Tama’s Guide to Baling Terms: The Jargon Explained

Swathing, tedding, wilting, DM, fermentation… If you’re new to baling, or simply want to make sense of some of the terminology used around the farm, there’s plenty of jargon to get your head around.

So, we’ve put together a straightforward guide to some of the most common terms you’re likely to hear before, during and after baling.

You’ll often hear swath and windrow used to describe rows of cut crop waiting to be baled. While they’re sometimes used to mean the same thing, there is a technical difference.

A swath is the strip of crop left on the ground after mowing.

A windrow is formed when that crop is subsequently raked or gathered into a narrower, more concentrated row ready for the baler.

Getting the crop into a suitable windrow is an important part of preparing for efficient baling.

Tedding is essentially the process of lifting and spreading freshly cut grass or forage to encourage it to dry.

A rotary tedder is normally used to turn and fluff up the crop, exposing more of it to the air and helping moisture escape.

Tedding isn’t required every time. If the crop is already drying well and conditions are favourable, it may not be necessary. But when you’re working with a tight weather window, tedding can help speed things along. It can also be useful for helping a crop dry again after a spell of rain.

Once a crop has been cut, it needs to reach the appropriate moisture level before it is baled. Wilting is the process of allowing the crop to dry in the field after mowing.

One of the key measurements used to determine whether a crop is ready is dry matter (DM).

For round baled grass silage, a typical target is around 35–40% DM, meaning the crop contains 35–40% dry matter and approximately 60–65% moisture.

Getting the moisture level right matters because it affects how successfully the silage will ferment and ultimately how well its nutritional value is preserved.

For clamp silage, the target is generally lower, at around 28–32% DM for fermentation.

When making silage bales, good quality stretchfilm is essential. The wrap needs to provide a reliable seal around the bale and help prevent oxygen from getting in.

There are several different types of baler, and understanding the terminology can make it easier to choose the right machine or understand what your contractor is using.

The first distinction is between round and square balers.

Round balers produce cylindrical bales, while square balers produce rectangular bales in a range of sizes.

Round balers can then be split into several categories:

– Fixed chamber balers

As the name suggests, a fixed chamber baler produces bales with a set diameter.

This can work particularly well where the same type of crop is being baled throughout the operation, but offers less flexibility if you’re regularly switching between different crops or bale requirements.

– Variable chamber balers

A variable chamber baler allows the size of the finished bale to be changed.

This gives farmers and contractors greater flexibility when working with different crops and bale requirements, and can also allow adjustments to bale density.

– Combi balers

A combi baler combines baling and wrapping into one machine.

Instead of producing the bale and then requiring a separate trip through a wrapper, the bale can be wrapped as part of the same operation.

For contractors and farmers looking to keep the baling process moving efficiently, this can save time and reduce the need for additional machinery.