Tedder talk.

[callmefence]

I've got a jd 752 tedder I bought at auction over the winter. Never used a tedder and no one really does around here. Thinking it might be good getting Sudan dry but after hooking it up today and checking it all out. I really think wet Sudan will wrap up those baskets really quick.
Still might be of use when something gets rained on. When do you use a tedder and when do you not.

 

[MurraysMutts]

Ive heard of folks cutting with their windrower, then going over it with a Tedder to dry it faster. Seems like a lot of extra to me. May as well have cut it with a disc mower without a conditioner then rake it. Idk....

No one around here uses one either. Tho a couple years ago we wished we had one. With all the rain we had.

 

[chaded]

Everyone has a tedder around here and they get used everytime hay is cut. I don't have any experience with Sudan but we ted Johnsongrass and never had any issues.

 

[coachg]

Good with thick hay ; turns it over , spreads it out and exposes green or wet to more sun and /or wind. Helps if you have a short window to get it baled after cutting

 

[Son of Butch]

I haven't used a tedder or know any who do. The ones I've seen in use appear to be to be driving too fast to me. But alfalfa is the main thing baled here and leaf loss is always a big concern, I think rakes do a better job than tedders in preserving leaf loss. In grass hay, tedders probably have the advantage in saving time, with less grass tangling at higher speed.

For grass hay, let it dry to about 50% moisture then ted it.
One tip to pass along, is set it so tines are about 1 inch above the soil.
You don't want it digging in the dirt, but higher than 1 inch and you might start missing too much hay, it depends on the length of the stubble you're on.
I'm sure you'll figure that out in no time.

p.s.
2 things sure to bring rain, mowing alfalfa and then after raking it lol

 

[CalumetFarms]

Generally you want to ted asap after mowing, to disperse the hay thin and even, as opposed to layed over in mower passes. Also very useful after an unexpected rain, get it all fluffed back up. In heavy crop like sudan you're probably better off shooting for baleage moisture % and wrapping.
Each time you "handle" the crop there's loss associated.

 

[alacowman1]

Good with thick hay ; turns it over , spreads it out and exposes green or wet to more sun and /or wind. Helps if you have a short window to get it baled after cutting..

Especially with our humidity..

 

[chaded]

There are some around here that ted the same day the hay is cut. Then there are some that give it a day and ted it the next morning right before the dew is leaving.

Tedders seem to be a regional thing from the conversations I have seen. It is very humid here and that's probably why everyone has one. We also rarely get long windows of days without rain.

 

[Atimm693]

We have one and use it in the spring and summer when the weather isn't as cooperative for making dry hay.

I have tedded sudan with it in the past and not had any trouble with wrapping. Sometimes you will have to slow down in bigger windrows so it won't plug.

 

[Springfieldsimm]

We use a Tedder every cutting unless we are wet baling and wrapping. I would hate to try and make dry hay without one here, especially in the spring when it is a challenge to get a few days in a row without rain.

 

[jltrent]

If the hay is thick I try to ted at least once. Last year was thin hay and I did not ted much and I noticed some hay when I fed had some hay not in the best condition. I have a 4 basket Vermeer and a 4 basket Kuhn. Laid 70 acres down yesterday and it needs tedded as better hay than last year.

 

[M & P]

A Tedder will work excellent on ss, can't imagine putting up dry ss without a tedder.
Tilt it down as close to the dirt as possible without hitting the dirt.
Also no need to run 540 rpms, I usually run mine at 350 to 450 RPMs just depends if I like how it's spreading it out.

I generally ted everything I cut at least once. Legumes need to be tedded within a couple hours of mowing or you'll lose all your leaves SS on the other hand I'll ted everyday until it's dry.

 

[SmokinM]

Funny you posted this, I was driving around today tedding hay thinking about how in this area the tedder is probably the most important piece of equipment I own. You can cut and bale with junk but here you better buy the best tedder you can afford. You just about can't make dry hay here without it, especially first cut.

I generally lay mine down and tedd about 24hrs. later. If really pushed on time tedd as soon as you cut and may tedd up to 3 times. I have used it on SS and it shouldn't be a problem but that does depend on tedder design. I had a New Idea when I started and it would wrap around the tires. Running a Krone now and I think it would tedd cornstalks. I find running about 16-1800 rpm is just about right. Like mentioned above no need to go the full 540.

 

[NewRenoFarmsInKY]

Love my Tedder, wouldn't want to make hay without it. I'm still just 4 years into hay making experience wise, and tried to skimp by buying a couple of tedders at auction, neither one lasting a full season. Therefore I've made hay with and without tedding. Tedded hay dries down so much faster in West Kentucky-which is important in this neck of the woods because finding hay cutting windows is a challenge. Bought a new Kuhn Tedder last season and haven't looked back.

I'll echo what has already been said-got to keep that pto speed down or there will be some leaf loss. But when used to just get the hay off the ground to dry-it's indispensable here!

 

[Luckiamute]

A tedder is a valuable piece of equipment in Western Oregon, where we are challenged to get good hay-making weather in late May and often times well into June. Really helps with the drying process and the ability to make high-quality forage.

 

[WFfarm]

We ted most all of our hay in NY. We have to because it's hard to get three sunny days in a row between the rain around here. We have timothy, orchard grass with some alfalfa and clover. We try to cut hay about noon, then ted the next morning before the dew has fully burned off. PTO and ground speed should be just enough to fluff and spread the hay out without over beating the leaves off it. Last year was overly wet and a few fields we had to set the deflectors in on the disc bine to put the cut grass in narrower rows to allow the ground to dry out some before we tedded the hay back out.

 

[A.J.]

We went and visited some family in South Dakota and none of the folks where we were use tedders. I was surprised to see some of the hay mowed down for close to a week, then just raked and baled. Thick hay here left like that would be pretty rough shape on the bottom. You could tell the grass had grown back already between the rows where the mowed hay had been laying. I guess the humidity difference is probably a big factor with the way hay is made there too. It's always interesting for me to see how different parts of the country do things different.

 

[chevytaHOE5674]

I have a tedder and use it as needed. When the weather is good and we can get 3 hot dry days running a tedder around just burns extra fuel. If the weather is so so I will ted on day 2 so that I can rake and bale on day 3. We also only make one cutting of hay in July and August so the days are long, days are hot, sun is powerful, nights are warm.

 

[Son of Butch]

You can cut and bale with junk, but here you better buy the best tedder you can afford. You just about can't make dry hay here without it, especially first cut.

We apply preservatives when baling alfalfa, don't know of any tedders locally.

 

[MurraysMutts]

This is what happens when you don't promptly post pics of your new teddy.
Which one are you looking at @callmefence