Yak Fiber & Meat
YAK FIBER is soft and luxurious. It is close to Qiviut (musk ox down) and compares in softness and warmth to Cashmere. Yak fiber is not slippery and can be easily spun. The micron count of yak is 15-18.
It has a short staple 1 1/2" - 2" with an irregular crimp. It is wonderful for woven and knitted garments.
Yak is a great fiber to felt.
The coat of a yak consists of an outer guard hair and a fine inner hair called down. The down provides insulation against the cold winter months.
The calves coat is much thicker than the adults. The denseness of the down decreases with age. The average yak produces a relatively small amount of fiber, perhaps a pound or so per year.
The harvesting of yak down is labor intensive. The fiber is not sheared but combed out by hand. We collect the soft underhair called "down" from our yak calves and yearlings in the late spring and early summer, when they start to shed. We have it washed and dehaired then it is spun into yarn.
The course outer hair is used for making belts, ropes, bags, rugs and tents. The tail hair is used for crafts and for tying flies.
YAK MEAT is one of the most healthy and lean red meats on the market. Yak meat is deep red in color. Because it is a cold climate bovine the fat is located on the outside and easily trimmed.
This makes for low marbling which creates the meats unique tenderness.
Yak has a delicate beef like flavor. Never greasy or gamey.
High in protein, iron and poly unsaturated fats. Low in cholesterol, saturated fats and calories.
All of our meat is USDA processed with no additives.