FAIRMOUNT, GA. – Seminole Tribe of Florida Inc., the non-gaming business development arm of the Seminole Tribe, announced the sale of Salacoa Valley Farms cattle operation to Ricky Cleveland, owner of Quail Valley Farms in Oneonta, Ala., and Erik and Kim Wiley of Wiley Ranch in Effie, La. Details of the transaction were not disclosed.

The Tribe acquired the Salacoa Valley Farms brand and existing cowherd of more than 1,000 head of Brangus cattle in 2013, as well as embryos and semen, plus equipment used in the cattle operation. It has leased several thousand acres of Salacoa Valley Farms land to operate the business since the 2013 purchase. The sale to Quail Valley Farms and Wiley Ranch includes the assets purchased in 2013, plus additional equipment and approximately 1,300 head of Brangus cattle. The Brangus breed is a cross of Brahman and Angus cattle.

Salacoa Valley Farms is primarily a seed stock operation that produces purebred bulls and heifers for cattle operators who want to improve the quality of their herds. The Seminole Tribe of Florida bought Salacoa Valley Farms for that reason — to improve the genetics among the herds of Seminole Tribe cattle operators on the Brighton Seminole Reservation and the Big Cypress Seminole Reservation in Florida. Members of the Seminole Tribe are cooperative owners of one of the largest cow-calf operations in the state.

“Tribal herds have improved from Salacoa genetics,” said Aaron Stam, natural resources director for the Seminole Tribe of Florida. “Individual cattle owners have purchased Salacoa bulls and cows, which have helped to increase yearling weights and weaning weights of Seminole cattle.”

Stam added the sale of Salacoa Valley Farms is part of a reallocation of Tribe resources to focus on continuing to improve cowherds and cattle operations on its reservations.