Third failed AI... Fat cow... now what?

Help Support CattleToday:

Update on the failed AI British White cow: After contemplating everything (we couldn't get her to the bull 'til June, she gained weight on air, huge, 2 years of failed AI, the vet couldn't even lift her uterus when he checked her), we decided to finally cut our losses. We sent her to the butcher Monday. Sigh. We'll start over with a better fit and approach it differently so we don't repeat the problem.

She had a hanging weight of 1,314, which meant she was about 1,700–1,800 lbs. live weight. For comparison's sake, the 16-month old Angus heifer we took in with her had a hanging weight of 714.

We're keeping the steaks and brisket, and the rest hamburger. I'm very curious on the flavor and marbling, as she certainly didn't exercise much, but ate plenty of high quality hay/pasture and had corn in her background. We'll know next week. I bet the T-bones will be huge.

Thanks for your input, everyone!!
Don't get too down in the mouth. You live and you learn. I think, from what I've read, that you won't dislike the steaks. You'll get it figured out. If there was a guaranteed guide for everyone's programs, we'd all be millionaires and it wouldn't be no fun neither. All the best.
 
Update on the failed AI British White cow: After contemplating everything (we couldn't get her to the bull 'til June, she gained weight on air, huge, 2 years of failed AI, the vet couldn't even lift her uterus when he checked her), we decided to finally cut our losses. We sent her to the butcher Monday. Sigh. We'll start over with a better fit and approach it differently so we don't repeat the problem.

She had a hanging weight of 1,314, which meant she was about 1,700–1,800 lbs. live weight. For comparison's sake, the 16-month old Angus heifer we took in with her had a hanging weight of 714.

We're keeping the steaks and brisket, and the rest hamburger. I'm very curious on the flavor and marbling, as she certainly didn't exercise much, but ate plenty of high quality hay/pasture and had corn in her background. We'll know next week. I bet the T-bones will be huge.

Thanks for your input, everyone!!
I'm interested in how the meat was marbled. Maybe English Wagyu? Please post some pics as a reply so I don't miss them.
 
Don't get too down in the mouth. You live and you learn. I think, from what I've read, that you won't dislike the steaks. You'll get it figured out. If there was a guaranteed guide for everyone's programs, we'd all be millionaires and it wouldn't be no fun neither. All the best.
So true!!!
And if the steaks are as nice as hoped... I won't be so down in the "mouth," after all. ;o)
 
A hanging weight of 1314 would
Update on the failed AI British White cow: After contemplating everything (we couldn't get her to the bull 'til June, she gained weight on air, huge, 2 years of failed AI, the vet couldn't even lift her uterus when he checked her), we decided to finally cut our losses. We sent her to the butcher Monday. Sigh. We'll start over with a better fit and approach it differently so we don't repeat the problem.

She had a hanging weight of 1,314, which meant she was about 1,700–1,800 lbs. live weight. For comparison's sake, the 16-month old Angus heifer we took in with her had a hanging weight of 714.

We're keeping the steaks and brisket, and the rest hamburger. I'm very curious on the flavor and marbling, as she certainly didn't exercise much, but ate plenty of high quality hay/pasture and had corn in her background. We'll know next week. I bet the T-bones will be huge.

Thanks for your input, everyone!!
A 1314 hanging weight would be more like 2100lb live weight. And that's at 62% which is a super good cut out.
 
Update on the failed AI British White cow: After contemplating everything (we couldn't get her to the bull 'til June, she gained weight on air, huge, 2 years of failed AI, the vet couldn't even lift her uterus when he checked her), we decided to finally cut our losses. We sent her to the butcher Monday. Sigh. We'll start over with a better fit and approach it differently so we don't repeat the problem.

She had a hanging weight of 1,314, which meant she was about 1,700–1,800 lbs. live weight. For comparison's sake, the 16-month old Angus heifer we took in with her had a hanging weight of 714.

We're keeping the steaks and brisket, and the rest hamburger. I'm very curious on the flavor and marbling, as she certainly didn't exercise much, but ate plenty of high quality hay/pasture and had corn in her background. We'll know next week. I bet the T-bones will be huge.

Thanks for your input, everyone!!
I'd also like to know how thick the fat cover was on the animal. How many pounds of fat will be trimmed from that 1,314 pound carcass?
 
I'd also like to know how thick the fat cover was on the animal. How many pounds of fat will be trimmed from that 1,314 pound carcass?
Right! The AI tech said she had a lot of internal fat. The butcher concurred -- lots of fat cover. That's why we are not selling it as quarters, it wouldn't be fair. I'll ask at pickup if they remember roughly how much fat got trimmed off.
 
That's a very large hanging weight! My goodness. Yes. Please put a pic or 6 up. Very interested!
OK, so we weighed the finished meat: Steaks, stew meat, a few soup bones (239 lb) and a lot of burger (436 lb). Total 675 lb, which is 51% return on hanging weight. I'm sure a LOT of fat had to be trimmed out, because T&R always gets the most out of every animal we bring in.

We opened and cooked one steak thus far. (Unfortunately we didn't have a grill at my parents, where we unveiled it -- panfried). The fat was more yellow than our heavier (and younger) grain eaters; she was a heavy forager. (Because of her "slimdown" plan--which didn't work--she only had a handful of corn twice a day to help tie her up). The steak was very flavorful, well marbled and more deeply "grained" if that is a term. I haven't tried the burger (85%) but I'm assuming it will be good as well! I'm not a fan of such thick fat edges, but it had a good flavor.
 

Attachments

  • British White Rib Steak panfried_sm_022023.jpg
    British White Rib Steak panfried_sm_022023.jpg
    775.1 KB · Views: 13
  • British White Rib Steak_022023_sm.png
    British White Rib Steak_022023_sm.png
    1.6 MB · Views: 13
We've been almost entirely 100 percent A.I. for the last 20 yrs. Folks are quick to slaughter a good cow bc they didn't take with. A.I. HUGE mistake!!! Is the semen viable or dead? What is the skill level of the inseminator? was she in Standing Heat or a stab in the dark, timed breeding? Has she been vet examined as she may have a simple to fix cyst. Then some cows no matter how good & healthy they may be just are not A.I. candidates! I would have a vet check her then turn her out with a healthy bull and expect a calf in 9 months! You will be glad you didn't mislabel her as a cull when she wasn't. ;)
 
We've been almost entirely 100 percent A.I. for the last 20 yrs. Folks are quick to slaughter a good cow bc they didn't take with. A.I. HUGE mistake!!! Is the semen viable or dead? What is the skill level of the inseminator? was she in Standing Heat or a stab in the dark, timed breeding? Has she been vet examined as she may have a simple to fix cyst. Then some cows no matter how good & healthy they may be just are not A.I. candidates! I would have a vet check her then turn her out with a healthy bull and expect a calf in 9 months! You will be glad you didn't mislabel her as a cull when she wasn't. ;)
Looks like she's already in the freezer
 
I bet that steak really was good even pan fried.
I've had some with yellow fat and some was marginal taste wise and some was phenomenal. To me, the yellow fat melts away better and adds to the taste most of the time a little better than traditional white fat.
(some folks tho just won't accept the appearance of yellow fat)
 
Sorry for you having to make that decision but think it was really the best. She was a BIG animal to hang that heavy. Glad that the steak was good to eat and yes, there was quite a bit of cover fat. I also agree with @greybeard that most of the "yellow fat" animals seem to have a little more flavor and the fat does seem to melt better and at lower temps.... I have been eating jersey and jersey crosses foer over 40 years and prefer the flavor...
Hope you can find an animal to replace her and get you back on track to having what you want.
 
We've been almost entirely 100 percent A.I. for the last 20 yrs. Folks are quick to slaughter a good cow bc they didn't take with. A.I. HUGE mistake!!! Is the semen viable or dead? What is the skill level of the inseminator? was she in Standing Heat or a stab in the dark, timed breeding? Has she been vet examined as she may have a simple to fix cyst. Then some cows no matter how good & healthy they may be just are not A.I. candidates! I would have a vet check her then turn her out with a healthy bull and expect a calf in 9 months! You will be glad you didn't mislabel her as a cull when she wasn't. ;)
There were several concurrent issues, not just the failed AI re-breeding over two years -- each time in good, observable, standing heat, using different bulls but same AI tech. We wouldn't have access to a bull for another 6 months. Vet examined here and did not find a cyst. He could not lift her uterus however, which was unusual. Fatness?
 
There were several concurrent issues, not just the failed AI re-breeding over two years -- each time in good, observable, standing heat, using different bulls but same AI tech. We wouldn't have access to a bull for another 6 months. Vet examined here and did not find a cyst. He could not lift her uterus however, which was unusual. Fatness?
Possibly over conditioned. However, since you are addressing each of the concurrent issues and before you invest in more A.I. expenses, it might be best to put her with a bull. Hope it works out well for you! :)
 

Latest posts

Top