Yak meat has been eaten across Eastern Asia, specifically the Himalayan mountain range areas, for thousands of years. Its clean and bison-like taste, and having multiple uses besides just food, made this animal very popular in this region. It wasn’t until the last decade that yak has grown in popularity across the globe, including Canada, Mexico, and the United States. These animals thrive in moderate to even cold temperatures due to their thick coats.
Yak meat is not allowed to be imported into the United States due to regulations on bovine like creatures and the possibility of things like foot and mouth disease, as well as other possible diseases, meaning that all Yak you purchase here was raised in the Untied States. The yak you get from Fossil Farms is raised at a ranch in Nebraska and of course is part of our program where no antibiotics, steroids, or hormones will ever be introduced to the animals.
What about the sustainability of yak, you may ask? Compared to cows, yak is a much more sustainable option. Yaks are very efficient in converting food to energy. On average, a yak will eat approximately a third to half of what beef cattle will eat. Their emission of the greenhouse gas methane is also less than you will find in beef cattle. Yak emits up to 50% of the methane cows produce. This animal is also able to be fully utilized, from its meat to its milk, all the way to its hide for leather, and fur to make a very soft wool that is comparable to cashmere.
The healthiness of yak is also better than beef. Having much less fat than found in traditional red meats and even other proteins like salmon, it also is very low in saturated fats and higher in the healthier Omega-3s, which promotes not just health in the body but also mental health.
Nutrition
Fun Facts About Yaks:
- Yaks can survive up to -40 degrees Fahrenheit
- Yaks are capable of scaling up to 20,000 feet
- Calves can walk within 10 minutes of being born
- While domestic yaks are thriving, wild yaks are on the endangered list