Facts and Figures about Yak Farming in Canada

• Yaks are members of the bovine family, the same family as cows and bison
• Female yaks (cows) weigh between 600 and 800 pounds (272 to 363kg), and are 4’6” (1.4m) at the hump
• Cows have calves once per year, in the spring
• Yak calves weigh approximately 30 pounds (13.6kg) at birth
• Mature male yaks (bulls) weigh between 1200 and 1500 pounds (544 to 680kg) on average and can be as tall as 6’6” (2m) at the hump
• Yaks can live for 20 to 25 years
• There are only approximately 1,000 to 2,000 breeding yaks in North America, and five Canadian breeders registered with the International Yak Association

Yaks are native to the mountain regions of Tibet. They are hardy and can live outside comfortably in a wide range of temperatures and weather. Their thick coat provides protection for them from the cold of winter. Even calves (yaks under one year of age) can survive temperatures of -30^oC.

Yaks’ respiratory rates increases at low altitudes and in warm weather. In higher, cooler climates, their respiratory rate will drop to help them thrive. This is just one of the adaptations which helps make the yak such a hardy animal.

Yaks are easy to contain. A standard four-wire barbed wire fence will keep them in as long as they are comfortable, well fed and have good supplies of water. Because of the low feed requirements of yaks, they can live at a higher stocking density than cattle can.

Yaks are from the cattle family, and as such, are ruminant herbivores. This means they eat plant matter, and digest it in a series of four stomach compartments. When a yak eats, it chews and swallows and the feed enters the first stomach compartment, the rumen, where it is mixed with fluids containing bacteria and other microorganisms to help break down the cellulose fibres. The yak will then “chew its cud”: regurgitate the food and re-chew it into smaller particles. The chewed cud is swallowed again and eventually passes into the second stomach, the reticulum, for further processing. Then it is on to the third stomach, the omasum, which removes a lot of the moisture from the mixture. The fourth stomach is the abomasum, which, like the human stomach, is very acidic for the digestion of proteins. Yaks need a good supply of water available, especially during the warm temperatures, which they are not as well suited for.

Yaks are efficient feed-converters, and only eat approximately half of what a beef animal eats. They are both browsers and grazers, eating a variety of grass and shrubs as they are available. Under most circumstances, they do not require any supplemental feed along with their pasture, but providing them with a mineral block is recommended to ensure they are receiving the nutrients they need. Even mature yaks can survive on as little as 6 to 10 pounds of hay per day.

Yaks mate in September, and cows are first bred at approximately 18 months of age. Cows have a gestation of 8 ½ months (257 days), generally calving between April and June. Calves are 30 pounds at birth, and cows do not normally require assistance for calving. Calves are weaned at one year of age and become independent shortly afterwards. Yaks will live to be between 20 and 25 years old. Yak cows calve once per year, and normally have one calf at a time.

Mature female yaks (cows) are 600 to 800 pounds and measure approximately 4’6” at the top of their hump. Mature male yaks (bulls) weigh on average between 1200 and 1500 pounds, but can be over 1600 pounds. Bulls measure as tall as 6’6” at the hump. Wild yaks can be as tall as 7’2” at the hump. Yaks are mature between 4 and 6 years of age.

All yaks, both male and female, have horns, although the female’s horns are shorter. Yaks have a large hump on their backs similar to a bison. They have long coats of thick hair which hang down between their knees and ankles. A yak’s coat is made up of an under coat, which is soft and outer coat of coarse hair, similar to a llama’s coat.

Yaks have short legs and broad hooves which are well-adapted to climbing in the mountains.

North American yaks are divided into six types:

• Imperial: completely black, including the muzzle
• Trims: mostly black with some white trim on the face and legs
• Royal: black and white with a white blaze face
• Golden: a golden-brown colour
• Black (Native Tibetan): all black with a grey nose
• Woolly: longer and thicker hair coat than other yaks

Colour is variable in yaks, and the golden yak is rare.

For photos of the different types of yak, click here or for more photos, including yak colourings outside of North America, click here

Domestic North American yaks are a cross between the wild yak and various domestic cattle in the Himalayas. Yaks can breed with cattle, but male offspring are sterile in the first generation.

Yaks are used for breeding stock, cross breeding stock, pack and draught animals, wool, hide, milk and meat production. The low numbers of yaks in North America give high demand for their products, especially for breeding animals.

The small size of the yak, relative to horses, and their sure-footedness make them ideal pack animals. They can climb up to 20,000 feet, and can carry up to 150 pounds or 70 kilograms. Because yaks are native to the mountain regions, they do not need special feed for packing trips. Instead, they will be content to eat the grasses and shrubs along the trail. Yaks’ respiratory rates change based on the altitude and temperature they are at to help with climbing expeditions. Yaks are quiet and alert on trails, and their excellent hearing and curious nature act as a warning system for dangers.

Yaks have a soft under-hair and course outer-hair, similar to llamas. When the under-hair is separated and combed out, it is similar to cashmere. To help with spinning, silk is often added. The under-hair is very short, making it difficult to spin unless it has been put into rovings. There is a medium length guard hair which is mixed in with the down, or under-hair, when it is combed out. This medium guard hair is coarser than the down, and is separated from the down before spinning. There is also an outer-hair, which is very coarse guard hair. Guard hairs can be used to make bags, belts, rugs and ropes. The amount of down produced by each yak varies based on the climate they live in and the age of the animal. The older the animal or the warmer the climate, the less down they produce. Each yak can produce up to one kilogram of down. Yak hides are tanned and sold. These hides can be used for a number of things, including a warm rug for the floor.

Yak milk, contrary to legend, is not pink. It is a rich, creamy colour. Yak milk has a butterfat content of up to 11 per cent, making it excellent for butter, yogurt, cream and cheese. Yak butter tea is a comfort food of the Himalayas. Yak meat is extremely lean, making it popular with health-conscious consumers. Yak meat is low in saturated fats, triglycerides and cholesterol. It is high in protein, vitamins, minerals and healthy fats. The meat is only dry if improperly cooked, and has a sweet flavour.

Yaks are gaining popularity because of their versatility. Yaks have been domesticated for thousands of years, and are a result of long ago crosses between wild yaks and cattle native to the Himalayan region. They are used extensively in Tibet and Nepal, especially as pack animals. Sherpas prefer yaks to other pack animals due to their adaptability to high altitudes and bad weather, along with their quiet nature and strong backs.

The first yaks were brought to Canada in the early 1900s, and they are now being bred at several farms and ranches across the country. Yaks are still quite rare in North America, but the health benefits of the meat are beginning to draw more attention to them. The adaptability and versatility of yaks is making them be recognized as a viable livestock in North American agriculture.

Yaks have handlebar horns, a large shoulder hump, horse-like tails and long shaggy hair which hangs just above the ground.

• Yaks eat about half of what an average beef cow does
• Yaks can be trained to lead on a halter and taught to get on a trailer, carry bags as a pack animal, pull a cart and to be groomed.
• One yak can carry up to 70 kilograms and can walk trails that are too rough for horses
• Yaks can climb as high as 20,000 feet
• Yaks were domesticated in Tibet during the first millennium
• Yaks are also known as the “grunting ox”
• There are only about 1,000 to 2,000 breeding yaks in North America
• There are five different colours of yaks
• Domesticated yaks are a cross between wild yaks and cows in the Himalayans
• Yaks learn to come when called
• Yaks came to Canada in the early 1900s
• Yak milk is a rich, creamy colour
• Yak wool is warmer than sheep wool
• Yaks can survive outdoors during severe blizzard conditions
• Wild yaks grunt only during the breeding season. Domestic yaks grunt throughout the year, giving them the name Bos grunniens or the grunting ox
• Wild yaks are bigger than domestic yaks
• Once yaks are trained not to swing their horns, objects can be tied to the horns to help with carrying
• Yak hair is useful for making theatrical wigs
• Chewbacca and the Wolf Man both wore costumes of yak hair

Here are some terms you will need to know on a yak farm

Black: a yak that is all black with a grey nose, also called a Native Tibetan yak

Bos grunniens: domestic yaks

Bos mutus: wild yaks

Bull: a male yak

Calf: a yak under one year of age

Calving: when the cow gives birth to a calf

Cow: a female yak who has had a calf

Down: another name for the soft under-hair of the yak

Golden: a yak that is a golden-brown colour

Grunting Ox: a yak

Herd: a group of yaks

Hide: the cured skin of an animal

Imperial: a yak that is completely black, including the muzzle

Nak: the Sherpa name for a yak cow

Outer-hair: the coarse guard hair visible on the yak. Used for making ropes, bags, rugs, etc

Rovings: animal fibres which have been combed, drawn into a clump, and then twisted slightly to hold the fibres together

Royal: a black and white yak with a white blaze face

Ruminant: an animal with four stomach compartments like cattle, sheep, goats, bison and yaks

Tanning: the process of curing an animal hide for use as leather

Trims: a yak that is mostly black with some white trim on the face and legs

Under-hair: the soft, cashmere-like hair against the yak’s body, under the outer-hair

Weaning: the process of separating the cow from the calf

Yearling: a one year old yak

International Yak Association
Visit: www.iyak.org

Other sources:
www.yampayaks.com/faqs.html
www.thegreenbayyakkers.com
www.theyakranch.com