Bent Tree Farms
Bent Tree Farms
Founded by Teddy Gentry in 1989, Bent Tree Farms is the birthplace of the South Poll breed. Seeking to develop cattle that could thrive in the heat, humidity, and forage conditions of the Southeast, Gentry built the breed from a foundation of Hereford, Senepol, Barzona, and Red Angus genetics. The program has always emphasized fertility, adaptability, longevity, and profitability in grass-based environments. Today, under the management of Dave Roberts, Bent Tree Farms continues to produce functional, low-input cattle that reflect the original South Poll vision: cattle that work for the rancher, thrive on forage, and remain productive for years to come.
Teddy Gentry, best known as the bassist for the country band Alabama, is also the founder of Bent Tree Farms in Fort Payne, Alabama, and the developer of the South Poll breed. In 1989, Gentry began developing a composite breed adapted to the heat, humidity, and fescue-based grazing systems of the southeastern United States.
Using a foundation herd of more than 1,500 cows, Gentry combined four maternal Bos taurus breeds: Hereford, Senepol, Barzona, and Red Angus. The breeding program emphasized fertility, longevity, maternal function, forage efficiency, and performance under grass-based conditions.
The South Poll breed was developed through this selection process and has since been adopted by cattle producers throughout the United States and internationally. Today, Bent Tree Farms continues to operate under the management of Dave Roberts, maintaining the same breeding objectives established during the breed's development.
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.
Today, South Poll cattle can be found thriving across the U.S., from Missouri to Montana, and in countries like Mexico and Uruguay. Bent Tree Farms continues to lead by example, raising cattle that reflect Teddy Gentry’s original vision: sustainable, grass-based, and profitable.
