Yushu Yak

Yushu Yak

Yushu yak is a product with a geographical indication for agricultural products.

　　Yushu Yak

　　Meat Products

　　Geographical Indication Area

　　The geographical indication area for Yushu yak is: Yushu Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture in Qinghai Province, located in the hinterland of the southwestern Qinghai-Tibet Plateau, the source of the Three Rivers, at an average altitude of over 4,200 meters. In Tibetan, "Yushu" means "ruins." Its geographic coordinates are roughly between 89°27′E to 97°39′E and 31°45′N to 36°10′N. It borders Haixi Mongol and Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture to the north, the Bayingolin Mongol Autonomous Prefecture of Xinjiang to the northwest, Golog Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture to the east, Garzê Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture of Sichuan Province to the southeast, and Chamdo and Nagqu prefectures of Tibet to the southwest. The prefecture stretches 738 km from east to west and up to 406 km from north to south, covering a total land area of 203,000 square kilometers, accounting for 28.2% of the province’s total area. It currently administers one city (Yushu) and five counties (Chengduo, Nangqen, Zadoi, Zhidoi, and Qumarleb), comprising 10 towns and 35 townships, raising over 2.6 million Yushu yaks.

　　Product Quality Characteristics

　　1. Appearance Features: (1) Large body size — adult male and female yaks are 7 cm and 10 cm taller, respectively, than those of the Huanhu yak; (2) Greater body weight — adult male and female yaks weigh 100 kg and 30 kg more, respectively, than Huanhu yaks; (3) Large head, thick and sturdy horns, loose and thick skin with a relatively coarse build, well-developed forequarters but weaker hindquarters, high and broad withers, short tail with bushy long hair, short and straight front legs, scimitar-shaped hind legs, coarse and long hair around the lower sides and belly. Male yaks have skirt hair 14.57 cm long, while females average the same; (4) The short hair on the backline, lips, and around the eye sockets is mostly grayish-white or dirty white. The coat color is predominantly dark brown, accounting for 71.55%, with chestnut brown at 5.47%. Other colors include yellowish-brown, gray-speckled, and white. 5. Fast early growth, high slaughter rate, and high lean meat ratio. Yushu yaks, which have long lived in high-altitude cold regions above 4,000 meters, are raised using traditional nomadic herding methods. Their carcasses feature glossy and smooth muscle texture, deep red meat color, pale yellow fat, clear and tough muscle fibers showing distinct marbling, good elasticity, moist exterior, not sticky to the touch, and free of off-odors. 2. Internal Quality Indicators: Yushu yak meat is rich in amino acids with a complete variety and excellent quality. The intramuscular fat content is moderate, and the proportion of unsaturated fatty acids is higher than that of saturated fatty acids. Yushu yak meat has a relatively high content of glutamic acid, indicating that with appropriate processing methods, flavorful yak meat products can be produced, offering people high-quality, safe, and diverse types of yak meat. The fat content of Yushu yaks is 32.73% higher than that of Huanhu yaks; the iron content is 62.42% higher; the total fatty acid content is 2.12 g/100g, 0.61 g/100g higher than Huanhu yaks. Among them, saturated fatty acids in Yushu yaks are 0.94 g/100g, 0.18 g/100g higher, and unsaturated fatty acids are 1.18 g/100g, 0.43 g/100g higher. Essential fatty acids such as linoleic acid, linolenic acid, and arachidonic acid in Yushu yak meat are significantly higher than those in Huanhu yaks. Overall, compared to neighboring Huanhu yak meat, Yushu yak meat features higher fat content, richer unsaturated and essential fatty acids, higher iron content, a more intense flavor, and greater nutritional value. 3. Safety Requirements: The environmental quality of Yushu yak production areas, as well as the yak meat and its products, comply with relevant national standards.