For grazing cover crops, ask your local NRCS about practice 810, Annual Forages for Grazing Systems. In other words, get paid for growing your own feed.
I just seeded a couple hundred acres with a GP drill, not sure the clutch thing you're referring to. I find them very simple to operate., but it was an older unit.
It will shove a big tractor around on out steep hills.
I would pull it with a 50hp Mahindra on smooth terrain. The food plot planters are by far the least expensive. When they are on an ag dealers lot the price jumps dramatically. The food plot, even with as small as they are is probably what I need what with as little pasture it would get used on. The county NRCS used to have equipment to rent, but they have since gotten rid of everything.
A 50hp tractor won't handle much of a true no-till. A 6' Great Plains will max it out. A power seeder may be a viable option or the food plot type. It would probably handle an old 10-12' grain drill and I bet that would plant most anything you want especially if you wait for the ground to be right. If I wanted width that would be what I was shopping for.
If your like me, price plays a big part on everything. I looked into a no till drill. I couldn't find one under $5k. I found this old school drill for $900. I've used it to put wheat and rye in. I put in 10 acres on top of a summer grass field. It did ok and allowed the cattle some food for winter. I only put 40 pounds an acre since I seeded into a summer patch. I put in a 25 acre wheat field with it. 100 pounds an acre on plowed dirt. It worked great. Not a bad thing to consider for $900.
