Breed Facts: Heritage Yak in North America

HERITAGE BREED FACTS 

Status: We are currently listed as Critically Endangered (Nationally and Internationally). We’re on the Conservation Priority List at the Livestock Conservancy. Fewer than 200 purebred American Yaks are registered in anywhere in the US annually. The estimated global population is less than 500. WHYYC is grateful to the Livestock Conservancy for acknowledging our conservation efforts over the last 5 years with an official Critical listing on the Conservation Priority List for 2023.

Use: Meat, Dairy, Fiber, Pulling and draft, and Seed Stock and conservation breeding stock

Adult Weight: Bull ≈ 1400 - 1800 lbs; Heifer ≈ 500 - 700 lbs

Temperament: Docile with high trainability

Experience Level: Beginner - Intermediate

Threat: Hybridization with cattle; isolated, remnant population must be preserved in situ to survive

Country of Origin: Tibet

Yak Traits - Advantage: Hardy, cold tolerant, and long lived. Heart-healthy meat is lean and high in Omega 3s. Produces high-value Natural Concentrated milk (~ 1,100 lbs per year). Green due to low methane emissions and high stocking rate. Good

Extinct Trait Preservation: The primigenius spiral horn is as endangered and unique as the yak itself. The aurochs (Bos primigenius), wooly mammoth (Mammuthus primigenius) and Zebu (Bos Primigenius Indicus) are extinct species of large wild mammals that inhabited Asia. The Auroch is extinct, and the common ancestor of today’s domestic cattle, and was a prominent symbol in range of independently diverse cultures. Yak is the only animal that still consistently exhibits this rare and endangered horn type.

Yak Productivity: Meat is the most valuable of any bovid. Heritage breed verification and Humane certifications increases this value. Heart-healthy meat is lean and high in Omega 3s. Produces high value Natural Concentrated milk (~ 1,100 lbs per year). Green due to low methane emissions and high stocking rate.

Introduction to Heritage Yak in North America. The North American Yak is one of the few historic breeds of livestock originating in Canada. It descends from Tibetan yak which were brought to Canada between 1907 and 1927. This population was shaped by human intervention and natural selection in the rugged environment of eastern Canada and the northern United States, and the resulting breed became known as the North American Yak. The breed is closely associated with Montana, and even today the majority of the North American Yak are found in this state.

Recognized as valuable for its superior environmental adaptation, the Canadian and American governments encouraged and financed the importation of breeding stock into Canada and Alaska. In 1909, large scale promotion of North American Yak as New World livestock began America. The North American Yak flourished and by 1916, there were several successful breeding herds in eastern Canada, Fairbanks Alaska, Massachusetts and New York. 

Yak genetics were introduced as a way to increase meat production, though the result was to dilute the characteristics of the Yak without any market advantage gain for the breed. Fortunately, several cross-species hybridization efforts failed due to the sterility of F1 offspring. In 1937, the Canadian government officially discontinued the hybridization efforts with the North American Yak in favor of “improved breeds.” These federal herds were divested and moved to private sector breeders. While these types of Federal experimental farms continued into the 1950s in Alberta, due to diligent breeders and well documented pedigrees the pure stock continues to exist. The breed continued to flourish for several decades. In the early 1980s, additional Canadian seed stock was added to preexisting herds in Montana and Nebraska. Several new herds were established and the North American Yak territory was expanded throughout the northern United States.

The North American Yak breed is endangered. Most of the remaining pedigreed animals are found in and around the Central United States as of 2020, with some smaller herds in Canada and Alaska. The breed has had established breeding populations since 1920, and over the last 100 years the herd has grown to an estimated 10,000 animals powering a thriving meat industry. The foundation stock is no longer available and the breed is globally endangered. This remnant yak population is sequestered and needs to sustain itself in situ to be preserved.

The breed merits attention for use in grass‑based ranching, especially where stocking levels are restricted and environmental conditions are harsh. Under these conditions, the North American Yak will be able to demonstrate its value to meat ranchers, fiber producers and dairy farmers and thus gain a broader base of support.

North American Yak are black, brown, or piebald. Many have longer fiber running down the back, called a dorsal stripe. The horns often curve up and turn back forming a primigenius spiral with age. Highly sexually dimorphic, cows weigh about 600 pounds, and bulls about 1,600 pounds. The milk ­is called Natural Concentrated milk because of its high fat (5.5–7.5%) and protein (4.0–5.9%) content. Milk production is about 1,100 pounds per lactation. This allows cheesemakers to make significantly more cheese from less milk. Most significant is the breed’s ability to produce milk and lean red meat on poor forage and under very challenging conditions. Few livestock breeds demonstrate this combination of hardiness and ­productivity as well as the North American Yak. 

Geographic Facts

With its unusually long, spiral horns and genetic relationship to Bison, the North American yak is a strong symbol for Heritage Breeds in the US and Tibet-China.. Often called the Grunting Ox, little has been learned about the enigmatic North American Yak, during the 100 years since it was domesticated in the US and Canada (est. 1909). Related to the Wild-type Yak (Bos mutus or Bison mutus), few exist in captivity and this rarely-seen bovid is already effectively extinct in Nepal and Bhutan, and is critically endangered in North America and Tibet-China. There are an estimated 1200 NA yak in existence in the world, and the North American Heritage Yak does not exist anywhere outside of North America.

• POPULATIONS. Unknown in North America (estimated 500)

• EXTINCTION RISK. Critically Endangered

• EXTINCT TRAIT PRESERVATION: The primigenius spiral horn is as endangered and unique as the yak itself. The aurochs (Bos primigenius), wooly mammoth (Mammuthus primigenius) and Zebu (Bos Primigenius Indicus) are extinct species of large wild cattle that inhabited Asia. The yak is the only animal that still exhibits this horn type.

• SCIENTIFIC NAMES. Bos mutus grunniens, Bison mutus grunniens or Bison mutus americanus, or Bison mutus primigenius.

• HEIGHT. Average 5 foot, 5 inches at the shoulder in males

• WEIGHT. 600-1800 lbs

• HABITATS. American Plains, Tibetan Himalyas

Hybridization and Inbreeding

Interbreeding with cattle is identified as the greatest threat to global yak populations.

- P. Buzzard, IUCN Red List of Threatened Species

WHYC - Why Conservancy? Our mission is to create registration criterion that supports Heritage breeders and addresses the threat to heritage yak pedigree, as well offering a shared plan for saving the exceptional North American yak genome.

Habitat Loss In Tibet-China

The pressure from rapid and large-scale infrastructure in the region is also fragmenting nomadic yak habitat. Conservationists are concerned that this is pushing nomads off of the plateau and may reduce genetic diversity in the future.

“At a time when species extinction on the planet has accelerated, we can work together to snatch this one back from the edge of extinction.”

- Dr. Barney Long, WWF Asian species expert

What WHYC Is Doing

“World Heritage Yak Conservancy (WHYC) is helping Heritage Yak breeders and accomplishing major conservation goals. WHYC inspires everyone to care for the future of the threatened North American yak.”

— Nicole Porter, PhD, Chairman of the WHYC

WHYC is partnering with nomads, private breeders, and other conservation interests to ensure that the small herds of this noble mammal can thrive. WHYC's work to support the North American Heritage Yak focuses on strengthening and establishing good breeding practices through education, Heritage Registration opportunities and management of the WHYC Seedbank. We also work on research, community based education, and breed management.

How You Can Help

WIth you donation you will receive an adoption package, and you’l contribute to the support and preservation of this endangered species.

Join WHYC as an Active Breeder

To learn if your yak qualifies as a Heritage Yak breed, or to be put in contact with a Heritage Yak breeder, and If you’re a yak owner or work in a related yak industry, we welcome you to join us to make change. Speak up for species through WHYC's Action Center as an Active or Allied Industry Member.

Become a Sponsor

If you are interested in helping to preserve the Heritage Yak breed, please donate any amount, or

please contact our Registrar, Jana Francis, at registrar@heritageyak.com.