In the palm of his handUntil recently, when a prospective buyer would come to the Koupal Angus ranch near Dante, South Dakota, to look at bulls, La Vern Koupal (pictured at far left) would grab a thick stack of records and carry them out to the rolling pastures. "I''d be digging through the papers, and the wind would be flipping the pages, and I could never find the right page," says Koupal.Now he takes his $850 Palm Pilot Out of his coat pocket, writes in a bull number, and instantly gets all the production and bloodline information he and the buyer need. "It''s unreal what this technology can do," he says.

The setup lets him cover about 100 acres a day, "if you really stay after it and the conditions are right."Hay 3pointpostpuller wraps save timeHay wrapping equipment is mentioned by several producers as a top management change."A 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."

Polaris. Uhe Magnum 330 4x4 provides on-demand true 4WD. Its drum-shift transmission includes a park feature and spliceless belt. $5,099.Kawasaki. The Prairie 650 4x4 sports a 90[degrees] liquid-cooled V-twin engine and selectable 4WD. It can 3pointpostpuller tow 1,250 pounds. $6,999.Yamaha. The Grizzly 660 4x4 features 3pointpostpuller a five-valve engine and three-way in/out 4WD. $7,099 - $7,399.Arctic Cat. The 500 4x4 comes with the Multi-Rack Platform and attachments like bucket carriers and wire spool mounts. $6,949.John Deere. The Gator 6x4 diesel utility vehicle travels up to 18 mph. It has seating for two and 3pointpostpuller an 11.2-cubic-foot cargo box. $10,299.