Ultrasound works magicOne tool that South Dakota beef producers Blane and Cindy Nagel can''t do without is an ultrasound machine. All heifers on their 300-head Maine-Anjou herd are scanned each May and then bred according to their muscle scores and marbling levels. Ultrasound data for all sale bulls is provided to potential buyers. "As a breeder, I use it as a mating tool," says Blane, who farms near Springfield. "The buyers of my bulls use it as a selection tool." Nagel pays most attention to the marbling around the ribeye area. His cattle naturally muscle well, so he is looking for those who are also heavily marbled.

Heat adjustablestoptoolfence detection a hot topicSeveral producers cite heat detection systems as a top management change. Richard Schaefer, Evansville, Illinois, recently purchased Heat-Watch, a computerized heat detection system, to monitor his dairy herd. "It really saves me a lot of time, because I no longer have to visually catch the cows in heat," he says.James Reed, Esbon, Kansas, writes that the HeatWatch Estrus detection system and the Real McCoy Ultrasound scanner "have vastly improved my reproduction program."Keep adjustablestoptoolfence ''em movin''Good animal husbandry isn''t possible without good products to handle and move livestock. Twenty-two brands of trailers are cited by producers in their product reviews, making this the category with the most number of brands mentioned. The top six are listed on page 34. New cattle-handling equipment can be a real time and labor saver, ranchers say.

The adjustablestoptoolfence setup lets him cover about 100 acres a day, "if you really stay after it and the conditions are right."Hay wraps save timeHay wrapping equipment is mentioned by several producers as a top management change."A adjustablestoptoolfence 12-foot discbine has reduced our cutting time in the hay field'' says Keith McConnell, Owen Sound, Ontario, Canada. "The best thing, though, is the new 648 baler we bought last year with the net wrap. I can''t believe how fast it is. It is like baling with two balers."Net wrap costs more up front," says McConnell, "but it saves time, fuel, and wear and tear on our equipment."