Do you know what Yak is?
A sizable mammal that resembles an ox, the yak is indigenous to Tibet and other high-altitude areas of Asia. It was domesticated here, at a high altitude of more than 14,000 feet, and introduced to almost all human settlements. They are now widespread in Central Asia, Nepal, Mongolia, and China.
Yaks are linked to cattle because they are part of the genus Bos (Bos primigenius). Yak evolution has been studied using mitochondrial DNA, but the results have been unclear.
There is some evidence to suggest that the yak may be more closely related to bison than to the other members of its recognized genus and that it may have separated from cattle at any point between one and five million years ago.
Since neither
domestic nor wild yaks are known to make the distinctive lowing (mooing) sound
of cattle, the scientific name of the domestic yak kind, Bos grunniens, was
drawn from these sounds (grunting bull).
The yak can reach
a shoulder height of 7.2 feet. Cows (females) are typically roughly half as
heavy as bulls, which can weigh up to 1,800 pounds. Depending on the
population, they typically have varied coat lengths and are black, brown,
white, or grey in color. For instance, in China, they have long, black
overcoats that are extensively fringed over shorter, mostly black or brownish
undercoats. Yaks have broad shoulders and drooping heads in front of them. Male
yaks can grow horns that are up to 30 inches long.
Although they are still able to readily interbreed, domesticated yaks (Bos grunniens) and wild yaks (Bos mutus) are typically regarded as separate species. Yaks raised domestically often weigh about 30% less than their wild counterparts and are smaller overall. In comparison to wild yaks, they also typically exhibit more diversity in coat color.
Due to the
preservation of fetal hemoglobin throughout life, yak physiology is well suited
to high altitudes, with larger lungs and hearts than cattle found at lower
elevations as well as a greater capacity for carrying oxygen through their blood.
Yaks, on the other hand, struggle to survive at lowland areas and are exposed
to heat exhaustion above about 15 °C (59 °F). A heavy layer of subcutaneous fat
and nearly no functioning sweat glands are two further adaptations to the cold.
The rumen of yaks
is exceptionally large in relation to the omasum when compared to domestic
cattle. This probably enables them to eat more inferior food at once and to
ferment it for a longer period of time to extract more nutrients. Cattle need
3% of their body weight to stay in shape, but yaks only consume the equivalent
of 1% of their body weight everyday. They are grazing herbivores that
historically consumed mostly grasses, sedges, herbs, and small shrubs.
Depending on the
area where they live, yaks’ mate in the summer, usually between July and
September. For the majority of the year, males stay away from the great herds
in tiny bachelor groups, but when the rut draws near, they grow aggressive and
frequently engage in combat to gain control. Bull yaks compete more directly,
continuously charging at each other with their heads dropped or battling with
their horns, in addition to making non-violent threat displays, shouting, and
scraping the ground with their horns.
The gestation
period lasts between 257 and 270 days, resulting in the delivery of a single
calf between the months of May and June. The cow chooses a quiet area to give
birth, but the calf can walk after about ten minutes, and the duo quickly
reunite with the herd. Both domestic and wild females of both species normally
give birth only once every two years, though more frequent deliveries may be
conceivable if there is a plentiful supply of food.
At one year, calves are weaned, and soon after that, they become independent. Wild calves have brownish hair at first, and only later do they get the darker adult hair. The average female gives birth for the first time between the ages of three and four, and she reaches her reproductive fitness peak around the age of six. Although it is expected that this will be a little less in the wild, yaks can live for more than twenty years when domesticated.
Yaks have been kept as domesticated animals for thousands of years,
mostly for their milk, fiber, and meat as well as for use as beasts of burden.
Yaks are a popular mode of transportation for climbing and trekking adventures,
as well as for local farmers and traders who utilize them to move products
through mountain passes. They won't consume any grain that may be transported
with them. Unless they can be moved to a location with grass, they will starve
to death. They can also be used to pull plough to assist in farming.
Significance of Yak
1. Festival of Blood Drinking
There is an annual celebration in Nepal where people drink yak fresh
blood in the hopes that it can treat various illnesses like gastritis,
jaundice, and body sprains. A yak's neck is used to get fresh blood without
actually killing the animal. After the ritual is finished, the wound has
healed. The rite is thought to have its roots in Tibet.
2. Yak Games
Yak racing is a popular form of entertainment at traditional festivals and is regarded as a significant aspect of culture in some regions of Tibet and Karakorum. Yak-related activities, like yak skiing and yak polo, are currently being marketed as tourist attractions in Pakistan and other South Asian nations.
3. Making use of Yak Resources
Yaks give milk, meat, leather (for rugs), hair (for ropes and garments),
and dung, among other things (for fuel).
While most of the milk is used to make butter and cheese, some is also
used to make delicious milky tea. Manual labor is used to produce butter,
cheese, and yak milk. Small, sweet white dried cheese and black dried cheese,
which gets its color from burning yak dung as it dries, are the two forms of
dried cheese made.
The meat is preserved for a longer period of time by smoking, sun, or cold, dry air drying.
4. The Himalayas' Biofuel
A harsh and sparsely populated environment can be found on the Tibetan
Plateau. However, there have been some humans living here for many years. The
entire area is essentially absent of trees and other plants due to its arid and
chilly climate. As a result, the yak has become indispensable in many ways,
including providing warmth.
Yaks' dried dung, the only fuel available on the Tibetan Plateau, is of
great value in addition to being used for insulating clothing.
In fact, having access to yak dung as fuel may have been a deciding
factor in the final colonization of this harsh region. The demand for this fuel
was so enormous that it's possible that it's what first brought wild yaks into
towns, which eventually led to their domestication.
5. Transport
Unknown is the precise timeline of yak domestication. However, recent
historical data suggests that they were probably initially domesticated to help
transport supplies for human caravans along early Himalayan trade routes after
their integration into human settlements due to the necessity for their dung.
There are probably 12 million domesticated yaks in existence today. They
are now bred for their great milk production, as well as for farm work, wool,
and meat, despite their reputation for being docile and amenable to
manipulation.
6.Breeding
The family will profit from the breeding of this animal, just like they
would with any other livestock animal. In addition to being bred for the
production of the aforementioned goods, a family can make money by trading or
selling any spare animals, thus affecting the financial security of the nomad
family.
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