Hay Conditioner and/or tedder?

[Safarmwv]

I am making small square bales (maybe a few round) just a timothy/grass mix hay here in WV and was wondering what you guys think about a pull behind hay conditioner vs. a tedder. I am currently using a tedder, but was wondering if there would be any benefits of using a pull type hay conditioner maybe even with the tedder. I have the opportunity to purchase a new idea 750 hay conditioner for $300, the only thing it may need would be tires. I will be cutting the hay with a disc mower. Just wondering if conditioning the hay would make it that much better or make it dry much faster, and if those pull behind type hay conditioner are any good... Any advice or input is welcome! Thanks!

 

[civesnedfield]

Not sure what your drying conditions are there but I know in New England condtioning will cut a day or two in drying time. Up here you condition and tedd the hay.

 

[Kioti Tom]

I would definitely get the conditioner. The tedder is nice and especially appreciated if your hay has been rained on or heavy dew to get it to dry faster. Like previously mentioned, it cuts drying time on getting the hay in. If you are time constrained by weather, that is a big plus in getting the hay in. We did not have one when I was growing up and our hay was rained on more than once since we could not bale it in time.

Tom

 

[aczlan]

I agree... Get the conditioner, well worth it for us up here in Upstate NY.

Aaron Z

 

[DJ54]

I had a couple of those about 10 years ago. Good units. One was a user, the other a parts machine, we bought for $20.00. The only problem I had with it was a bearing on the roller assy. Got a new one through AGCO. Other than the fact it crushes the stems to help dry faster, it seems to make it more palatable for my horse hay. Just have to watch if you have tall first cutting, it may have a tendency to wrap around the rollers. A buddy of mine had the perfect tractor to run one. A Massey-Ferguson, with the ground drive PTO. If the rollers wrapped, simply put in reverse, and the PTO reversed also, pretty well unwrapping itself. I ran mine with my little IH 240. It ran it fine, but the governor opened some when in real heavy hay.

AGCO PARTSBOOK shows that model was made from 1959-1961.

Being a one person operation here, I updated, and I'm still 40 years behind times with a IH 990 mower/conditioner. Saves an extra trip over the field.

I do use a tedder too. A conditioner, or mower/conditioner + the tedder make great combo's in this part of the country. Heavy hay, and bad weather forecasting, seem to be the norm here... :laughing:

 

[easygo]

I may sound ignorant, but what is (does) a conditioner? My neighbor cuts hay with a Cut/Ditioner and I never knew what the conditioning meant. What is the difference between a cutter and the cutter/conditioner? What does conditioning mean/do? Thanks

 

[aczlan]

What does conditioning mean/do? Thanks

Conditioning means that it crushes the stems of the plants which lets them dry faster. That is usually done with a pair of rollers or a flail. It is critical in wetter areas as (around here) it drops your drying time from 4-5 days to 2-3 days.

Aaron Z

 

[JasG]

There is also impeller conditioning. The mower has a tube with metal or plastic bars that free swing. This tube spins at a high speed and the hay travels over the top of the tube and rubd against the bars and the hood. This is strips the wax of the stems and under the right conditions is faster than a crimp conditioner. The impeller is only used on diskbine/disk MoCo.s

The link below you will need to click on the features tab and then under that tab the menu has the conditioners listed. Click on the word more after either one. It will open a box with pictures that explains the option you clicked on.

JohnDeere 630 Mower-Conditioner 600 Series Mower-Conditioners Hay and Forage Equipment JohnDeere.com

 

[blueriver]

I got one this year because I planted some Millet and fiqured I'd need it then ... to my surprise ... I used it on my thick winter rye grass a few weeks ago and my hay cut the same day as the neighbors was in the barn a couple days before his.

What I liked was it actually picked it up off the stubble, crimped it every few inches and left it fluffed up to dry ... Buy it!!

 

[Texasmark]

Agree to buy it. You can't beat the price even if you need to replace a bearing or two. What is usually used around here is a MOCO which makes a windrow that makes it nice for subsequent rounds in the field as the uncut line is clearly defined. However the windrow does impede drying so if you follow with your tedder then you have the best of both worlds; crushed stems and even spread of hay to dry. Sounds like a plan to me.

Mark