223 | The Cow Built for Grass

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 direct-to-consumer grass-fed beef  The economics of regenerative cattle production  Longevity and maternal performance in grazing herds  Using smaller cows to improve profit per acre If you’ve ever wondered whether modern cattle genetics truly fit regenerative grazing systems, this episode will give you a lot to think about.Resources Mentioned:Teddy GentryGreg JudyBurk TeichertSouth Poll Grass Cattle AssociationListen, learn, and keep on grazing.  Looking for grass-based breeders? Explore the Grass Based Genetics directory.Visit our Sponsors:Noble Research InstituteRedmond Agriculture Grassroots CarbonGrazing Grass LinksWebsiteCommunity (on Facebook)Original Music by Louis Palfrey