The Oklahoma Cowman: History, Oklahoma Cattlemen's Association Profile, Content and Staff
Profile updated November 2026
Oklahoma Cowman magazine, known to members simply as The Cowman, has been the monthly publication of the Oklahoma Cattlemen's Association (OCA) since January 1963. Published from the association's office at the Oklahoma City stockyards address on Exchange Avenue, it reaches about 5,600 readers each month and calls itself one of the oldest and most respected livestock publications in Oklahoma.
| First published | January 1963 |
|---|---|
| Publisher | Oklahoma Cattlemen's Association (OCA) |
| Association chartered | March 6, 1950, in Seminole |
| Headquarters | 2500 Exchange Avenue, Oklahoma City |
| Frequency | Monthly, 12 issues a year, print and digital |
| Readership | About 5,600 readers a month |
| Official website | OKCattlemen.org: The Cowman |
History of The Oklahoma Cowman
The Oklahoma Cattlemen's Association was officially chartered on March 6, 1950, by a small group of cattlemen meeting in Seminole. The association set out to be a unified voice for ranchers, working to strengthen the cattle business, protect property rights and keep Oklahoma producers competitive in national and global markets.
Thirteen years later, in January 1963, the OCA began publishing The Cowman to keep members informed about association activities and industry issues. More than six decades on, the magazine still fills that role, and the association credits its willingness to change with the industry's needs for the publication's standing among producers.
The Oklahoma Cowman Today
The Cowman is published monthly, with print and digital content supporting each issue, and the OCA's 2026 media kit describes its audience as Oklahoma's most influential and progressive cattle producers. Each issue covers OCA activities, industry issues and current research, with a monthly focus on a part of Oklahoma's ranching industry.
The 2026 editorial calendar runs from an OCA membership issue in January through Performance in Progress, Pasture and Range Management, Red Angus, Brahman Influence, the Oklahoma Cattlemen's Foundation annual report, the convention and cattle feeders issue, the Annual OCA Ranch Rodeo, Angus, Livestock Marketing, Farm and Ranch Equipment, and a Hereford issue in December.
What The Oklahoma Cowman Is Publishing Now
Association news
OCA policy work, convention and trade show coverage, Oklahoma Junior Cattlemen's Association news and Oklahoma Cattlemen's Foundation reports.
Breed and production issues
Themed issues on Red Angus, Brahman influence, Angus and Hereford cattle, performance testing and pasture and range management.
Marketing and ranch life
Livestock marketing, equipment, research results and the OCA Ranch Rodeo, a highlight of the association's year.
The Oklahoma Cowman Editors and Staff
The OCA's 2026 media kit lists these staff:
- Colton Pratz - Marketing Director and Editor, The Cowman
- Michael Kelsey - Executive Vice President, OCA
- Cassie Danielson - Director of Member Services
- Hannah McElrath - Sponsorship Coordinator
The media kit lists the editor's address as cpratz@okcattlemen.org.
Who Reads The Oklahoma Cowman
Readers are cow-calf ranchers, stocker operators, cattle feeders and agribusiness people across Oklahoma, one of the nation's leading beef cattle states, where wheat pasture grazing and the Oklahoma National Stockyards have long tied ranching to national markets. USDA NASS inventory data and the Census of Agriculture give the official picture of the Oklahoma herd, and USDA ERS figures show cattle as the largest single source of U.S. animal receipts.
Any magazine that devotes a whole issue to a ranch rodeo understands that Oklahoma cattlemen like a good show. farm.FM offers its own arena of farm satire, farm humor and ranch humor for readers of The Cowman. Its farm jokes land like a well-thrown loop, most of the time.
For context, farm.FM is the nation's first satirical farm site and the home of Tractor Tunes, country music for farmers. Its contributors each keep an archive, and this one is a good sampler of ranch humor and farm jokes.
The Oklahoma Cowman Sources and Agriculture Authority Links
- Oklahoma Cattlemen's Association: The Cowman - the magazine's history and editor.
- OCA: About the association - the 1950 Seminole charter and mission.
- OCA 2026 media kit - readership, calendar and staff.
- USDA NASS Quick Stats - Oklahoma cattle inventory statistics.
- USDA NASS Census of Agriculture - Oklahoma farm and ranch structure.
The Oklahoma Cowman FAQ
Who publishes Oklahoma Cowman magazine?
The Oklahoma Cattlemen's Association in Oklahoma City.
When did The Cowman start?
The first issue was published in January 1963.
How often is The Cowman published?
Monthly, 12 issues a year.
Who edits The Cowman?
Colton Pratz, the OCA's marketing director, is listed as editor.
After more than six decades, Oklahoma Cowman magazine remains the monthly meeting place for Oklahoma's cattle producers and their association.