The business has three 6.6 m hydraulic folding Fella TH 6606 six-rotor tedders bought from Norwood Farm Machinery Centre in Hawera. They bought one of the new tedders two seasons ago and the other two last season. They previously had another Fella tedder, which they traded. The brand’s performance was the clincher.
“We went to three new identical machines to streamline our gear for servicing and spare parts,” Marc says. “We’ve had a few different types of tedders but the Fella was one [that] lasted. They are well built and their strength-to-weight ratio makes them very long-lasting.”
Gopperth and Davy went up to the six-rotor models to cover the ground faster. “The other reason is so we aren’t running on top of the rows. We can take three mower conditioner rows and we are straddling over the top of the middle one.”
Gopperth particularly likes the tines on the new tedders, saying they are durable and spring-loaded compared to other rigid models so they rarely break. Fella tedders tines pick up the forage and gently turn it without causing damage. A light, loose and well-mixed mat of forage is created, leading to top quality material.
“Fella tedders are good value for money,” Gopperth says. “There are a lot of them around here now, so if something did go wrong… you could borrow, beg or swap.”
The machines have been used for about 70% of the business’s early silage work. “They run throughout the early silage and the hay season and they’re a big part of our business,” Gopperth says.
“We’re trying to get a better quality silage bale and to be able to achieve that we need a good reliable tedder to flick it out into a nice even spread without lumping.
“The key to making good silage is to be able to get a good even wilt and that’s what we are achieving.”
Fella is imported in New Zealand by C B Norwood Distributors Ltd.
Tel. 06 356 4920
