What Is a Tedder?
A Tedder is an agricultural implement designed to improve the airflow around fallen grass to enhance drying.
Structurally, various types of Tedder have been developed, including rotary wheel type, rotary type, belt/chain type, and cylinder type. Due to significant differences in structure, these are selected based on the type of grass.
Tedder is sometimes used in conjunction with a rake. The rake efficiently creates a windrow during grass harvesting. The rotary type is characterized by a vertically rotating axis.
Spring tines, called “tines,” are attached to the rotor and rotate at high speed. The cylinder type features multiple tines attached to a rotating cylinder. Various shapes have been developed, including those with multiple cylinders and cylinders rotating diagonally.
Uses of Tedder
Tedder is used to create gaps between grasses. By creating gaps and allowing for better diffusion, the airflow improves, making the grass dry more easily.
Facilitating quick drying enhances the nutritional value of the grass, contributing to potential profit increases. Tedder is attached to a tractor, and by reversing the orientation of the grass, it is utilized in the field.
Powered by the tractor, it allows for high-power operations. Many Tedders with widths exceeding 10m have been created to cover a wide area in a single pass.
Tedder is a large piece of equipment that can extend beyond the driver’s field of vision. It is essential to ensure no one is in the vicinity, exercising caution to avoid accidents such as touching objects.
Characteristics of Tedder
Leaving fallen grass as is can lead to the unexposed parts becoming damp and causing deterioration. To reduce losses due to corrosion and efficiently dry the grass, stirring operations with a Tedder are performed.
Advantages
The use of Tedder accelerates the drying process, resulting in potential benefits such as increased nutritional value of the grass. Additionally, one of its strengths is the ability to loosen clumps of harvested grass, minimizing soil adhesion and ensuring uniform drying.
Disadvantages
During use, the width of the Tedder exceeds that of the tractor, requiring skilled driving. The width of the Tedder is larger than the driver’s field of vision, necessitating constant awareness of the surroundings.
Types of Tedder
Based on structural differences, Tedder can be classified into four types.
1. Rotary Wheel Type
Also known as the finger-wheel type, it has a disk-like structure with numerous spring tines called “tines” attached. When driven at a constant angle, it rotates, reversing and gathering the grass.
2. Rotary Type
Also referred to as gyro or vertical-axis rotary type, it features a rotor with attached tines rotating rapidly around a vertical axis, reversing the grass.
3. Belt/Chain Type
Having rotating belts or chains with attached tines, it releases and spreads grass perpendicular to the direction of travel.
4. Cylinder Type
With 3 to 6 bars having numerous tines, it rotates in a cylindrical shape. There are two types: straight cylindrical and diagonally cylindrical.
In addition to structural types, Tedder can be classified into direct-mounted and towed types based on the attachment method. Towed types have wider working widths than direct-mounted ones and are suitable for large-scale farms.
How to Choose a Tedder
Since each type of Tedder has its characteristics, it is necessary to choose a model based on the type of grass you intend to use it for. Additionally, considering the tractor horsepower compatibility for each model is crucial.
As Tedder is not an inexpensive machine, consulting with the manufacturer before making a selection is recommended.
How to Use a Tedder
Given that Tedder is a large machine, accidents during operation can lead to serious consequences. It is essential to pay attention to the following points and use it safely.
- Inspection, adjustment, and repairs must be carried out only after stopping the tractor engine and ensuring that the machine is stationary.
- Accidents such as being caught or crushed can occur during attachment and detachment, so work should be conducted with extreme caution.
- As the machine’s width exceeds the driver’s field of vision, careful attention to the surroundings is required to prevent collisions with other vehicles during movement.
- When using an assistant during work, be cautious of entanglement, contact, and flying debris, and ensure that the assistant works from a safe position away from the machine.