More Tedder questions

Lazy WP · Jun 13, 2014

You guys that use a tedder, do you use it on grass hay as well as alfalfa? What about Sudan or Millet. How are you cutting the hay? Does it go through a crimper?
As you can tell I have never been around one. Never saw the need when we stacked, then with the round baler, I could still bale either the day I cut or the next at the latest. Now I am baling with New Holland 273, and have figured out that the hay needs to be drier, and more consistent.

Hayfarmer · Jun 13, 2014

In my area almost everyone uses "basket tedders" or we call them fluffers. A lot of hay here goes to export market and color is critical. We use they type that fluffs the windrow. Most of the hay here is timothy and quite heavy Some guys will fluff the windrows a couple hours before baling to get inside of windrows dry. Until last year I used a rake to roll windrows but sometimes they still didn't dry as they rolled too far or there were green areas inside. I used a fluffer last year and found the hay dried better throughout the windrow as air got to it better. I also found that I could run the fluffer with some wind whereas my rake made the windrows blow around more.

Mike(NEOhio) · Jun 13, 2014

A lot depends on your local climate. In my area most everybody uses haybines and there are a lot of small producers making small squares. I use a 273 myself. I share a 4 spinner tedder with a neighbor and I find it's best to ted a few hours after cutting. Then rake before baling. If you ted when it's too dry you only knock the leaves off and make dust. I've also been able to save hay that got some rain if it's sunny the next day. Ted a couple of times and it turns out OK. If the ground is really wet I'll run the tedder at low throttle in a higher gear. It leave the hay bunched up like a windrow and exposes the ground to dry.

Pair-a-dice farm · Jun 13, 2014

In my area most people use a disc mower but there are a few that use a disc conditioner. Nearly everyone uses a basket tedder of some kind. My hay is ryegrass and fescue early and bermuda grass for the 2nd and 3rd cutting. We don't have much if any alfalfa around but this year we have a lot of clover.

More Tedder questions

Lazy WP

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Hayfarmer

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Mike(NEOhio)

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Pair-a-dice farm

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