Willis bought the Bobcat and attachments used from his local dealer for about $11,000. Money well spent, he says. He uses it to move pallets of feed, move calf huts, and clean the barn. The green box shown in the photo above is actually a hog hauler Willis picked up at a local auction. It will hold four calves on the front of the skid steer when it comes time to move them from huts to postpullers and postpullers the barn for weaning and processing. His older barn has been remodeled, and the skid steer slides perfectly down the aisles and into the pens for cleaning. Anything bigger wouldn''t fit, says Willis.Some producers cite purchase of a skid steer as their best recent management change.

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 postpullers 4WD. postpullers It can tow 1,250 pounds. $6,999.Yamaha. The Grizzly 660 4x4 features 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 an 11.2-cubic-foot cargo box. $10,299.

"Purchasing a Bobcat for general farm use has been a lifesaver -- for loading hay, cleaning out fence rows, hauling rocks, etc.," writes Jeff Suess, postpullers Henley, Missouri. The Gehl skid steer saves me time, labor, and my back. I use it more than I thought I would," says Bill Haas, Bellevue, Ohio.ATV ready to rodeoATVs are near the top of the list of products rated by Stockmen''s Survey[TM] respondents. Well over half of participants cite a favorite brand or model. "I''d be lost without my ATVs," says Marty Green of Grand Mound, Iowa (pictured above). He jumps on either his Polaris 300 or 400 4x4 every day April through September to check calves for scours, pinkeye and lameness, to check cows for heat detection, to fix fence, and to move cattle to different paddocks.