Teddy Gentry, known to most as the bassist for the legendary country band Alabama, is also one of the most visionary cattlemen of our time. In 1989, Gentry set out to create a new breed of cattle—one that could thrive in the heat, humidity, and fescue-dominant pastures of the Southeast. That vision led to the formation of Bent Tree Farms in Fort Payne, Alabama, and ultimately to the development of the South Poll breed.

With a foundation of over 1,500 cows, Gentry meticulously crossed four maternal Bos Taurus breeds—Hereford, Senepol, Barzona, and Red Angus. His goal wasn’t to chase performance numbers or fads, but to build a cow that could do more with less: more fertility, more longevity, more profitability—on grass alone.

The South Poll breed was born out of that vision. And over decades, it has gained traction with graziers across the U.S. and beyond. Gentry’s commitment to functional, low-input, heat-tolerant cattle has had a lasting impact on sustainable ranching practices. Today, Bent Tree Farms remains a working ranch managed by Dave Roberts, still focused on the same principles that started it all.

The breeding philosophy at Bent Tree Farms has always prioritized practical traits over hype. The South Poll breed is built on a simple but powerful idea: cattle should work for the land and the rancher—not the other way around.

Key traits of the program include:

• Fertility & Longevity: South Poll cows are bred to last. Many cows remain productive into their late teens and even twenties. Bulls are highly fertile and capable breeders—real-world tested, not lab-inflated.

• Moderate Frame & Efficiency: South Polls are frame score 3–4 and weigh around 1,000–1,100 lbs, making them perfectly suited for grass-based, low-input operations.

• Heat Tolerance: With slick red hides and tropical-adapted bloodlines, these cattle excel in hot, humid climates where others fail.

• Calm Disposition: South Polls are among the gentlest cattle in the industry—easy to handle, easy to tag at birth, and ideal for family-run ranches.

• Maternal Excellence: The cows are proven mothers with sound udders and moderate milking ability, helping ensure low-maintenance calf-rearing.

• Grass Efficiency & Carcass Quality: South Polls thrive on grass alone and have repeatedly outperformed other breeds in taste tests and profitability trials—even against high-end genetics like Wagyu.