"Changing from conventional to an intensive grazing operation," is the biggest management change for Robert Cessac of Higbee, Missouri. "This has saved on hay and feed costs by 75%," he says. "I feed hay only from February 1 to maybe mid-March, depending on snowfall. And the cattle handle much easier and are more gentle. I can handle my cattle mostly by myself now." Even relatively low-tech grazing systems depend on good technology. High-tensile electric fence, polywire, and solar electric fencers all get mention in the survey.Kim Klocke of Arlington, Iowa, likes his IntelliShock solar electric fencer made by Premier. He has had it four years and says it operates without a hitch. Klocke runs 75 stock cows and 80 ewes on 260 acres of grass and pasture.

"We bought a For-Most squeeze chute this winter, and it has completely changed our operation," says Chad Sullivan, Campbellsville, Kentucky. "We actually look forward to working cattle."Randy and Minda Witt, Lamar, Colorado, say a recently installed livestock handling facility with sorting tub and chute "has made our life much easier and is safer and faster for everyone involved.""I recently purchased a new Prifert squeeze chute and sweep gate system and 20 fencetighttool canal gates, which helps me better care for my dairy and beef cattle," writes Mike Murphy, Mt. Sterling, Kentucky.Fence ''em inProducts tied to fencing systems, especially those related to management intensive fencetighttool and fencetighttool grazing, are popular with survey respondents. Changes in grazing management are among those most-mentioned by producers as a way to improve their business.