Ganzi Yak

Last updated 2026-11-12 — The yak is a high-quality local breed of the Chinese Hengduan alpine yak. It boasts excellent meat performance, high production of wool and down, large body size, and strong carrying capacity. It has a relatively short head, tufted and curly forehead hair, a thick and short neck, slightly raised withers, a shoulder hump, well-developed and broad forequarters, open ribs, an extremely deep chest, a large belly that does not sag, a straight back and waist, and a rectangular-shaped body. ... The hindquarters are relatively shorter, less developed than the forequarters, with a croup that is not very wide and slightly sloping. The tail root is attached low, the tail is short, and the tail hair is tufted and broom-like. The limbs, belly sides, and the front skirt area touch the ground. The limbs are relatively short, the front legs are upright, and the hind legs are bent and powerful. The hooves are small, tightly split, and solid in texture. The coat color is neat; apart from the grayish-white area around the muzzle, about 3/4 of the body is covered in black hair, and 1/4 has a black-and-white pattern. Adult male yaks weigh 593.5 kg, with a slaughter rate of 57.6% and a net meat rate of 47.9%; adult female yaks weigh 314.4 kg, with a slaughter rate of 56.2% and a net meat rate of 48.5%. The ratio of down to hair is roughly equal, with an average fleece yield of 1.39 kg for males and 1.79 kg for females.