Hay Rake vs Tedder: What Each Does and Which Your Farm Needs

Hay rake vs tedder is a common question for livestock farmers and dealers who already own a mower and want to make better hay. Both machines move cut grass after mowing, but they do different jobs at different times, and choosing the wrong one means slow drying, lost leaves and poor bales. This guide explains what each machine does and which one your farm needs first.

What a Tedder and a Hay Rake Do

A hay tedder works soon after cutting. Its spinning arms with spring tines lift the heavy swath, shake it and spread it across the field, so sun and wind reach every part of the crop. Hay dries faster and more evenly, which reduces the risk of rain damage.

A hay rake works at the end of drying. It gathers the dry crop into a neat windrow, so the baler can pick it up cleanly in one pass. A good windrow also protects the hay from dew overnight.

So the simple answer to hay rake vs tedder is: the tedder spreads to dry, the rake gathers to bale. Many farms use both, and some rotary machines can do both jobs when set differently.

Types of Hay Rakes and Tedders

• Wheel rake (finger wheel rake): ground-driven wheels with spring fingers turn as the rake moves, so it needs no PTO and suits small tractors.
• Rotary rake: one or more rotors with tine arms sweep the crop sideways into a windrow; very gentle on leaves.
• Spring-tine finger rake: a simple mounted rake for small fields.
• Side-delivery rake: moves hay to one side to form a continuous windrow.
• Rotary tedder: spinning arms spread and turn the swath to speed drying.

SH Hay Rakes, Tedders and Rake-Mowers Compared

Shenghang supplies tractor-mounted and trailed hay rakes, a 5 m rotary tedder, and rake-mowers that cut and rake in one machine.

Model	Type	Working width	Hitch	Tractor power (hp)	Weight (kg)
TDSH-5	Rotary hay rake / tedder	5 m	Hydraulic traction	>30	620
BLSH-1.4	Sickle-bar mower with rake	1400 mm	Trailed	18–30	360
BLSH-1.6	Sickle-bar mower with rake	1600 mm	Trailed	20–30	380
BLSH-1.8	Sickle-bar mower with rake	1800 mm	Trailed	25–30	400
BLSH-2.1	Sickle-bar mower with rake	2100 mm	Trailed	30	420

The TDSH-5 works at 8–12 km/h, and its overall size is 5000 × 3000 × 900 mm. Wheel rake, finger rake and side-delivery rake models are also available; send us your tractor power and working width for specifications. The full range is on our mowers, tedders and hay rakes page.

How to Match Hay Making Equipment to Your Farm

Tractor power: a ground-driven wheel rake needs little power. The TDSH-5 needs a tractor over 30 hp, and the BLSH rake-mowers suit 18–30 hp tractors.

Mower width: the rake or tedder should cover the swaths from your mower. Our drum mowers cut 1.25–1.65 m and our multi-disc mowers cut 1.67–3.20 m, so a 5 m tedder handles more than one swath per pass. Compare cutters in our sickle bar mower vs disc mower guide.

Baler pickup: make the windrow fit the baler. Our 9YF square balers have 1750 or 2200 mm pickups, and the 9YK mini round balers have an 800 mm pickup.

Farm size and climate: in humid regions, a hay tedder often saves a crop that would otherwise rot. On small farms in dry weather, a rake alone may be enough. Matching all your hay making equipment to one tractor keeps costs down; the selection assistant lists models by horsepower.

Field Tips for Better Hay

• Cut grass when most plants are just starting to flower for a good balance of yield and feed value.
• Ted a few hours after cutting to spread the swath, then turn again the next day if needed.
• Rake when the crop is nearly dry, and avoid raking in the hottest part of the day, when dry leaves shatter.
• Set tine height so the tines lift the crop without scraping soil and stones into the hay.
• Drive at a steady speed so the windrow stays even for the baler.

Maintenance and Spare Parts

Check tines every day and replace broken or bent ones quickly; a lost tine can damage the baler. Grease rotor bearings, wheel hubs and pivot points, check gearbox oil on rotary machines, and keep tyres at the right pressure. Order spare tines with the machine so you are not waiting during the season.

Common Buying Mistakes

• Buying only a rake in a wet climate, then losing hay that dries too slowly.
• Choosing a rake wider than the baler pickup can handle in one windrow.
• Forgetting the tractor needs hydraulic outlets for a hydraulic machine.
• Running a tedder too fast, which throws hay off the field and breaks leaves.
• Not ordering spare tines and fingers.

Why Buy Direct from the Factory

We build mowers, rakes, tedders and balers in our own factory in China and sell factory direct, with SH labelling, OEM options and export packing. Machines ship by sea, rail and air; see export and shipping. Well-made forage helps livestock through dry seasons, and the FAO’s work on sustainable agricultural mechanization shows how matched machines raise farm output.

Hay Rake vs Tedder FAQ

Do I need a tedder if I have a hay rake?

In dry, sunny weather a rake may be enough. In humid regions or with heavy crops, a hay tedder speeds drying and protects quality.

Is a wheel rake or a rotary rake better?

A wheel rake is simple, needs no PTO and suits small tractors. A rotary rake is gentler on leaves and makes a more even windrow.

Can one machine ted and rake?

Some rotary machines, such as the TDSH-5 rotary hay rake and tedder, are used for turning, spreading and windrowing.

What is the best hay making equipment for a 30 hp tractor?

A BLSH rake-mower, or a sickle-bar or drum mower plus a wheel rake, fits most 25–30 hp tractors.

Get a Quote

Send us the model (for example TDSH-5 or BLSH-1.8), quantity, tractor horsepower and destination port on WhatsApp +86 133 8469 2372. You can also browse all SH mowers and hay rakes and add models to your inquiry.