Massey Ferguson Tedders from Scot Agri

The right working width comes down to four things: how much grass you ted each season, the shape of your fields, the horsepower of your tractor and the width of your mower. Massey Ferguson's TD Series runs from 4.0m to 12.70m, so there's a size for every scale of farm.

Acreage: the more ground you cover, the wider the tedder needs to be to get round while the weather holds, particularly if you're taking several silage cuts a year.

Field shape: small, steep or awkward fields with tight gateways suit a compact mounted tedder, while large, open fields let a wide machine work at full capacity.

Tractor horsepower: every model has a minimum power requirement, from around 30hp for the MF TD 454 DN up to around 90hp for the MF TD 1310 X TRC. Wider mounted tedders also need enough lift capacity on the three-point linkage.

Mower width: a common rule of thumb is a tedder roughly twice the width of your mower, so each pass spreads two mown bouts and your wheelings stay consistent across the field.

Here's how that tends to work out:

Small farms (up to around 100 acres / 40ha of grass): the MF TD 454 DN (4.50m, 4 rotors) and TD 524 DN (5.20m, 4 rotors) run from tractors of around 30hp and are easy to handle in smaller fields. On steep ground, the alpine MF TD 404 DN (4.0m) is the better fit. For example, a livestock farm making hay off 60 acres with a 60hp tractor and a 2.4m MF DM 246 disc mower would suit the TD 454 DN.

Mid-sized farms (around 100 to 300 acres / 40 to 120ha): the MF TD 676 DN (6.60m, 6 rotors) and TD 776 DN (7.70m, 6 rotors) cover more ground per pass. If your tractor is on the lighter side, the trailed MF TD 776 TRC gives the same 7.70m width from around 41hp, compared with around 82hp for the mounted TD 776 DN. For example, a beef and sheep unit taking two silage cuts off 150 acres with a 3.0m MF DM 306-P mower would suit a 6.60m or 7.70m tedder.

Large farms and contractors (300 acres / 120ha and over): the MF TD 868 DN (8.60m), TD 1110 DN (10.70m), TD 1008 TRC (10.20m) and TD 1310 TRC (12.70m) are built for high output in a tight weather window. For heavy silage crops, the X Series (MF TD 776 X DN, TD 1028 X TRC and TD 1310 X TRC) adds heavy-duty hook tines. For example, a contractor following a 9.30m MF DM 9314 TL-KC mower combination would suit the 12.70m TD 1310 TRC or the 12.50m TD 1310 X TRC.

Our grassland specialists can look at your acreage, fields, tractor and mower and help you pick the right width.

A mounted tedder is carried on the tractor's three-point linkage, while a trailed tedder sits on its own transport chassis and is towed from the drawbar. Both spread and turn the crop the same way in the field. The difference is how the machine's weight is carried, how it folds and travels, and what size of tractor it needs.

Mounted (DN) tedders: attach to the lower links and top link (Category I and II) and are lifted by the tractor at headlands and for transport. Massey Ferguson's mounted range runs from the 4.50m MF TD 454 DN to the 10.70m TD 1110 DN.

Benefits of mounted: compact and manoeuvrable, so they're easy to work into corners, tight gateways and small or irregular fields. They're lighter and simpler, with fewer parts to maintain, and the smaller models run from tractors of around 30hp.

Drawbacks of mounted: all the weight sits on the tractor's linkage, so as working width grows you need more horsepower, lift capacity and front ballast. The 7.70m MF TD 776 DN needs around 82hp.

Trailed (TRC) tedders: run on a transport chassis that carries the machine's weight, so the tractor only has to pull it and drive it. Massey Ferguson's transport chassis range runs from the 7.70m MF TD 776 TRC to the 12.70m TD 1310 TRC.

Benefits of trailed: they need less power for the same width (the 7.70m MF TD 776 TRC needs around 41hp) and open up the widest working widths. The rotors fold in and out hydraulically from the tractor seat, and the Security Lock System (SLS) automatically cuts drive to the rotors when the machine is folded. The chassis folds up in front of the rotors to keep the centre of gravity low, which keeps it steady on the road between fields, and central edge spreading is fitted as standard on the MF TD 776 TRC and TD 868 TRC to stop forage being thrown into hedges and dykes.

Drawbacks of trailed: they're heavier and longer (the TD 776 TRC weighs around 1,237kg against around 946kg for the TD 776 DN), less nimble in small fields and tight corners, and the chassis and wheels add to what needs maintaining.

Where they fit best: a mounted tedder suits smaller and mid-sized farms, hill ground and fields with awkward access. A trailed tedder suits larger farms and contractors covering big areas, spread-out fields and long road runs, or anyone who wants a wide tedder without a big tractor.

Massey Ferguson X Series tedders are the high-capacity models in the TD Series, fitted with heavy-duty hook tines instead of the standard straight tines. They're built to spread heavy, dense crops evenly in a single pass, which makes them a strong choice for big silage cuts and contracting work.

There are three X Series models: the MF TD 776 X DN (7.70m, 6 rotors, three-point linkage), TD 1028 X TRC (10.20m, 8 rotors, transport chassis) and TD 1310 X TRC (12.50m, 10 rotors, transport chassis).

Why hook tines help: the hooked shape grips heavy, wet or matted crop and throws it out more evenly, rather than letting it slide off the tine. That opens the crop up so it dries faster and more uniformly. Like the rest of the range, the tines have six full windings, which makes them tough and elastic enough to take the load.

X Series versus standard tedders: a standard TD Series tedder has straight Super C tines and is well suited to average grass and hay crops. The X Series uses hook tines, and the two trailed models carry 7 tine arms per rotor rather than 6, putting more tines into the crop on every turn. The X Series also needs a bit more power: around 75hp for the TD 776 X DN and TD 1028 X TRC, and around 90hp for the TD 1310 X TRC.

High-tonnage crops: heavy first-cut silage, fertile leys, Italian ryegrass and dense, lodged or matted crops that a standard tedder may leave in clumps.

Heavy silage cuts: when a big crop needs spreading quickly and evenly so it wilts in one go, cutting the risk of wet patches going into the clamp.

Field conditions: damp ground and short drying windows, where spreading well on the first pass saves a second tedding.

On farm, the X Series suits dairy and beef units taking three or more silage cuts a year, where every cut is heavy. For contractors, it's worth the step up if you're tedding large acreages for several customers in a tight window, where one clean pass per field keeps you moving. If your crops are lighter, or you mostly make hay, a standard TD Series tedder will do the job well.

An alpine headstock lets a tedder follow steep, uneven hill ground closely while staying stable and tracking properly behind the tractor. On Scotland's sloping and broken hill fields, a standard tedder can dig in on one side and ride clear on the other, damaging the sward, putting soil into the forage and leaving crop unturned.

Pivoting three-point geometry: on the MF TD 404 DN, TD 434 DN and TD 576 DN, the tedder hangs from a floating headstock on the tractor's three-point linkage. This lets it pivot independently of the tractor, so it follows the contours of the slope and keeps the rotors at an even height across the ground rather than being held rigidly at the tractor's angle.

Why that matters on the hill: even ground contact means an even spread, less soil and stones picked up into the crop, and less damage to the sward. That protects forage quality and the regrowth for the next cut or for grazing.

Rigid headstock option: the MF TD 404 DSR has a rigid headstock, which holds the tedder firmly in line with the tractor. This gives the driver more direct control on very steep side slopes, where you want the machine held rather than free to swing.

Compact widths: the alpine models run from 4.0m to 5.70m, which suits the smaller, awkward fields and tight gateways found on many hill farms, and keeps the machine manageable on a slope.

The alpine models and what they suit:

MF TD 404 DN: 4.0m, 4 rotors, 5 tine arms per rotor, floating headstock. The compact entry point for small, steep fields.

MF TD 404 DSR: 4.0m, 4 rotors, 5 tine arms per rotor, rigid headstock. For the steepest side slopes, where firm control matters most.

MF TD 434 DN: 4.30m, 4 rotors, 6 tine arms per rotor. A little more width, with an extra tine arm per rotor for a more thorough spread.

MF TD 576 DN: 5.70m, 6 rotors, 5 tine arms per rotor. The widest alpine model, for hill farms with a bit more grass to get through.

All share the TD Series design: galvanised flat steel arms, equal-length tines that don't need left or right-handed versions, and up to 50% more movement per revolution to help protect the sward. With short drying windows in the Scottish hills, a tedder that gets crop spread evenly first time makes a real difference to how quickly it's ready to bale.

Scot Agri is an authorised Massey Ferguson dealership. We sell, service and supply genuine parts for the full Massey Ferguson TD Series tedder range from our Forfar and Huntly depots, serving Angus, Aberdeenshire and Scotland's grassland farming areas.

Buying: new Massey Ferguson tedders from the full TD Series, from compact alpine models to the X Series, plus a changing selection of used tedders, each inspected by our agricultural engineers before it goes on sale. We welcome trade-ins and part-exchange, and finance options are available.

Genuine parts: we hold genuine Massey Ferguson parts for the TD Series, from tines and tine arms to rotor components and PTO shafts, so replacements fit properly and keep your tedder working as it was built to.

Servicing: our technicians are trained to Massey Ferguson standards and can service your tedder at the depot or on farm with our field servicing.

Seasonal maintenance: pre-season servicing gets your tedder ready for first cut, checking tines, tine arms, gearboxes and drivelines, and end-of-season servicing sorts any wear and protects it over winter.

Service contracts: planned maintenance with predictable costs, built around how hard your machines work through the season.

Emergency repairs: if your tedder breaks down mid-season, call your nearest depot and our team will work to get you back in the field as quickly as possible.

To buy, order parts or book a service, contact our Forfar or Huntly depot, call us on 01307 474001 or email enquiries@scotagri.co.uk.