SOUTH POLL GENETICS
South Poll Genetics at Unity Farms
Forged by Forage. Driven by Purpose.
Why South Poll?
At Unity Farms, we chose South Poll cattle because they align with everything we value — efficiency, adaptability, and regenerative impact. Developed in the early 1990s by Teddy Gentry of Alabama, South Polls are a four-way cross of Red Angus, Barzona, Hereford, and Senepol. Gentry set out to create a heat-tolerant, docile, and highly efficient grass-based cow built for the Southeast.
The result is a moderate-framed, slick-haired animal with excellent fertility, mothering ability, and meat quality — all while performing exceptionally well on pasture alone. South Polls are not just low-input — they’re high-output, producing more beef per acre with fewer inputs.
Why Genetics Matter in Grazing Efficiency
In a regenerative grazing system like ours, genetics are more than pedigree — they’re profitability. With proper grazing management, cattle become a biological tool to convert fully recovered forage into nutrient-dense beef while regenerating soil.
We practice non-selective grazing, which means our animals are required to consume a high percentage of the available forage, not just pick the best bites. This approach:
- Applies natural pressure to expose animals that can perform without grain or handouts
- Ensures uniform pasture utilization, promoting faster and healthier recovery
- Reveals the doers and exposes the passengers — only the most efficient thrive
Non-selective grazing doesn’t just build soil — it sharpens the genetics.
Selection Through Grazing Pressure
Our grazing system does more than feed cattle — it tests them. In a high-density, non-selective system, there’s no room to hide. Animals must maintain condition, breed back, and raise a calf on forage alone — no creep feed, no grain, no second chances.
That pressure becomes our most valuable selection tool:
- The weak fall out. The resilient rise to the top.
- Every day on pasture is a test of function, fertility, and forage-conversion efficiency.
- Over time, our herd becomes more uniform, more productive, and more profitable — without added cost.
Our Selection Principles
We believe good cattle come from good cows. That’s why we start with fertile, no-fuss females that raise a healthy calf every year without assistance.
Our bulls are selected to:
- Compliment our top-producing cows and advance the genetic base
- Demonstrate early maturity, high libido, and strong condition
- Thrive on fully recovered forage with no supplements
- Maintain performance under tight, high-density, non-selective grazing
- Pass on traits that build soil health and herd resilience
We select for function over flash — the kind of cattle that put on weight grazing standing forage in July or stockpiled grass in January. We’re after the “10 pounds of sugar in a 5-pound sack” type: moderate in frame but dense in value.
Profit per Acre, Not per Animal
We don’t measure success by weaning weights or frame scores — we measure it in dollars per acre, soil organic matter, and how many days a year we can graze.
With the right genetics and management:
- We can stock more animals on the same land base
- Finish cattle on pasture with no grain
- Improve soil fertility and water retention through rest and rotation
- Reduce inputs while increasing beef output
Our genetics are not designed for feedlots — they’re designed for farms like ours, where the goal is regeneration, resilience, and return.
Built for Our Farm. Available to Yours.
We offer seedstock bulls and select females that represent our regenerative system: moderate, maternal, grass-adapted, and proven under pressure.
Whether you’re building your herd or bringing in new traits, our cattle are:
- Raised on forage
- Backed by performance
- Selected through pressure, not pampering
Located in Harrodsburg, KY
Contact us to learn more or schedule a farm visit.
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Unity Farms 