How important is a tedder?

[SwingOak]

I'm getting set up for haying on our small farm, and have recently acquired a bunch of old hay equipment - a NH 467 Haybine, a NH 257 rake, and a NH Super Hayliner s68 baler. Way back when when I was working on a hay farm as my summer job during high school, I seem to remember we only really used a tedder to kick out rows that had been rained on. On our own farm when I was growing up, we didn't have a tedder and we made decent hay. I have not made hay for more than 25 years, so I have a lot of re-learning to do.

So, do I really need a tedder, or can I get by without one? How and when are they best used? Thanks!

 

[2458n]

If you want to make hay in two days you need a tedder to get it spread out again so it will dry faster. If it lays in the windrow it will take at least a couple of days and you still need to turn it with a rake a couple of times, with more leaves lost.

 

[hosspuller]

A tedder can be the difference between hay rotting on a field or useful forage baled. With that in mind, a tedder is inexpensive indeed.

 

[Happy Gilmore]

We run a mower conditioner and swear by our tedder. Really cuts the drying time down, by how much I can't say for sure because we've always used the tedder.

 

[SwingOak]

Thanks guys!

I've seen a couple of different configurations of tedder - the "flluffer" type (Fluffer Tedders) with the horizontal bars, and the rotary basket type (Turbo Tedders). The only experience I have is with the basket type. Any thoughts?

 

[Gary Fowler]

we never used a tedder in our haying operation on the farm I grew up on. Cut it let it lay for about 2-3 days depending on the weather, thickness of the grass and daily dew rates, then rake it into windrow and bale. We used a crimper/conditioner for the Johnson grass and sudan sorghum hybrids to crush the stems so they would cure faster.

 

[newbury]

And it may depend on your average weather conditions during the haying season.
When I was haying, back in the day, we cut it, let it dry, baled it. During that time of year we could depend on about a week or so of dry weather with a spotty thundershower at best. Sometimes several weeks.

 

[bcp]

My long ago experience in the SW desert was that we had to wait for just the right time so it was damp enough to bale. Most baling was done at night.

Bruce

 

[SwingOak]

I've always thought that you needed four days of dry sunny weather to make hay. A tedder would let me make hay in two days? I'm making small squares for horses. So how would that work, timing wise? Mow in the morning of day one, tedder the following morning, then rake and bale the evening of the second day?

 

[bigbull338]

weve baled hay for over 40yrs and never used a tedder.nor have we ever needed 1.so to me it would be never used or needed.