Bob manages today ’ s herd of close to 50 cow / calf pairs with the help of his three children Amy McMullin , Brad Stone and Coni Kitchens ; their spouses ; and his 10 grandchildren .
Bob Stone ’ s journey in the seedstock business has been a fruitful one .
by Megan Silveira
From feeding the herd at home in Cashion to delivering cattle to buyers , Bob said all of his children do what they can to help him run
Stone Valley . In between their own work and the various activities of Bob ’ s grandchildren ( sports , 4-H and FFA are just a few of the organizations Bob proudly lists ), Bob said he is grateful to have such a supportive family .
Despite not having grown up around the livestock industry , Bob said his kids came back to the farm when they were older and jumped right in . He describes the process as a learning experience , but Bob said his children have been able to foster their own love and appreciation for the cattle business .
Coni , Bob ’ s youngest daughter , and her husband , Stacy , are the perfect example of this . The pair said they spend as much free time as possible on the farm , interacting with both the livestock and Bob . Stacey himself had not been around livestock other than hogs until he met Coni , but he said Bob has helped him find his place in the operation .
“ He ’ s taught me a tremendous amount about the Limousin breed and cattle in general ,” Stacy said . “ There is no better person to learn from than Bob Stone . He ’ s very smart when it comes to cattle genetics and the Limousin breed — he ’ s like an encyclopedia .”
Stacy calls Bob the “ Cow Whisperer ,” describing the dedication he has to the herd as astounding . They work all animals on the operation without the use of hotshots , horses or four wheelers . Stacy said Bob is all about being hands on with the livestock , a choice he believes has made all the difference when it comes to the docility of the animals .
Even more impressive — none of the animals on the property wear ear tags . Bob does not need the identification markers to recognize his cattle . Stacy said he is around them enough and so familiar with his herd ’ s genetics that just the phenotypic traits reveal the animal ’ s identity .
Coni describes her father as meticulous , saying he has an eye for detail when it comes to his cattle . From past knowledge to information about expected progeny differences ( EPDs ), she said Bob is all about the details .
Coni was in high school when her father was ready to step foot into the beef business , and since the beginning , she said Bob has exhibited an inborn fondness for the Limousin breed . Even as a youth , Coni
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Bob Stone and his sister , Karen , spent their childhood exhibiting their dairy cattle across the country . Since purchasing the first foundation females with his sister Karen in 1994 , Stone Valley Limousin in Cashion , OK , has been breeding some of the best fullblood genetics in the business .
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