Mama’s Raising Mamas

There’s something special about watching a good cow raise a good one. But when her daughter becomes a mama herself? That’s legacy in motion.

And few cows carry more weight in our story than 947G Grayson.

She was our first-ever purchased female, brought home from Glendenning’s J Bar J Ranch in 2021. Bred by one of the top Limousin programs in the country, she came with the kind of genetics you build around. Her sire, TMCK Camden Yards 195C, is known for mass and structural soundness. Her dam, SSTO Starla, is a proven donor cow whose daughters and sons are working in top herds across the country.

Grayson arrived bred, and she’s been delivering ever since—steady, consistent, and easy to love. She calves like clockwork, raises them right, and never causes a fuss.

But in 2023, she gave us something extra special.

On March 18, she delivered a black heifer we named Lil’ Lou. She was the first registered heifer calf born on our ranch and only the fourth calf ever born here. After her birth, Lil Lou quickly became a symbol of everything we hoped to build. She’s sired by Highland Boston, the top-selling Canadian bull in 2015 known for muscle and maternal strength.

And her name? A tribute to Tom’s grandma Mary Lou and his aunt Cindy Lou; two strong women who helped shape the man, and the rancher, he is today.

Lil’ Lou grew up fast, bred back as a yearling, and this spring became a mother herself to little Nirvana.

Three generations. One pasture. A full-circle moment.

Watching Lil’ Lou raise her first calf, attentive, calm, and knowing just what to do, felt like watching Grayson all over again. It didn’t surprise us one bit.

Lil’ Lou also has two sisters in the herd: Melody and No Doubt. All three are chips off the old block: maternal, level-headed, and built to last.

But there’s something about Lil’ Lou. Maybe it’s the name. Maybe it’s the legacy. Maybe it’s knowing where she came from and watching where she’s headed.

Because every cow we keep isn’t just about performance or pedigree — it’s about the future we’re building. And when you see your first-ever purchased cow raise your first-ever heifer… and then watch that heifer raise one of her own?

That’s not just herd growth.
That’s legacy.
And around here, we think that’s just about the best kind of cattle story there is.

Want to learn more about our herd? Visit Our Dams.