Design of Mini Grass Chopper Machine as a Solution to The Problem of Goat Food Resistance in Micro-scale Farm

Abstract

The existence of micro-scale goat farmers, with fewer than 15 goats, helps stabilize the rural economy through job creation and income distribution. However, the potential of micro farmers' resources is underdeveloped, which causes the economic added value of goat farming to be low. Goat farming on a micro-scale is generally carried out by families who mainly work as small farmers with limited financial capabilities and small amounts of installed electricity, and who rely on their husbands to meet their economic needs. In addition to the problem of human resources, the basic problem is the lack of availability of feed all the time. The availability of abundant feed in the rainy season is difficult to utilize during the dry season. Utilization of feed preservation technology is difficult to achieve due to limited financial capabilities, and it is not economically feasible to procure grass chopping machines as the initial process of feed preservation. Existing machines are generally suitable for use by larger-scale farmers with high procurement, propulsion, and operational costs. With this condition, every day the farmer must look for feed for the needs of that day. This has narrowed the space for micro-farmers to be able to develop other creative businesses, increasing income. Equally important, farmers will face difficulties in determining rest days for family activities and other social activities. In this applied research, the solution is formulated by designing a mini grass chopper machine that is suitable for meeting the needs of microscale goat breeders with the criteria that the machine is easy to operate by men or women, has small propulsion, is easy to maintain, and is inexpensive to procure.

Effect of Feeding Size of Cassava Leaf by Chopper Machine on Milk Production of Goat at Kemirikebo Village

“…This chopper can adjust the desired chopped feeding size, making it more accessible for farmers to choose the forage type. In previous studies, the result of the design of the chopper machine was to produce a small capacity [11]. The result of this design could be more flexible for the farmers who need more ability, and they have to upgrade it.…”