Menifee County has been home to Yaks for 8 plus years.  Limited research has been conducted on the species in North America’s.  The Menifee County Extension Programs started doing research at Zhi-ba Shing-ga Yak Farm in Wellington, KY in 2019 with a Yak Garden.  In winter of 2021, a new research study began with the help of Dr. Jeff Lemkuhler.  The objective of this on-farm research was to evaluate the effect of hay type on growth rate of growing yaks. Forages evaluated included alfalfa, orchard grass-red clover mixture, and a cool-season pasture grass species mixture. Yaks were stratified to pens by age and sex resulting in a pen of mixed sex (3 males/2 females) recently weaned calves, a pen of five yearling females, and two pens of five yearling males. Each feeding period lasted for 45 days, and animal weights were collected at the beginning and end to assess weight change and daily gain. Hay offered was weighed and feeding losses were visually estimated to determine hay dry matter disappearance. Forage samples were collected and analyzed for nutrient content.

Findings of the study found that forage type had a significant impact on period weight change of growing yaks during the winter with orchard grass – red clover having greater weight gain (9.5 kg) than cool -season pasture species mixture (-4.5kg), alfalfa being intermediate (8.5 kg).  The study showed that forage type and quality can impact weight gain and forage disappearance during the winter months for growing yaks with higher quality forage providing greater weight gain.  The study was accepted to be presented by Dr. Jeff Lehmkuhler at the 2021 ASAS Conference.