About Yaks
The following information was provided to IYAK by Bob Hasse,
Past President and current member of the Board of Directors, and
owner/operator of Desert End Yaks Ltd. This information
was obtained from the International Yak Association web site.
The domesticated full blood yaks (Bos grunniens) are
known to be a cross between the wild yak (Bos mutus) and
various local domestic cattle breeds surrounding the
Himilayan Mountains in Tibet.
Yaks, (Bos grunniens), a member of the bovine family,
are divided into the following categories:
1. Imperial: black with a black nose.
2. Black: black with a gray nose.
3. Trim: black with white trim usually on the
forehead, feet and tip of tail.
4. Royal: black and white (similar to Holstein
markings).
5. Golden: dun coloring over black
6. Woolly: longer and thicker hair coat
Yaks have handlebar horns, shoulder humps, horse-like
tails and long hairy skirts hanging nearly to the
ground.
Yaks are ‘easy keepers’. They require no special fencing
needs. Your standard 4-wire barbed wire fence is
sufficient. They are cold hardy and disease resistant.
Birthing comes easily as the calves are relatively small
at around 35 lbs. Although yaks do not do as well in
extremely hot and humid climates, they are fine at
normal ‘summer’ conditions when shade trees and fresh
water are available. The stocking rate of yaks is
greater that of commercial cattle. A yak eats about 1/3
the amount of hay that a commercial cow eats. Yaks do
not need a finishing ration, thus you can eliminate
grain, hormones and steroids. A good mineral block is
essential, however, along with free choice freshwater.
Adult yak cows range in weight from 600-800 pounds and
stand 4.5 feet at the shoulders, while yak bulls range
from 1200-1500 pounds and stand 5.5 feet at the
shoulders. Full size is achieved in 6-8 years. Yak
heifers conceive at two years of age and calve at three
years of age. Gestation is 8.5 months. Yak bulls are
considered breeders at 3 years of age but are known to
breed before that age. Yaks live to be 20-25 years of
age. Yak bulls must be raised with cattle if they are
going to be used for crossbreeding purposes. But what
are they good for?
Yaks can fill the market niche of every cattleman, small
acreage owner or exotic breeder.
They provide a source of breeding stock, crossbreeding
stock, meat, fiber, milk and dairy products, hides,
horns, and make excellent pack or show animals.
Yak meat has a delicious and delicate beef like flavor.
It is very low in fat as the fat layer is put down on
the outside of the carcass and is easily trimmed off. It
is deep red in color, high in protein, and low in
calories, saturated fats, cholesterol and triglycerides.
Yak fiber is comparable to cashmere or angora. It is the
downy undercoat that sheds off during the spring and can
be combed out, collected and processed. The courser
outer hair or ‘guard hair’ can be used to weave ropes
and belts.
At present there are no available yak dairy products.
Known in Tibet for its richness, yak milk is made into
cheese and butter. With the popularity of goat’s cheese,
there is a real market opportunity out there for yak
cheese.
Yak hides and horns are another untapped market. As ‘The
Wild West’ continues to draw the imagination of artists
and decorators, these natural products will be in
demand. As yaks are bovines, the processing of these
products is common and convenient for those who live in
the west and midwest.
For those who are interested in packing and trekking,
yak cows and steers can easily be trained and utilized.
Taming is best started at birth and training begins
after weaning as the animal grows. By two years of age,
a yak can begin to pack up to 150 pounds and walk trails
where horses should not go. They are sure footed and
trail friendly, needing little more than browsing along
the way.
We have only begun to expound the virtues of the yak.
For those whose interest is piqued, please feel free to
contact us for more information. We have members
exploring every asset of the yak and we are happy to
share our discoveries.
