Headquartered in Clements, California, Sparrowk Livestock is a family beef cattle ranch owned and operated by the Sparrowk Family. It operates on owned and leased ranches in north and central California and in southeastern Oregon.
Conservation Ranching
Sparrowk Livestock's mission is to sustain and improve an efficient, economically sound cattle operation that supplies wholesome, nutritious beef for the consuming public while protecting and enhancing the environment, natural resources and wildlife habitat that occur on our ranches.
Sparrowk Livestock operates a diversified cattle ranching operation rooted in stewardship, quality cattle, and long-term sustainability. With three generations of the Sparrowk Family actively involved in the cattle industry and western way of life, our focus is on how to continually improve and drive the business forward, leaving the land better than we found it.
With the flexibility provided by the diverse ranches and cattle herds, the Sparrowk Livestock cattle management strategy provides for a modified rest and rotation system across two states. Over the long term, this balances forage use with recovery time that protects the land on each ranch and improves cattle performance.
Our long term community and tenancy partnerships connect us with industry leaders and conservationists. Together, we continually build a legacy of healthy and productive agricultural landscapes that will thrive for generations. Mutual conservation goals and projects are embedded into ranch management and ensure long-lasting relationships with private and public landlords.
Resource Responsibility
We believe that resource conservation is our responsibility to the ecosystems we manage. By mimicking natural processes, we enhance soil health, water retention, and the overall biodiversity of our grazing lands.
The Drews Valley Ranch in Lake County, Oregon consists of deeded land and U.S. Forest Service permits. Purchased in 1978, the Sparrowk Family focuses on restoring the ranch to its prime and improving the land and resources. Several fish passage projects have been installed on the ranch property. The juniper removal projects are an important habitat and cattle forage improvement.
With a commitment to preserving the land and ensuring generations of family and others can enjoy the beauty, peace and serenity of the Drews Valley Ranch, Sparrowk Livestock placed a conservation easement on the ranch in 2004. The easement is held by the Northwest Rangeland Trust.
Set in Sierra Valley, California’s largest alpine valley, the 13,120-acre Bar One Cattle Company in Loyalton complements the ranching operation as a stocker and cow-calf enterprise. It was purchased in partnership with two Colorado cattlemen in 1995.
Bar One was placed into a conservation easement to preserve its pristine natural resources in the face of urban encroachment. Contributors to the 2002 Bar One easement transaction include the Bar One Cattle Co., Sierra Business Council, The Nature Conservancy, the Natural Resources Conservation Service and California Rangeland Trust. Funding for it came from the David and Lucile Packard Foundation, the Resources Law Group, and the Wildlife Conservation Board.
Stewardship
Sparrowk Livestock is committed to conservation on its ranches. Each ranch has unique natural resource features and opportunities for enhancement. The family has implemented many projects to enhance water quality and quantity, streambank restoration, wildlife habitat improvement, invasive species control and forage improvement. These have been accomplished with many program partners, volunteers and family.
We bridge traditional ranching heritage with innovative and adaptive landscape management to preserve and sustain healthy rangelands. Overcoming natural resource challenges also benefits the cattle operation, our neighbors and the community at large.
This student group is preparing to remove blackberries from the Murphy Creek Project that Jack, Bev and neighbors coordinated with the East Bay Municipal Utilities District.
The Sparrowk Livestock ranches have often hosted various workshops and tours that enables it to share its project efforts, explain California ranching, and the site's many interesting natural resource characteristics.
PROJECT GALLERY
The Sparrowk family members, even as children have all had a role, whether gathering willow branches to plant, monitoring stream flow, or being ranch kids.
Sparrowk Livestock is particularly proud of its partnership with the California Public Utilities Commission, the University of California Cooperative Extension and the California Cattlemen's Association to overcome a critical water quality, wildlife and cattle management challenge at the Calaveras Ranch in Milpitas, California.
This is one of several fish passages Sparrowks installed in Drews Valley for threatened fish and lamprey. They enable the fish access to several miles across Drews Creek, Drews Valley.
Enterprise Sustainability
Sparrowk Livestock is committed to resource conservation alongside operating an efficient and profitable livestock business. We emphasize the importance of consistent cattle management on the same land for long-term ecological and cattle benefit. Our livestock management focuses on performance and longevity and maintaining the high standards expected by our partners and fellow cattlemen.
The Sparrowk Livestock cow herd winters on Central California’s annual grasslands, capitalizing on the green winter forage and mild winter climate. Following a seasonal forage optimization strategy, a major portion of the cowherd relocates to Northern California and Southern Oregon in late spring through summer to graze on mountain meadows and forest allotments. The balance of the cowherd remains at the Calaveras Ranch in Milpitas, California.
A portion of the cows shipped to Oregon graze US Forest Service allotments from June to early September and are rotated from pasture to pasture according to the Annual Operating Plan. The remaining cows pasture on the deeded meadow or forested pastures of Drews Valley Ranch.
A partner enterprise, Bar One Cattle Company in Sierra Valley is primarily a stocker operation, but it also owns a cow herd.
Sparrowk Livestock and Bar One Cattle Company are proud to partner with Agri Beef Co in its Snake River Farms American Wagyu program. Known worldwide as the Pioneers in American Wagyu Beef, Agri Beef collaborates with select producers like the Sparrowk Family who utilize the Agri Beef Co Wagyu bulls to breed high-quality, predominately Angus cows. What began to use the calving-ease Wagyu bulls on their heifers has led to a 15+ year partnership that is focused on placing livestock at the center of our livelihood, with genetic herd improvement and environmental stewardship. The Sparrowk Family has great pride in knowing the American Wagyu calves they love and care for could end up being served by the finest chefs and restaurants across the world.
Quarter Horses
The Sparrowks have been raising American Quarter horses since 1979 and are proud to be Ranching Heritage Breeders.
Cattle work on Sparrowk Livestock Ranches is done horseback so the need for athletic horses with “cow savvy” is essential. Many Sparrowk horses are also outstanding athletes in the ranch rodeo and roping arena and are beginning to find a home with competitors in Ranch Versatility events.
Bloodlines in the broodmare band include White Lighting Ike, Trapper Bar Drop, Charlies Starlight, Reminic, Dash For Cash, Shining Spark, Smart Little Lena and Nu Cash among others. Our current herd sire is WG A Smooth Okie, a grandson of A Smooth Guy and out of a daughter of White Lighting Ike. He has been used on the ranch to gather, doctor, and brand and pasture breeds the mares. One or two mares are often bred to outside stallions each year.
Foals are raised at 5,000+ ft. elevation outside of Lakeview, Oregon. Their several hundred acre pasture is a combination of meadow, rocky hills and timber so they learn to travel in all kinds of terrain even before they are weaned. The mares winter outside on the ranch through severe weather.
Being a rancher is a personal commitment to the well-being of our animals, natural resources stewardship, community relationships, and business integrity. It develops a joyful but busy lifestyle and a family dedicated to its future with pride.
The Sparrowk family is grateful to family members, partners, employees, and friends.
THE STORY
A first generation rancher, Jack Sparrowk started Sparrowk Livestock soon after graduation from Cal Poly San Luis Obispo in 1964. He began by buying and selling stocker and feeder cattle for other cattle operations while buying cattle to graze on his own leased pastures. Jack purchased his first commercial breeding cows in 1970 and his first ranch in 1972.
In 1977, he leased the historic Howard/Arroyo Seco Ranch in Amador County.
Jack and Beverly purchased Drews Valley Ranch near Lakeview, Oregon in 1978, and the former Lucky Hereford Ranch in Sierra Valley, California in 1995. Now the Bar One Cattle Company, it is a 50/50 partnership with two Colorado cattlemen.
Other leased lands include a large US Forest Service grazing allotment in conjunction with Drews Valley Ranch; Calaveras Ranch in Milpitas, California, and seasonal leases in both California and Oregon.
Jack has received special business recognitions:
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National Cattlemen's Beef Association Region VI Cattle Business Man of the Year
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San Joaquin County Agriculture Hall of Fame inductee
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San Joaquin Stanislaus County Cattleman of the Year
THE TEAM
Jack and Beverly are blessed with an extended family that shares their passion and commitment for the industry and intends to continue with their own enterprises. The children and grandchildren were raised on the ranches and shared in the conservation projects as well as cattle production, business and horsemanship. The next generation is already in the middle of ranching activities.
RECOGNITION
The Sparrowks have been active in many cattle industry leadership roles, serving as officers, directors and committee members on the local, state and national levels.
They have received special recognition from these conservation organizations:
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National Fish and Wildlife Foundation Chuck Yeager Award
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Lake County (Oregon) Stockgrowers Stewardship Award
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Lake County Umbrella Watershed Council's Landowner of the Year
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National Cattlemen's Beef Association Region Six Environmental Stewardship Award, with US Fish and Wildlife Service and US Department of Agriculture Natural Resource Conservation Service