American Yak

The American Yak is a Tibetan bovine that has been in North America since the late 1800s, first as a zoo animal and later as an experiment in cold-climate beef. More than a century apart from the Tibetan herds has made the North American population its own genetic line.

They suit hard country. Yaks handle altitude and cold, need no special fencing, calve easily and tend to be long-lived, which makes them a fit for grass-based operations where stocking rates are low and conditions are rough.

One animal returns several things: lean beef, rich milk that cheesemakers want, and a dense undercoat sold as high-end fiber. They are trainable enough to pack.

Know this before you cross one. Yak and cattle crosses produce sterile males, and untracked crossbreeding is the main threat to the remaining purebred lines. Fewer than 200 purebreds are registered in the US each year and the global population is estimated below 500. Ask for papers.