Dr Muhammad Younas Professor of Livestock Management Institute of Animal and Dairy Sciences (IADS), Faculty of Animal Husbandry (FAH), University of Agriculture, Faisalabad-Pakistan
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| Introduction A Yak is long haired, short legged cousins of the cow, native to the High plains plateaus of Tibet. It comes under the category of cattle, buffalo, and bison. Yak are mostly found in high-altitude areas such as Tibet, and Central Asia. Since they mostly live in cold areas with less number of plants they have to travel a large distance in search of grasses to eat. |
Domesticated yaks number at least 12 million and were bred for tractability and high milk production. Yaks are also used for plowing and threshing, as well as for meat, hides, and fur. The dried dung of the yak is the only obtainable fuel on the treeless Tibetan plateau.
Yak male or female
In English, as in most other languages that have borrowed the word, yak is usually used for both sexes, with bull or cow referring to each sex separately. In the native Tibetan language, yak is actually pronounced “yag” and is the term to describe a yak bull. A female yak is referred to as a “dri.”
A castrated male yak is called a yak. An intact male (bull) is called a boa while a female (cow) is called a dri. The white color in some domestic yak is not seen in the wild; most are brown or black in color. In Tibetan, the word yak refers only to the male of the species; a female is a dri or nak. In most languages which borrowed the word, including English, however, yak is usually used for both sexes.
Habitat of Yak
The Wild Yak (Bos mutus) lives at elevations of 4,000 to 6,100 meters in the alpine tundra, grasslands and cold desert regions of the Tibetan plateau. The worldwide population has probably declined more than 30% in the last 3 decades, and in 1995, was estimated to number a mere 15,000 individuals. The worldwide yak population is estimated to be a little over 14 million with the United States contributing only 7,000 to 8,000 of that number.
Milk and Meat
Lactation is seasonal and yak cows produce between 150 and 500 litres; yields vary by breed and location. Lactation can generally continue into a second year without another calving. During the winter, yak cows do not go dry and continue to produce a small amount of milk, with milk yields as low as 2 to 4 litres/month.
What is the color of yak milk?
Yaks produce milk tinted with blood right after they calve. This protein-charged pink milk is called “beastings.” As the calves get older, yak milk turns to a creamy white. Yak butter is used as lamp fuel, to polish fur coats, and as a medium for traditional Tibetan sculpture.
Yak milk has been traditionally consumed by communities living in high-altitude regions, particularly in Central Asia, and it provides essential nutrients and sustenance in challenging environments. Its nutritional composition is distinct, containing higher levels of protein and fat compared to cow’s milk. Some milk is sold for direct consumption in towns and villages, or in the upland areas it may be bartered for food grain. Butter is the principal product from yak milk and it represents one of the staple foods of the local people.
Taste and Color of Milk
Yak milk yield, as evident from the results given, has a high content of solids around 18 percent, including about 7 percent of fat. The milk has a fragrant, sweetish smell and whole milk also tastes somewhat sweet, even without adding sugar – so when drunk by herdsmen sugar is never added.
Whole milk (around 3.0–4% fat) – Plastic bottles marketed in blue packaging. Semi-skimmed milk (around 1.8% fat) – Plastic bottles are marketed in green packaging. Skimmed milk (around 0.1% fat) – Plastic bottles are marketed in red packaging.
Countries drinking its milk
Many herder communities in China, India, Mongolia, Nepal, Gilgit-Baltistan Pakistan and Tibet produce and consume dairy products made from yak’s milk, including butter.
Yak Meat
Yes, yak is halal for Muslims. It belongs to cow family, Asian, African buffalos and America bison. Yes the meat from Yak is halal, as are most herbivore animals in the world. Yak is another cousin of domestic cows just like a bison’s in north America and buffalos in Africa.
Yak meat is a healthy, lean protein that is lower in cholesterol and saturated fat than beef. It is also a more environmentally friendly option, since yaks require significantly less land and water than cattle. Ground yak meat is a versatile ingredient, and perfect for making burgers, tacos, meatballs, and more!
Feeding Habits
Yak feed mainly in the morning and evening, grazing on grasses, herbs and lichens, and eating ice and snow as a source of water. However due to the lack of vegetation where they live, wild yaks have to travel far in order to eat enough.
Calving Procedures
Gestation lasts between 257 and 270 days, so that the young are born between May and June, and results in the birth of a single calf. The cow finds a secluded spot to give birth, but the calf is able to walk within about ten minutes of birth, and the pair soon rejoin the herd.
Normally and in most places, yak are not mated for the first time until they are three (3) years old, and often not until four (4) years. Thereafter, female yak are most likely to calve once every two years or twice in three years – producing, on average, perhaps four to five calves in a lifetime.
Longevity
Lifespan: up to 28 years in captivity, 25 years in the wild. Special Adaptations: Yaks are well adapted to cold climates with very thick fur and a low number of sweat glands to reduce heat loss.
Where is yak found in Pakistan?
In Pakistan, yaks are found in Shimshal, Passu, Wakhan, Nagar, and Baltistan in the Karakoram and Himalayan regions of Pakistan. But its major concentration is in Shimshal valley in the Khunjerab National Park in the northeast of Gilgit bordering China. Shimshal is located in the Karakoram Range.
Yak (Bos grunniens) is native to high mountains of Asia mostly in Tibet, Xingjiang autonomous region of China, Shimshal valley in the Karakoram ranges of Pakistan, Tajikistan, and India and in Wakhan Corridor, Afghanistan.
How many yaks are left in Pakistan?
A recent census indicated that the total population of yak in Pakistan’s northern areas was 14,914 head. Males accounted for 5603 of the total, among which 3752 were 3 years old and above, and 1851 were below 3 years of age.
How much does a yak cost?
The animal itself can cost anywhere between $1,000 and $10,000, without taking into account equipment and upkeep. By the end of the day—after a yak photo competition and a yak chute demonstration and a yak fiber judging—as the sun sinks below the trees of Bentwood Farms (NY), very few yaks have been sold.
What is unique about yak?
Yaks live at the highest altitude of any mammal. Similar to other cow species, the yak has more than one stomach which it uses to successfully get all the nutrients out of the plants it eats. Yaks have firm, dense horns which they use to break through snow in order to get the plants that are buried underneath.
Use of Yak Hair
Yak fiber is the term commonly used to refer yak fiber wool produced from the coat hair of yaks (Bos grunniens), a long-haired bovine mainly found in the Himalayan region, Tibetan plateau, and some areas of Mongolia and Central Asia. Yak fiber wool has been used by nomads in the Trans-Himalayan region for over a thousand years to make clothing, tents, ropes and blankets.
Behavior and Personality of Yak
Wild yaks are herd animals, living in herds from 10-30 individuals and sometimes up to 200 yaks. Yaks will spend most of the day grazing. Females and males usually live separately except during breeding season. Yak will migrate to lower elevations during the winter, but do not tolerate warm temperatures well.
Yaks live in groups called herds which may range between 20 and 200 heads. Bulls (males that have not been castrated) may live in smaller groups with only a few individuals or on their own. Females typically form larger herds with their calves.
Yaks are intelligent, docile and sociable animals. They are observant and aware of their surroundings. They have a highly developed sense of sight and hearing. They are a herd animal and the mothers are protective of their calves.
Behavioral adaptation of Yak
After long-term natural and artificial selections, yaks have adapted excellently to the harsh conditions: 1) by genomics, with positively selected genes involved in hypoxia response and energy metabolism; 2) anatomically, including a short tongue with a weak sense of taste, and large lung and heart; 3) physiologically,
Sturdy and sure of foot, these ultimate pack animals can cross high mountain passes carrying heavy loads of up to 150 pounds and are sometimes called the “boats of the plateau.”
What are 5 Behavioral adaptations?
Examples of behavioral adaptation include migration, hibernation, learned behavior, alteration in the mode of reproduction, altered feeding habits, and distinct modes of communication. Behavior is anything an animal does involving action and/or a response to a stimulus. Blinking, eating, walking, flying, vocalizing and huddling are all examples of behaviors. Behavior is broadly defined as the way an animal acts. Swimming is an example of behavior.
Incredible Yak facts!
Yaks are animals that are native to Tibet and China but are also found in Mongolia, Nepal, and Central Asia. Scientists believe that Qiang tribespeople (Tibet and China) domesticated yak animals at least 5,000 years ago, a claim supported by genetic evidence. However, some Tibetan peoples may have possibly domesticated yaks as long as 10,000 years ago. Domestic yaks far outnumber wild ones and are bred for their tractability for plowing and threshing, high milk production, meat, hides, and fur.
- A species of cattle characterized by warm, dense fur hanging below the bellies and a woody undercoat that cover their chest, flanks and thigh. They have bulky frames and sturdy legs that end in rounded, cloven hooves.
- Domestic yak, unlike their counterparts in the wild, often make grunting noises, leading to the nickname, “The Grunting Ox.”
- Yaks are animals with three times the lung capacity of cows and have more and smaller red blood cells, which allows them to transport oxygen more efficiently.
- They can withstand frigid temperatures that can reach as low as -40 degrees Fahrenheit.
- Yaks have trouble thriving at lower altitudes and become prone to heat exhaustion when temperatures are above 59 degrees Fahrenheit.
- When a yak animal dies of natural causes, its bones find new life as jewelry and tent fastenings per Buddhist teachings.
Domestic Yak Farming in the Himalayan Mountains:
The yak, Bos grunniens grunniens, is a large, bovine animal which inhabits the high altitudes of Asia. It is also known as the Tibetan ox. The yak is characterized by its long, shaggy black coat; long horns; and distinctive beard. Yaks weigh between 450 and 1,550 pounds and grow to a height of 5 feet at the shoulder. They are closely related to cattle and can interbreed with them. They are domestic animals in Tibet and Mongolia but are wild in Nepal.
Yaks are used to transport goods in the Himalayan Mountains. They also provide milk, meat, hides and wool for their owners. A yak’s milk tastes like cow’s milk but has less fat; it is used for making cheese, butter and yogurt. The hair from the yak’s coat is made into tents and rugs; its hide becomes waterproof coats for Tibetans.
The main problem facing farmers who raise yaks is that only females give milk and only males are useful as beasts of burden. Farmers cannot afford to keep bulls unless they have more than 10 cows because bulls must be fed whether or not they’re working. If a farmer owns more than 10 cows
The domestic yak is the most important animal in the Newari culture. “Our tradition, our religion, our culture, our lifestyle and our ecology are all connected with the yak,” says Bishnu Prasad Ojha, a resident of Nala Gaun village in Nepal.
The Newari people live in the Kathmandu Valley of Nepal and have been yak farmers for hundreds of years. Yaks provide their owners with meat, milk, butter and cheese; they are also used as transport animals and their dung can be used as fuel.
Yak Scientific Classification
| Kingdom | Animalia | Yak Facts | |
| Phylum | Chordata | Yak Conservation status | Near threatened |
| Class | Mammalia | Main Pray | Grass herbs, Mosses |
| Order | Artiodactyla | Name of Young | Calf |
| Family | Bovidae | Population | 12 M domestic, 10,000-15,000 wild |
| Genus | Bos | Location | China, Central Asia, Mongolia, Pakistan, India and Nepal |
| Scientific Name | Bos grunniens | ||
| Habitat | Mountains and Plateaus Yaks can live at altitudes up to 20,000 feet–the highest of any land-dwelling mammal, 3,000-5,000 m (9,800-18,000 ft | ||
| can live | Yaks can live at altitudes up to 20,000 feet–the highest of any land-dwelling mammal. | ||
| Diet | Herbivores | ||
| Av litter size | 1 | ||
| Life style | Herd | ||
| Favorite Food | Grass | ||
| Type | Mammal | ||
| Color | Brown, Black, White, Dark Brown | ||
| Skin Type | Hair | ||
| Top Speed | 20 mph | ||
| Life Span | 15-28 Years | ||
| Weight | 225-1000 kg | ||
| Descended from | Aurochs (Bos primigenius) Became extinct in 1627, due to habitat loss and hunting | ||
| Two distinct sp | |||
| Domestic Yak | Bos grunniens (grunting ox) (36 types/sp) | ||
| Wild Yak | Bos mutns (mute ox) | ||
| Main Difference | Size, weight and with wild males | ||