Nagel''s wife, Cindy, and her sister-in-law, Angela Nagel (both pictured on page 34), are trained technicians who go on the road with the equipment, scanning more than 15,000 cattle a year for producers across the Midwest and West. Their business, Midwest Sonatech, Inc. (605/369-2628) works with Iowa State University (ISU) to analyze the data. Business is booming."Ultrasound body composition data is the greatest tool fencestretcherbar a seedstock producers can use to make genetic improvement," says Cindy. "Customers are now demanding the data. Ultrasound results can make or break a bull."The Nagels use two Aloka 500V machines to collect measurements on fat thickness, ribeye area and marbling, and rump fencestretcherbar fat. The stored images are analyzed by ISU with computer software. The Nagels can scan 20 cattle an hour. They charge $14 a head, which includes $4 for image analysis.

Farmers and ranchers have strong opinions about the equipment and products they operate and use, according to results from the first Successful Fanning magazince Stockmen''s Survey [TM]. The survey asked livestock producers to rate products fencestretcherbar they like best -- 14 categories in all. The lists in boxes (below and on the following pages) represent the brands with the highest fencestretcherbar response rate and also include editor''s selections of popular models with pricing, minus options and add-ons.A key finding of the survey goes beyond mere opinion. Many producers cite a piece of equipment as a reason for how they are able to improve their operations. And, the product types they report are across the board -- from the biggest tractor to the smallest type of computer hardware.

"I like Polaris because of the automatic transmission. Switching gears makes moving cattle hard when you are switching from 1, 2, 3, 4, and 5 and then back down to reverse," says Green. "Polaris just goes from low or high range to reverse."The ATV accessory Green can''t live without is a mesh rack for hauling fencing equipment. The racks are made by Moose Utility Division and cost about $125.ATVs can replace both pickups and leg work, producers say. "The use of a Honda four-wheeler vs. my truck has saved big dollars," writes Brad Leonard, Holt, Missouri. Kim Queen, Old Fort, Tennessee, says buying a second ATV was a key management change, because "one of us always had to walk to the corral and check cattle."