How Do Yaks Work?

wearing a shaggy shawl. These hardy, agile creatures can withstand temperatures as low as negative forty degrees, which is the same in celsius and fahrenheit, which is fun, and their impressive lung capacity allows them to breed easier than any hiker they'll encounter, even when on the job as a pack animal. Even those of us who live elsewhere and forego the climb still have plenty of yack siding possibilities.

In the United States, for example, small farms in Colorado and some of the northern coastal states are raising yaks in growing numbers, increasingly popular for their easy maintenance, valuable fiber, and tasty meat and milk. Yaks are in the same genus as cattle, but they are different species, and DNA and archaeological records show that they were first domesticated from wild yaks more than two five hundred years ago in the Tibetan Plateau. Yaks are known to be friendly and

even playful creatures. They aren't typically aggressive toward humans, but like most mamas, they can get pretty protective of their young. They're also easy to train, and they are good at surviving harsh elements. The herd will cuddle up together during a snowstorm, always making sure to keep the calves safe in the middle of the pack. But despite their many cowl like features,

there's no mooing here. Sometimes known as the grunting ox, yaks make a low grunting noise sort of like a pig, to communicate with each other or when they get excited and want to play. Otherwise, they're relatively silent creatures. Yaks are genetically adapted to survive in altitudes up to twenty thousand feet or six thousand meters, atopping the list of high altitude mammals. Their lungs are so unusually lard that

they require an extra pair of ribs. A yak has fourteen pairs of ribs instead of thirteen like a cow, just to support those lungs. That greater lung capacity, along with a greater number of red blood cells than other bovines, allows them to get enough oxygen out of the thin mountain air. Also, their poop doesn't stink. It's not that they think they're better than everyone else, but when yaks are given sufficient access to water and forage to eat, they're dung has little to no odor. That's a big

perk for those collecting the dried excrement for fuel. The Tipetan plateaus don't have trees, making yak dung the only easily obtainable fuel in some areas. In fact, when it comes to providing useful food and goods, these shaggy bow vines are a bit of a yak of all trades. Their milk is used to make several types of cheese, including a dried in smoked variety that can be stored for years. But the thick, fatty butter made from yac

milk is the real star. A mixed with black tea and salt, it creates pocha, sometimes known as Tibetan butter tea. This tea provides loads of vital calories in areas with sparse resources, and it's such a big part of the culture that the Dali lama drinks it daily. The locals make sure that none of the butter goes to waste, though it's also used to fuel lamps, bring shine to fur coats, and create a base for traditional butter sculptures. Yak meat has long been another important source of nutrients,

and it's slowly growing in popularity around the globe. It's leaner than beef, with a similar but perhaps more mild flavor, and it's perhaps more efficient to rear yaks for meat than it is cattle. Since yaks are very efficient absorbing nutrients, they only consume a third of the food that cows do. Their wool can also be used for everything from sturdy rugs to the softest sweaters. Their coarse outer fur can be woven to make things like tents, ropes, and saddle bags.

Their mid coat might go to make outerwear, but the most valuable yak fiber is their super soft undercoat. As yaks shed this ultrafine layer in the spring, it's combed out and spun to make warm, ohso soft clothing that rivals the luxury of cashmere. A vital part of Himalayan culture and economy, Yaks have earned their reputation as highly adaptable and uniquely beautiful bovines. Mongolia celebrates their beloved yaks

during multiple annual yak festivals. In addition to tasting lots of yak cheeses and other local dishes, you can watch yak rodeo events, demonstrations of yak fi, yberworking, competitions for the best dressed yak, and yak racing, which apparently is the slowest event of the day, with most yaks crossing the finish line at a casual amble if they haven't gotten distracted and wandered off halfway. Today's episode is based on the article Yakta Yak seven fun Facts about Yaks

on how Stuffworks dot Com, written by Katiecarmen. The brain Stuff is production of iHeartRadio in partnership with how Stuffworks dot Com and is produced by Tyler Klang. Four more podcasts from iHeartRadio. Visit the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you listen to your favorite shows.