Tedder and silage

happylad · 20-05-2019 10:17pm #1

Hi,

Just wondering what peoples opinions are on malone tedder. Looking at getting a 4 rotor one. Seem like a good quality machine. Haven't seen many around though.

Also just a query on people's opinions on shaking out silage at all. We cut with a conditioner mower and just rake it in and bale it. People are advising that it's better to shake it out first and then rake and bale.

How long do ye leave it to wilt for before baling and do ye Ted it .? With the weather at the moment silage would be cut dry anyway.

We do a small bit of hay also so looking at possibly getting a bigger tedder anyway. We have a haybob but find it seems to leave the grass in lumps.

Would be greatful on peoples opinions on both queries.

Thanks in advance

jimmy G M · 20-05-2019 10:48pm

Always ted out here now even if cut by contractor with the mower conditioner...

Usually cut ourselves around middle of day, ted out next day and bale day 3... so down about 36 to 48 hours. Contractor rows up... If weather gap is shorter... cut and ted day 1 and bale day 2 but prefer to leave it down 36 hours

A good wilt means a better preserved more palatable bale and obviously less bales per acre

Keepgrowing · 20-05-2019 10:51pm

jimmy G M wrote: »

Always ted out here now even if cut by contractor with the mower conditioner...

Usually cut ourselves around middle of day, ted out next day and bale day 3... so down about 36 to 48 hours. Contractor rows up... If weather gap is shorter... cut and ted day 1 and bale day 2 but prefer to leave it down 36 hours

A good wilt means a better preserved more palatable bale and obviously less bales per acre

48 hrs also means a reduction in energy. The idea of tedding to me is to reduce this time

TooOldBoots · 20-05-2019 11:05pm

12 to 24 hours max wilt, anymore and the quality drops off. You may end up with less and dryer silage but not as good a feeding value.
I wouldn't tedder out silage with clover in it or any type of herb mix as the tedder destroys it. If its plain ryegrass then work away.

jimmy G M · 20-05-2019 11:27pm

Keepgrowing wrote: »

48 hrs also means a reduction in energy. The idea of tedding to me is to reduce this time

Yes agreed, try to keep to 36 hours if possible for that reason.... however had a batch of bales last winter a bit sour / not that well preserved.... we wrapped it up a bit fresh early last June as rain was threatening... don't want to have that issue again.. wilt may not be as critical for pit esp if additive going in...

happylad · 20-05-2019 11:56pm

Thanks for all the replys good to hear different views.

Anyone know about the malone 4 rotor tedders good or bad.

grizzlyadams · 21-05-2019 12:04am

happylad wrote: »

Thanks for all the replys good to hear different views.

Anyone know about the malone 4 rotor tedders good or bad.

Bought a 4 rotor new last year , some machine to throw out grass , very strongly built too , normally cut afternoon/evening , then ted 24 hrs later & bale day after that

hopeso · 21-05-2019 12:09am

happylad wrote: »

Thanks for all the replys good to hear different views.

Anyone know about the malone 4 rotor tedders good or bad.

It should be alright. Is it any cheaper than an established brand? I always heard that Lely was the best tedder. The Malone uses a cranked tine, similar to what’s on the Lely...

happylad · 21-05-2019 7:44am

Sound for the reply hopeso. Ya it looks a solid machine to be fair.

I'm waiting on a price back on the lely lotus stabilo 600 tedder and also on a lely lotus 600 combi. (Combine rake and tedder)

kevthegaff · 21-05-2019 9:18am

Are they really worth it say if your only making 300 bales a year?

mahoney_j · 21-05-2019 9:35am

kevthegaff wrote: »

Are they really worth it say if your only making 300 bales a year?

Def think so Kev,makes big difference if only a short window to make silage

hopeso · 21-05-2019 10:54am

kevthegaff wrote: »

Are they really worth it say if your only making 300 bales a year?

Maybe not new.....But, they do pay for themselves.....Whatever about the quality of the silage, they will reduce the number of bales per acre......

davidk1394 · 21-05-2019 11:17am

happylad wrote: »

Thanks for all the replys good to hear different views.

Anyone know about the malone 4 rotor tedders good or bad.

I’ve a 6 rotor Malone. A great machine. Well built, easy to maintain and not too expensive. They do a great job shaking out grass and will clean the ground without taking up stones or breaking tines. I only broke 1 tine, out of my own stupidity. There’s a simple boundary mechanism on it to stop you throwing grass into the ditch. Usually I just keep out from the outside row of grass.
I wouldn’t shake out grass with clover in it.

I mo w the silage today. Shake it out this evening and bale it tomorrow evening.

farisfat · 21-05-2019 11:34am

Weather and how heavy the crop is would dictate here........if it's good drying weather id often bale from conditioner rows.
If their rain coming grass is tedded

Welding Rod · 21-05-2019 12:43pm

Cut with condition mower. Bale straight off the row next day, unless it has got heavy rain.
I really don’t see the point of another machine (Tedder) in the process, to gather grass to feed suckler cows!
Ok, I have more bales to handle, but is that such a big deal?

maidhc · 21-05-2019 1:12pm

Welding Rod wrote: »

Cut with condition mower. Bale straight off the row next day, unless it has got heavy rain.
I really don’t see the point of another machine (Tedder) in the process, to gather grass to feed suckler cows!
Ok, I have more bales to handle, but is that such a big deal?

Bale here direct from a 10ft Deere 1360 MoCo after 24 hrs wilt. Only once in 10 years have I changed from this, and that was when conditions were very challenging and we gave it a run with a single rotor rake to very good effect.

I find you can easily stray into drying the grass too much if you leave it down longer than 24 hours in good weather.

I have neither the time, diesel, nor inclination to spend more time in the field at silage than is necessary.

hopeso · 21-05-2019 1:23pm

Welding Rod wrote: »

Cut with condition mower. Bale straight off the row next day, unless it has got heavy rain.
I really don’t see the point of another machine (Tedder) in the process, to gather grass to feed suckler cows!
Ok, I have more bales to handle, but is that such a big deal?

Two machines, actually...It needs to be raked after the tedder....

Welding Rod · 21-05-2019 1:34pm

maidhc wrote: »

Bale here direct from a 10ft Deere 1360 MoCo after 24 hrs wilt. Only once in 10 years have I changed from this, and that was when conditions were very challenging and we gave it a run with a single rotor rake to very good effect.

I find you can easily stray into drying the grass too much if you leave it down longer than 24 hours in good weather.

I have neither the time, diesel, nor inclination to spend more time in the field at silage than is necessary.

On the subject of drying grass too much, I agree.
Maybe I’m a bit backward on Farmers Journal type farming, but I like my silage to come out of the plastic, nice and damp to the touch. If I wanted dry I’d do hay.

Never yet seen stuff where a blast of water ran off, when the plastic was cut at feeding, left behind by the cows!

GrasstoMilk · 21-05-2019 1:42pm

Welding Rod wrote: »

On the subject of drying grass too much, I agree.
Maybe I’m a bit backward on Farmers Journal type farming, but I like my silage to come out of the plastic, nice and damp to the touch. If I wanted dry I’d do hay.

Never yet seen stuff where a blast of water ran off, when the plastic was cut at feeding, left behind by the cows!

Mow all ours with a moco too. Mow in the afternoon if it's not a big area and pick up 36 hrs later.
Usually silage is anything from 25 to 30 DM.
I find bales only need the 2 layers of wrap too and they would last 2 years, if its was drier it would need 3 layers

trabpc · 21-05-2019 1:46pm

grizzlyadams wrote: »

Bought a 4 rotor new last year , some machine to throw out grass , very strongly built too , normally cut afternoon/evening , then ted 24 hrs later & bale day after that

What price new are the 4 rotor tedders going for?

happylad · 21-05-2019 4:25pm

trabpc I think there somewhere between 9 and 10k including the VAT

jntsnk · 22-05-2019 7:19am

happylad wrote: »

trabpc I think there somewhere between 9 and 10k including the VAT

At €6-€7€ per acre for tethering ?

trabpc · 22-05-2019 8:45am

happylad wrote: »

trabpc I think there somewhere between 9 and 10k including the VAT

Tks saucy enough. Was half interested in upgrading the rake. But think I'll stick with the 35 and haybob for breaking out rows for now.
Bought new 14ft single rotor for gathering up this yr.

Keep Sluicing · 22-05-2019 11:46pm

jntsnk wrote: »

At €6-€7€ per acre for tethering ?

€10 to €12 an acre in these parts.

Nobbies · 22-05-2019 11:58pm

Pottinger tedders selling well round this way of late. Appear astrong yet handy machine. 6 rotor was shy of €9000 inc vat this time last year. krone on the other hand 4rotor was €7700 inc vat.

happylad · 23-05-2019 12:41am

Nobbies thanks for that. Both good makes also.

davidk1394 · 23-05-2019 7:27am

jntsnk wrote: »

At €6-€7€ per acre for tethering ?

€10/ minimum. Anything less than that your wasting your time

locha · 23-02-2020 11:09am

Looking at getting a Tedder this year. What width does a 4 rotor throw out? 2 x 10ft rows?

bogman_bass · 23-02-2020 11:27am

At €10 per acre it might be better value to get the contractor to do it if it’s an option

Reggie. · 23-02-2020 12:02pm

locha wrote: »

Looking at getting a Tedder this year. What width does a 4 rotor throw out? 2 x 10ft rows?

Yeah roughly 2 10ft rows

TooOldBoots · 23-02-2020 12:43pm

tedding is a must for making bales out of ryegrass silage. if it was pit then no problem but with bales if you don't dry and wilt it you end up with flat pancake bales that are a nightmare to do anything with in winter.
Bales go flat and soft even in the field before stacking them
You end up with a third more bales and no you don't have more silage!
If they are not wrapped enough then they can rot.
Flat soft Bales can fall through the bale spikes in winter
Getting the netting off is a pain.
If you don't feed the bale within a day or two of removing the plastic it starts to go black and rot

Tedder and silage

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