Yaks were imported to Europe from Tibet in the mid 1800's. From Scotland and Germany, they moved on to Canada and the United States in the early 1900's. There are now about 2000 Yaks in North America.

Yaks are also known as the "grunting ox". That's a grunt, not a moo or a bellow. They'll grunt when agitated, hungry, or calling their young. Otherwise, they make no sound at all.

Yaks are inquisitive, intelligent, and quiet animals each with their own distinct personality. They learn to come when called and have a highly developed sense of sight and hearing. They make good watchdogs curiously investigating any activity in their vicinity. They can be halter broken upon weaning and learn and retain behaviors such as packing, pulling, and being groomed.

What are Yaks like? Yaks are noted for their dramatic horns, massive buffalo-like hump, thick woolly coat, ankle-length skirt of hair, and bushy horse-like tail. North American Yaks are divided into five types:

        Imperial All Black with a Black nose

        Royal Black and White piebald

        Trim Black with white markings on the head, feet, or tail

        Golden Golden  

        Black All Black with a Gray nose

They are social animals with a distinct pecking order. The babies tend to be playful and are fun to watch.

How big do Yaks get? Adult females weigh from 500 to 900 pounds and adult males weigh from 1200 to 1500 pounds. They reach their full adult size in six to eight years.

Gestation/Life-span? Female Yaks usually breed at 18-24 months, have a gestation period of about 257 days (8 1/2 months), and normally produce a single offspring. Calves generally weigh between 25 and 35 pounds and never need to be pulled. Yaks live an average of 20 to 25 years.

What about fencing and permits? Yaks are very easy to fence, requiring no special consideration. They are content in a small area and mix well with other livestock. Existing cattle facilities are easily used. Any fence that holds in cattle will work just as well for Yaks. No permits are required to raise Yaks.

What do you do with Yaks? Uses include breeding stock, crossbreeding stock, pack and draught animals, wool, hide, milk, and meat production. Yak cows make excellent packers. One Yak can carry up to 150 pounds of load and walk trails too rough for horses and need no additional food other than browsing.

What and how much do they eat? They are very efficient food-converting animals and eat about half of what an average beef animal does. They are browsers and grazers and do well on a variety of pastures with no supplemental feed required. A mature Yak can do well on as little as 6-10 pounds of grass hay per day. Four 600 pound Yak cows eat less than one 1200 pound Angus cow, one 1000 pound buffalo cow, or one and one-third 500 pound elk cows.

What is their wool like? The soft under-hair of the Yak can be combed out in the spring. This very fine hair with a short staple is cashmere-like and can be blended with silk for easier spinning. Each Yak can produce two to three pounds of under-hair which can sell for up to $16 per ounce when spun. The coarser outer-hair can be woven into ropes, belts, or bags.

What is their milk like? Yak milk is a rich creamy color with a high fat content of 5-7 percent.

What about eating Yak? Yak meat is deep red in color with the fat located on the outside of the carcass where it is easily trimmed. Yaks are 95-97% lean and are very low in fat and cholesterol. The taste of Yak is best described as beef-like, but more delicate in flavor and it has a savory aroma when grilled. High in protein, with one-sixth the fat of beef, Yak is of a quality of excellence to be appreciated. Pure Yak meat sells at a price equivalent to bison. Demand for this quality lean meat seems to be unlimited.

How much do they cost? With only a little over 1000 breeding Yaks in North America, they command a good price. Prices vary depending upon the age and training of the animals.

Additional Yak Faks:

        Yaks cross readily with cattle. The first and second-generation male crosses are sterile, but the females are highly fertile

        Yaks are easy to raise

        Yaks are income producing and provide certain tax advantages

        Yaks are disease resistant and cold hardy

        Yaks are compatible with most agricultural operations

        Yaks do not require special diets

        Yaks can be docile and are easily tamed when handled regularly

        Yaks are more efficient than cattle

        Yaks will thrive where cattle will starve

        Yaks can survive severe blizzard-like conditions, which would easily kill cattle. Newborn Yak babies can survive temperatures as low as 30 degrees below zero

        Yak cows can be tamed. They can make great pack animals. Yaks are more sure-footed than horses or mules

        Yak wool is highly useful. It can be used to make sweaters, blankets, coats, and hats. Yak wool is much warmer than sheep wool

        Yaks are very rare. There are only about 2000 Yaks in North America, compared to over 250,000 bison. The investment potentials are unlimited