About this episode

This episode explores the South Poll breed of cattle designed for grass-based farming and its impact on regenerative grazing systems.

What happens when a cattle breed is designed specifically for grass-based farming instead of the feedlot? In this special narrative-style episode of the Grazing Grass Podcast, Cal Hardage tells the story of the South Poll breed and the people behind it. Starting with Teddy Gentry’s journey in the late 1980s, this episode explores how one goal shaped an entirely new kind of cow: heat tolerant, fertile, efficient on forage, and built to thrive in regenerative grazing systems. You’ll hear from Teddy Gentry, Greg Judy, Ralph and Jerry Voss, Steve Freeman, and Nathan Hahn as they share how South Poll cattle changed their operations and why they believe smaller, forage-efficient cattle are the future of profitable grass farming. This episode covers: Why Teddy Gentry created the South Poll breed The four breeds that formed South Poll cattle Heat tolerance, slick hair genetics, and grass efficiency Why fertility and longevity matter more than size Greg Judy’s transition away from conventional cattle Leasing land to grow a grazing operation Why South Poll breeders avoid the show ring Building profitable cows instead of high-input cows Grass finishing cattle on pasture Selling…

People in this episode

Host: Cal Hardage

Topics covered

• cattle breeding
• grass-based farming
• regenerative agriculture
• forage efficiency
• livestock profitability
• sustainable farming

Keywords

• South Poll
• grass-fed beef
• cattle genetics
• regenerative grazing
• forage-efficient cattle
• livestock farming
• heat tolerance
• fertility
• profit per acre

Mentioned in this episode

Organizations: South Poll

More episodes of Grazing Grass Podcast | Rotational Grazing, Soil Health & Profitable Livestock Farming

• 225 | Sheep, Polywire, and Practical Grazing with Richard Popham · May 27, 2026 · 1h 20m
• 224 | From Flashlight Farmer to Profit Driven Grazing with Gabe Wight · May 20, 2026 · 1h 14m

Explore listener stats, chart rankings, contacts and more on the Grazing Grass Podcast | Rotational Grazing, Soil Health & Profitable Livestock Farming podcast page.