Thanks, all.
Yaks are used for meat and fiber. They are bovine, but they do not moo. They grunt. They are called Bos Grunniens. Their meat tastes just like beef, except it is extremely tender and almost completely fat free. They develop their fat layer right under the skin instead of marbleizing in the meat. This results in a red meat that is high in Omega 3's and CLAs and low in saturated fats, cholesterol and triglycerides. It is also very low in palmitic acid compared to beef, and it is more healthy for you than skinless chicken and fish. Yak meat is a red meat which offers heart patients and athletes a new opportunity in fine dining. It is exceptionally rich in body building proteins, minerals, vitamins, and the right fats for building muscle mass and good health.
Yak have two layers of hair. The outer layer is long and waterproof. It is used for human hair extensions, clown wigs and fly fishing lures. The underlayer is shed through a molting process every Spring, and is brushed out and cleaned. The microfiber count is compared to cashmere, and it does not produce static while spinning. It also felts beautifully, and spinners prize it. The wool sells for about $4/oz; yarn sells for about $32/oz.
Sooooo..... that's what you use yak for. Oh, and the size is a bit smaller than traditional beef cattle. The bulls average about 1200 lbs at maturity (2 1/2 years), and cows range between 600-900 lbs. They have low birth weight babies which never have to be pulled. Calves are around 25 lbs at birth, and are completely weather-hardy right from the start. They never require shelter, and consume 1/3 of what beef cattle consume. They are free-range creatures, and we only give them grain as a treat to keep them socialized with us. They are also parasite and disease resistant. They're also just really cool to look at, with their hairy cow bodies, horse tails, big horns and goat hooves.
