Is it time to add Yaks to your farm or ranch? Spend some time learning about this great alternative to beef cattle, bison, sheep, goats, or alpacas. then give us call to learn more and pick out your starter herd! If you are interested, find out how we came to raise yaks.
A Lot from a Little: Pound for pound, yaks require about 1/3 the forage of domestic cattle. The higher stocking levels are terrific for small acreage operations and are a great fit for permaculture based systems. If you are interested in the ideal livestock for small acreage, high density, rotational, grass based grazing systems and livestock, you need to take a serious look at yaks.
Easy Keepers: Yaks require no special permits. Cattle fencing is adequate. They are extremely winter hardy and disease resistant. Calving is easy resulting in a 25-35 pound calf. They require no special feed - grass works real good. At weaning time, you won't hear a bunch of bawling calves as yaks are generally quiet. Yakity Yak just doesn't fit. Yaks do make a grunting sound to communicate with each other and their babies.
Multi-Task Yak: You may have “herd” it before but here it comes......
Ride, Pack, and Pull - Meat, Milk, and Wool
Ride/Pack/Pull: Yaks are responsible for the Trans-Himalayan trade routes between Tibet and Nepal transporting untold tons of salt and other goods through the centuries. With proper training they can carry loads similar to pack horses, well over 150 pounds, and they don’t need special feed on the trail. Check out these yak trekking sites: Alaska Yak Trekking , Tibet Yak Treks.
Meat: Yak meat, deep red with little fat, is very tender. The flavor is best described as beef-like but different; we think better. It is high in protein and lower in cholesterol, triglycerides, and saturated fats. We sometimes feed small amounts of natural grains by hand in training or as treats, but our yaks are mostly grass fed and grass finished.
Milk: Even if yak milk was pink, I don’t think we would milk our yaks, (sherpas call the cows naks) but yak-butter tea is considered a real treat with Tibetans. It goes good with barley for breakfast.......... maybe. Yak cheese is developing a great reputation worldwide.
Wool: The yak’s undercoat fiber or wool is very fine, comparable to angora and cashmere, Shannon calls it "yakmere". This luxurious fiber is used to produce wonderful garments. The long guard hair is used for many items including ropes, belts and leads. Yak tail hair is used to make theatrical wigs including all those great clown wigs and even Santa's beard. Yak fur is the staple of Hollywood's monster movies. All the greats, Cornelius, Dr. Zeus, the Wolfman, and the mighty Chewbacca all wear yak hair when on camera.
Yak-Crosses: A yak cow, already highly efficient, crossed with the right domestic cattle bull creates a “best of” situation with a small, easily delivered calf that grows quickly to market weight and a as a bonus the males are sterile eliminating the need for castration.
Yax Status: Yaks can create certain tax benefits that we are sure your accountant would be delighted to discuss with you.
