Angus Proud: Scott Sproul

Oklahoma operation learned wisdom of moving calving season to better suit their marketing needs.

by Jessica Wesson, editorial intern

The Sproul family tried something new with their calves last year, and it paid dividends. The Oklahoma cow-calf operation shifted its calving season to begin in March so the calves could go on wheat pasture. Co-owner Scott Sproul says it was their first year to sell the calves on Superior Livestock, and that will be their new normal.

The 100% Angus operation has commercial Angus cows bred to registered Angus bulls. The herd at Sproul Family Farms switched to Angus about two decades ago, and Sproul says that was a wise choice.

“We had purebred Brangus, and we sold those in 2000,” Sproul says. “The Angus breed was starting to really pick up steam in this area, and we switched over to a commercial herd by buying Angus heifers off a ranch out of Montana.”

Sproul said that the popularity of the breed is what attracted him to Angus at first, but he soon realized they had much more to offer.

“They are excellent mothers, and they thrive well in our environment,” Sproul says. “They’re also easy to market.”

His operation is situated in a region that offers a great climate for raising cattle, he explains.

“We are far enough north that we don’t get really long summers, but we have a longer growing season,” Sproul says. “We don’t get terrible winters like they get farther north of us. Our average rainfall is about 28 inches annually, which is enough for growing, but not too much at the same time.”

They use that optimal climate to grow wheat and other small grains. Sproul says they harvest a small amount to keep seed, but the majority of crops are used for pasture.

Sproul’s family operation has a rich history.

“My great-great-grandpa settled the land I live on in the Great Land Run in 1893,” Sproul says. “Our family has been here and operated in agriculture ever since then.”

While the daily operations are taken care of by Sproul and his father, the whole family does pitch in from time to time.

“My dad and I own the farm, but everyone has a little bit of involvement,” Sproul says. “My mom, who is a retired schoolteacher, helps from time to time. My wife, who works full time as a hair stylist, also helps out when we need an extra hand. Other members of my family, like my daughter and my brother, help us as well.”

Sproul and his family are proud to raise cattle on the land that has been theirs for multiple generations.

“I am very sentimental, and so is my immediate family,” Sproul says. “There’s not very many places left in our area that have been owned by the same family for as long as ours. It’s a big deal to us.”

Editor’s note: Jessica Wesson was the 2021 editorial intern for the Angus Beef Bulletin. Photos courtesy Scott Sproul.

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