Reaching remote pastures with traditional equipment isn’t always practical—but new technology is opening doors. With drone seeding, producers now have a flexible, efficient way to introduce perennial forages into hard-to-access areas. This project explores a key question: can cattle hoof action improve seed-to-soil contact and boost legume establishment compared to other methods?

At two field-scale sites in the MD of Bonnyville, LARA is using drones to broadcast a perennial forage blend and comparing establishment methods. We’re evaluating hoof traffic alongside no incorporation and harrowing, while measuring emergence, yield, and forage quality. Grazing activity—including stocking density, days grazed, and herd size—is also being tracked, along with a full economic analysis of each approach. Monitoring will continue through 2027 and 2028 to capture longer-term results.