Brooke Sebo took the reins of Sebo Land & Cattle in 2020
SPIRO, OKLA. – When you meet Brooke Sebo, you know she is a true cowgirl through and through; so much so that she’s even earned an award, 2022 Women of the West Rancher of the Year.
Her family owns Sebo Land & Cattle near Spiro, Okla., which she has managed since 2020. Her father, uncle, and cousin are all partners in the cow/calf operation, which hosts a herd of about 2,000 head of black Angus and Red Angus. They mix their own feed with what they grow, including corn, corn silage, alfalfa, and sorghum silage. They own several thousand acres that are spread throughout several nearby towns.
“We feed our cows that way in the winter, September through about March,” Sebo explained. “In the summer, we have good ground so they graze on grass and some minerals that we put out.”
Brooke learned some of what she knows about cattle management, especially nutrition and genetics, through her time at Oklahoma State University, which she graduated from in 2016.
“I moved home to help with the ranch and became ranch manager in 2020. They handed the reins over to me,” she said. As ranch manager, her responsibilities include overseeing the cattle and managing all the employees.
The ranch employs a variety of both traditional and newer methods, she said.
“My dad and uncle have always worked to better the operation any way that they can,” Brooke said. “They’ve guided me in my way to help make our operation what it is today. We all work together.”
Brooke added that while much of the focus has been on optimizing cattle percentages, she also focuses on the overall health of the herd.
“We want to have the best, most healthy calves from weaning to selling,” she said.
When they are working to keep their animals healthy and fed during, it helps to have the knowledge of nutrition and the various feed types, Brooke said.
Some of her training, however, comes from life experiences before going to college, as well as what she has learned as ranch manager the last four years.
“Making sure the cattle are in good condition going into the winter is really important to make sure they live through it,” she said.
The ranch has grown in recent years and they’ve only more recently become registered Angus providers. The Sebos want to grow more and increase the quality even more so their family brand can become known as desirable beef to purchase.
The family, which has had its ranch for about 50 years, also owns between 40 and 50 Quarter horses, which they use for various purposes, including ranch management.
“It’s always been our way,” Brooke said. “I’ve always been a horse person. We do everything by horseback, but we do have some side-by-sides too.”
They manage their calves by dragging them using the horses, Brooke explained.
Roping and, at one point, barrel racing, are another big part of Brooke’s life. She’s competed in rodeos for more than 10 years and is an award-winning team roper.
“It brings so me so much joy,” Brooke said. “It’s my most favorite thing in the world to do. There’s nothing more enjoyable than being on the back of a good horse.”
Whether she’s working her family ranch or participating in a rodeo, Brooke feels confident in her experience and knowledge to work in what is traditionally thought of as a “male industry.”
“I can do just a good a job and I’m afforded just the same opportunities by not letting it be an issue,” she said. “I work with men all the time and I speak in a way that lets them know I know what I’m doing and there’s a mutual respect. I give as much respect as I get. It’s important.”
