Hegang White Yak

Hegang White Yak

　　The white yak has an all-white coat with pink skin, often marked with black pigmentation spots. Male yaks have relatively large heads with broad foreheads and curly forehead hair; their horns are thick and long, curving outward and upward or backward and upward, with pointed tips. Their necks are thick, with underdeveloped dewlaps. The withers are prominently raised. The front body is broad, with well-developed chests, deep chests, and relatively low backs and waists that show slight indentations, abdomens that are somewhat large but not pendulous, high sacral regions, and rumps that are mostly roof-like or narrow and sloped. Their limbs are relatively short, with sturdy bones and small, densely textured hooves. Female yaks have moderately sized, elegant heads with narrower foreheads and slender horns. The development of their front and rear bodies is less pronounced than in males, their abdomens are larger but generally not pendulous, their udders are less developed, and their overall coat is longer.

　　Adult male yaks stand 121 cm tall and weigh 260 kg; adult females measure 108 cm in height and 190 kg in weight. They can carry loads of 75 kg, up to a maximum of 100 kg, and travel 30–40 km per day. The slaughter rate for adult males is 52%, with a net meat yield of 36% and a bone-to-meat ratio of 1:2.4; for females, these figures are 52%, 40%, and 1:3.7 respectively; for castrated yaks, they are 55%, 41%, and 1:4.1.

　　Adult male yaks yield 3.6 kg of wool, up to a maximum of 6.0 kg, 0.4 kg of down, and 0.6 kg of tail hair; females yield 1.2 kg, 0.8 kg, and 0.4 kg respectively. Castrated yaks yield 1.7 kg, 0.5 kg, and 0.3 kg. Male yak tail hair measures 52 cm in length, while females' is 45 cm.