DO NOT NEGLECT ROUTINE MAINTENANCE

May 2025

On a farm, time is too valuable to have constant hold-ups that prevent you from getting tasks done timeously. Even when the farm is a bevy of activity during the mid-season, you should not neglect routine maintenance on your farm equipment to keep them operating problem-free.

This involves planning and performing regular farm equipment maintenance to reduce potential repair costs, to keep equipment performing as well as possible, to lengthen the equipment’s lifespan and to prepare all the equipment for the different farming activities during the season.

Here are some of the most common types of equipment maintenance that need to be performed:

• Lubricate moving parts.
• Check and refill fluids.
• Calibrate equipment.

Before you put your machines into storage when the job is done, follow these helpful tips:

• Remove any dirt and soil by washing the equipment.
• Brush down all ploughs and discs with a light coat of old oil to prevent rusting.
• Grease bearings and cover hydraulic hose nozzles to protect them from the elements.
• Remove all remaining seeds in the planter bins.
• Clean out fertiliser hoppers on planters and spreaders to prevent rust. Take note that fertiliser is very corrosive.
• Check and oil all chains. They can also be removed and stored in the shed during the down season.
• Clean out chemical sprays with fresh water. Nozzles should also be cleaned, removed and stored away in the shed.

Sources:
https://safetyculture.com/topics/farm-maintenance/
https://www.grainsa.co.za/make-routine-maintenance-a-priority-this-year

Publication: May 2025

Section: Pula/Imvula

Author: COMPILED BY LOUISE KUNZ, ASSISTANT EDITOR, PULA