACIAR Proceedings No. 10. July 10-16, 1985.
• Lowe, P. Animal Powered systems. An Alternative Approach to
Agricultural Mechanization. GATE/GTZ, Postbox 5180, D-6216
Eschborn 1. Federal Republic of Germany. 60pp.
• Roosenberg, R. Animal-Driven Shaft Power Revisited. TechGuide.
Volunteers in Technical Assistance. Arlington, VA, USA. 13pp.
 STUDY QUESTIONS
• What is a draft animal? How does it differ from other animals?
• Enumerate the advantages and disadvantages of draft animals.
• Enumerate the different draft animals used around the world. Which
of these animals are generally utilized in Asia?
• Give and briefly explain the different factors affecting the performance
of draft animals.
• Define draft animal power (DAP). What are the factors affecting the
draft power of an animal?
• What is the importance of harnessing animals? Is the power output of
animal reduced if they are harnessed together? Explain the reason
behind.
• Enumerate the different types of harness used in harnessing animals.
Describe each type.
 PROBLEM EXERCISES
• An animal weighing 800 kg is used in pulling a plow at a speed of 0.5
m/s. What is the drawbar horsepower of an animal power system?
• Two (2) oxen are pulling a cart at a speed of 0.8 m/s. Each ox can
provide a pull of 80 kg. What is the total power available in pulling the
cart together?
 Thank you very much and
God bless!!!

Recipient, Betterment for Mankind Award 2011, Pauchon Research Foundation (Morgan Hill, California, USA)
Laureate, Economic Business Development, The Tech Awards 2010 (San Jose, California, USA)
Associate Laureate, Rolex Awards for Enterprise 2008 (Geneva, Switzerland)
Awardee, Seven Inspiring Young Filipino Heroes 2011 (Yahoo Southeast Asia)
Awardee, The Outstanding Young Filipino 1997 (TOYM and Roxas Foundation)
Awardee, Outstanding Professional in Agricultural Engineering 1993 (Professional Regulation Commission)