Over seeding using livestock

Through the Farming Connect Try-out Fund, Will is trialing an innovative, low-cost overseeding method using livestock. This involves broadcasting a mix of grass, legumes, and herbs onto permanent pasture with an ATV-mounted electro-broadcaster, eliminating the need for tillage. Livestock will then naturally trample the seeds to ensure soil contact, replacing mechanical consolidation. The trial will compare broadcasting into both pre-graze and post-graze covers, with LoRaWAN sensors providing real-time environmental data (soil temperature and moisture, air temperature) to correlate conditions with seed germination and establishment success. This data aims to inform optimal grassland management practices, benefiting other farmers in similar environments.

The project will also contribute to the Sustainable Land Management outcomes including:

• Reduced GHG emissions
• Resource efficiency
• Mitigating flood & drought risk