{"id":985,"date":"2026-06-10T03:26:46","date_gmt":"2026-06-10T03:26:46","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/silagebalers.com\/?p=985"},"modified":"2026-06-10T03:26:46","modified_gmt":"2026-06-10T03:26:46","slug":"what-does-a-hay-tedder-do","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/silagebalers.com\/fr\/what-does-a-hay-tedder-do\/","title":{"rendered":"\u00c0 quoi sert une faneuse \u00e0 foin\u00a0? Comment fonctionne-t-elle, quand l\u2019utiliser et quand n\u2019en avez-vous pas besoin\u00a0?"},"content":{"rendered":"
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Hay & Forage Q&A<\/p>\n

What Does a Hay Tedder Do?<\/h1>\n

A tedder flips, spreads, and aerates freshly cut forage so it dries 8 to 12 hours faster than untedded hay. It sits between the tondeuse<\/a> et le r\u00e2teau<\/a> in the hay production chain and determines whether the presse \u00e0 balles rondes<\/strong> enters the field on Day 2 or Day 4. In humid climates where drying time is the bottleneck for the entire operation, the tedder is the implement that makes the difference between capturing a cutting and losing it to rain.<\/p>\n

See How It Works<\/a><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

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Quick Answer<\/h2>\n

UN faneuse \u00e0 foin<\/strong> is a PTO-driven implement that lifts the cut swath off the ground, flips it over, and spreads it into a wider, fluffier layer that exposes more surface area to sun and wind. This accelerates the evaporation of internal plant moisture by 8 to 12 hours per tedding pass<\/strong>, reducing total drying time from mowing to baling by 25 to 35 percent. The tedder is most effective when used 2 to 4 hours after mowing, during the first-phase stomatal drying period when the freshly cut plant is actively releasing moisture through its open leaf pores.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

How a Tedder Works: The Mechanics of Faster Drying<\/h2>\n

When a mower cuts a field of forage, the cut material falls into a swath that lies flat on the stubble. The top layer of this swath is exposed to direct sunlight and wind and dries quickly. The bottom layer is trapped against the damp ground in still, humid air and dries slowly. After 4 to 6 hours, the top of the swath may be at 40 percent moisture while the bottom is still at 65 percent \u2014 a 25-point moisture gap within the same windrow that, if not addressed, doubles the total field time needed to reach uniform baling moisture.<\/p>\n

The tedder solves this problem with a simple mechanical action. As the tractor pulls the tedder across the field, rotating fork tines mounted on 4 to 8 baskets spin at 200 to 350 RPM, lifting the swath off the stubble, flipping it 180 degrees so the wet bottom becomes the new top, and scattering it across a wider area. The result is a fluffier, more open layer that dries uniformly from both sides because the previously trapped bottom layer is now exposed to direct sun and wind. The fluffing action also introduces air channels through the material that allow convective airflow to carry moisture vapor away from the interior of the layer rather than trapping it in a dense mat.<\/p>\n

University of Wisconsin research measured the drying acceleration directly. Untedded orchard grass that reached 60 percent moisture at 6 hours post-mowing required an additional 42 hours to reach 18 percent baling moisture. The same grass tedded once at 3 hours post-mowing reached 60 percent at 4.5 hours and required only 30 hours to reach 18 percent. That single tedder pass shortened the total drying time by 12 hours \u2014 eliminating an entire overnight dew cycle and allowing the presse \u00e0 balles rondes<\/strong> to enter the field one full day earlier.<\/p>\n

When to Ted: The 2 to 4 Hour Window That Maximizes the Effect<\/h2>\n

Tedding timing is as important as tedding itself. The optimal window is 2 to 4 hours after mowing<\/strong>, during the first phase of drying when the cut plant’s leaf stomata are still partially open and actively releasing moisture. Tedding during this phase amplifies the fastest drying mechanism (stomatal transpiration) by exposing the previously shaded bottom layer to direct sunlight that keeps the stomata active for 2 to 3 additional hours before they close permanently.<\/p>\n

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Tedding Timing and Its Effect on Total Drying Time<\/h3>\n