What does tedding grass do?

Tedding. Tedding will help to achieve a rapid wilt and ensure the grass is evenly mixed, ensuring a uniform wilt and therefore more uniform quality, with fewer hot/ wet spots in the clamp or bale. The tedder tines must be set to 2-4cm above the ground, and this should be set in the field.

What does a tedder rake do?

It is used after cutting and before windrowing, and uses moving forks to aerate or “wuffle” the hay and thus speed up the process of hay-making. The use of a tedder allows the hay to dry (“cure”) better, which results in improved aroma and color.

Can you use a hay rake as a tedder?

Thus, the cut hay needs to be fluffed, flipped, or turned for better sun and air exposure. A rake can do this. Therefore, in moist climates, a tedder, which spreads the hay for increased sun and air exposure, is most likely a necessity. There are situations, however, when a tedder should not be used.

Can you Ted hay with dew on it?

If drying conditions are lousy and rain is coming or hay is heavy may ted a second time. This is for any type, grass or legume or mix, if lots of legume use slow rpm and do it with dew on. Often times you only have a few hour window to do it right.

Is a hay tedder worth it?

Using a tedder helps to speed dry down time, provides producers with greater flexibility & can result in higher quality forage. Turn back the clock 10 or 15 years and you’d likely be hard-pressed to find many hay tedders in the field.

Why do you fluff hay?

Fluffing is best done in the opposite direction of the cut and is most useful for increasing hay’s drying rate after heavy rain. It flips and fluffs the hay while keeping it piled up in the windrow, which results in a windrow that allows air to move through it for improved drying.

What is a Wuffler?

The Wuffler was a machine built by Bamfords to turn hay (grass) and ‘fluff’ it up so that it dried when it had been cut for a time. The fluffing up allowing the air to circulate better and with the doors closed form a narrow windrow for the baler to feed better when picking up the dried hay.

What’s the difference between a hay rake and a hay tedder?

Tedders cause more leaf loss than rakes, especially in alfalfa hay, which is partially dry. However, tedders do allow for a quicker drying rate because of the wide swath in which the hay is placed.

Can you tedder alfalfa?

Tedders are commonly used to spread out grasses and speed drying. But many growers won’t use them on alfalfa. If the hay is too dry, tedding can knock off leaves, which robs the crop of much of its protein. Tedding alfalfa shortly after cutting, when the crop is typically about 75% water, helps minimize leaf loss.