抄録
A simulation program was developed to investigate a relationship between machine cost and working hours.
In general, machine cost and working hours oppose. When a farming group introduces machines, appropriate machines should be selected, considering machine cost and working hours. But there are many combinations of machine types to be considered.
This program provides indexes for machine selection. For each combination of machine types, the program calculates relationship between machine cost and working hours for each crop as well as for total cropping system. Because some machines are generally used for several crop management.
To calculate machine cost for each crop, a department charge rate method was introduced, by which method the cost of one machine is divided into several crops that need the machine. By summing up divided costs, machine cost for each crop is calculated.
The simulation must be adaptable to various situations. An actual farming group, which operates large size fields in Kyoto prefecture, is chosen as a model of simulation. Surveys on an actual field were conducted to get data for this simulation. These data make the simulation more suitable to this farming group.
The simulation program outputs the results as text file format. Graphs which indicate the change of machine cost and working hours according to the combinations were obtained. These graphs could be used for appropriate selection of machines.
We are planning to run more surveys and to get data in order to execute more precise simulation.
