yaklady Report post Posted June 4, 2008 Who says Christmas isn't in June? I didn't even know this yak cow was "in the family way". New yak calves are so small, fences don't stop them. This little guy came through the fence to sleep in the tall grass by the house. I had the chance to pet him. I may not get that chance again, as the adults are very protective! There are already horns on that little knobbly head. This is the most exciting thing for me! Kathy Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
HorsehairBraider Report post Posted June 4, 2008 How exciting! What a total cutie pie! With some animals, they say that you can "imprint" them by handling them very early in life, so perhaps he will be better behaved than the freezer yak. If not - you already know that they taste good! But seriously, congratulations, and have fun with the little darling! Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
CitizenKate Report post Posted June 4, 2008 Yeah, maybe those few moments you had will prevent his premature induction to the freezer. Kate Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Denise Report post Posted June 4, 2008 Congratulations! I didn't know yaks had socks. He's CUTE!! Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Crystal Report post Posted June 4, 2008 Congratulations! Such a little cutie! Do you have any names picked out? A couple of days earlier and you could have called him Maytag... Crystal Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
yaklady Report post Posted June 4, 2008 You know, I was hoping for a little imprinting myself. I think all I did was make him mad! Prehaps our little encounter will save him later. If he's a she, she's safe anyway. Denise, there is a color of yak called "Trim" which typically has two socks on the rear feet. Mom and dad both have that. Trim includes some white on the face, usually not as much as dad has, and they usually don't have the tip on their tail. Dad's dad was black and white like a holstein, so more white is coming through. This is the first yak I've seen with all four feet with socks. Note the white on dad here. Crystal, my brother has a weird sense of humor, worse than mine. He has new names for all my yaks, including baby. The bull is Yogi, and my borther calls him Yogurt. The cows are Pabu and Pubari, so he calls them Taboo and Pablum. Now he calls the calf Peanutbutter. I guess that's better than Stew! A couple days earlier and he would have been born on my daughter's birthday. I should have named her Maytag! Clay's calling me Grandma now. He makes me feel so old, but I'm a happy and proud grandma! Kathy Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Hilly Report post Posted June 4, 2008 Congratulations! Such a little cutie! Do you have any names picked out? A couple of days earlier and you could have called him Maytag... Crystal Name it "Veal". Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
HorsehairBraider Report post Posted June 4, 2008 You know, I was hoping for a little imprinting myself. I think all I did was make him mad! Prehaps our little encounter will save him later. If he's a she, she's safe anyway. GASP! You mean you didn't check when you had the chance? Goodness, that's the first thing I check for on a baby animal! I could say all sorts of tasteless jokes here, but I'll just tell you I have a friend who refers to "the coin slot" (because females are usually worth more than males in most livestock animals). Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Johanna Report post Posted June 4, 2008 I was thinking "grandma" too, but you're only 29, and that is waaay too young! I had no idea a baby yak could look so cute (or an adult one, for that matter!) Thanks for sharing the pics! Johanna hoping baby doesn't wind up in the freezer, it's hard enough to live where it snows in May Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Beaverslayer Report post Posted June 5, 2008 Kathy, that little critter is just soooo cute. I think it would be a very sad day if it ever ended up in the freezer. You should make it your new house pet, I'm pretty sure such a young lady such as yourself has the time and stamina to house train one of those. Just think, a few years from now......not the Freak Show......But Leno, or Letterman shows. Ken Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
yaklady Report post Posted June 5, 2008 Oh boy, a house yak! The cute little fuzz-ball would probably house train real quick if I call it "Veal". If he misses the newspaper, I'll show him the white packages in the freezer. Grandma won't need any stamina! I did try to check under that cute little tail. Did you know that even the smallest of yaks can haul out and kick an intruder? That's when the "mom-calling" comes into effect, and no more playing with the baby. Mom and Dad come running! The females in this species is no different than others. I could sell a female for about $500 more than a male. Guess what I'm hoping for! Kathy By the way, Johanna, it's supposed to snow tomorrow! Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
ClayB Report post Posted June 5, 2008 Hey Grammyak, I think you should bring the baby yak in the house. The pig needs someone to play with!! By the way, I think I see a family resemblance, the baby yak has black hair, and it is REALLY short too, all it needs is a pair of glasses and a silly hat!! Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Johanna Report post Posted June 5, 2008 Snow in June is just not right. Tell me why you live there again? Do yaks shed? The mama yak's coat looks like a buffalo's coat, with long shaggy outer layers. Can you shave a yak and spin the hair into yarn? I don't know if I'd want to eat a yak steak, but a yak sweater would be cool. Especially if it snows all summer long in Colorado. Johanna Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
HorsehairBraider Report post Posted June 5, 2008 Johanna, yaks do shed out a soft downy undercoat in the spring, and then shed out the long guard hairs. If you are lucky you can collect the softer stuff without too much guard hair in it. These fibers were traditionally made into clothing and yurts by the herdsmen who raised the yaks. They are probably a little too unruly to shear. I used to shear professionally and sheared goats, sheep, alpacas and llamas but was never asked to shear a yak! I am sure I would have said "No way!" Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
yaklady Report post Posted June 5, 2008 Clay, the yak and the pig would get along great, except for the fact that the pig would eat all the yak's food! Bacon could teach the little guy about cleanliness, but not manners. Haven't you noticed that my hair is brown, not black like the yak's? Take another look at my profile picture. You're just jealous of my hat. If you want one like it, take a little trip down under. Those are much better hats than the ones you get in Jackson, Wyoming! Johanna, I live here so the foxes, coyotes, goss hawks and racoons can eat my chickens, and I can play with the grizzly that everyone says doesn't live here, and I can build a fire any time of year to warm up by, and I can get much needed exercise shoveling snow. Snow makes it easier to build the fire, either that or freeze. I can also make friends with the bull elk and humming birds that come to play. Yaks do shed, mainly in the spring! Go figure. If you look at the adults in the pictures, you'll see brown on their backs. That's the wool that Braider mentioned. Most of the black gaurd hairs stay. Did you happen to pet my dead bull in Fort Worth last fall? That's what they look like all shedded out. Yaks are brushed, not shorn. I need to set up a chute to put them in to get the wool. There's no other way with these guys. They aren't exactly pets. Braider, you would be wise to say no to shearing a yak! I could imangine what you would look like when you were done, all bloody and bashed! Clean yak wool can bring in as much as $16 an ounce. It's very soft and warm. I have a chunk in my car. Want some? I still recommend the steak. It's tender and juicy and has a fraction of the fat and cholesterol that beef has. Maybe I'll get an ugly baby, or one that's down-right mean and I can name it Veal and put it in the freezer. I need more steaks, I've eaten most of them! Maybe I can get the hide veg-tanned and make yak halters or something. Grammyak, the youngest grandma you'll ever know Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
yaklady Report post Posted June 6, 2008 Snow in June is just not right. Tell me why you live there again?Johanna Johanna, do you really want to know why I live here? At this moment, there are seven bull elk hanging out in front of my house. They have been there since I got up. The humming birds buzz around my head when I stand on the deck to watch the elk. That makes it all worth while! It can snow all summer if it wants to, just so long as I have the wildlife to visit with. Happy with the altitude, Kathy Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
HorsehairBraider Report post Posted June 6, 2008 How's the little yaklet doing? Any hints yet as to gender? I've heard yak fiber is comparable to quiviut (which comes from the musk oxen, of course, and is outrageously expensive) but I've never tried any. We used to know a fellow in ID that had a yak bull but the bull roamed wild on the guy's 1,000 acres of mountain property and he never got any fiber from him while I knew him. But I'll bet yak fiber would be really great spun up fine and then knitted into a lace shawl! I've heard it is very warm for its weight. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
yaklady Report post Posted June 8, 2008 How's the little yaklet doing? Any hints yet as to gender? I've heard yak fiber is comparable to quiviut (which comes from the musk oxen, of course, and is outrageously expensive) but I've never tried any. We used to know a fellow in ID that had a yak bull but the bull roamed wild on the guy's 1,000 acres of mountain property and he never got any fiber from him while I knew him. But I'll bet yak fiber would be really great spun up fine and then knitted into a lace shawl! I've heard it is very warm for its weight. The little yaklet is doing great, but I still don't know what it is! The problem is, they are on my mother's acreage 18 miles away from here. I don't get to see the yaks all that often. I would believe that the wool is similar to a musk ox. It is very soft and the items I've seen made from it are light and warm, like you say. If I can get a hold of some, I'll send it to you to try out. I'll keep you informed on the gender when I find out. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
HorsehairBraider Report post Posted June 8, 2008 Does your mother live on or near her acreage where she can see the yaks? If so, ask her to try and notice how the little one urinates (from the center of the belly or out the back...) as long as she is not too proper to notice such things! I'd love to try yak fiber. I always wanted to try quiviut but did not have the budget for it... and it was not as though I lacked fiber to spin. As a professional shearer I used to have the pick of the cream of the crop. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
yaklady Report post Posted June 9, 2008 Does your mother live on or near her acreage where she can see the yaks? If so, ask her to try and notice how the little one urinates (from the center of the belly or out the back...) as long as she is not too proper to notice such things! I'd love to try yak fiber. I always wanted to try quiviut but did not have the budget for it... and it was not as though I lacked fiber to spin. As a professional shearer I used to have the pick of the cream of the crop. The yak pasture is on three sides of my mother's house, so yes, she can se them. I talked to her about that, but so far, she's just not catching it! I need to take a day off and just sit there and watch. If you PM me with your mailing address, I could send you a handful of yak wool. It ain't much, but you could see what it's like. It's some I picked up out of the pasture. Kathy Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Billy P Report post Posted June 10, 2008 Hey Kathy/YakLady, I don't know the first thing about Yak's, and really not much about cattle, sheep, or goats either. I must say though that your baby Yak is cuter than a Fat Babies Poot. If it would stay that size I'd look for one for me to keep as a pet. Billy P Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
yaklady Report post Posted June 10, 2008 Hey Kathy/YakLady, I don't know the first thing about Yak's, and really not much about cattle, sheep, or goats either. I must say though that your baby Yak is cuter than a Fat Babies Poot. If it would stay that size I'd look for one for me to keep as a pet. Billy P I'm not entirely sure what a "poot" is, but if it's on a fat baby, it's got to be cute! If puppies would stay fat and cute, I'd have one of them, too. It's a shame that adorable little babies have to grow up big and ugly and smelly. Guess what, I have a second baby yak now! This one is all black (the color is called Imperial) (That sounds impressive, doesn't it?), and is just as cute as the first. The first one gave away his secret, and I now know it's a boy. Maybe this is baby sister. Proud Grammyak Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Crystal Report post Posted June 10, 2008 No. 2 is just as cute as No.1 I am very jealous, I want to be a grammyyak, too. Are you sure that they grow up to be ugly and smelly or are you just making sure that none of us come to yak-nap a baby? I guess that you need to vaccinate, etc. How do you handle them for basic vet duties? Crystal Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
jwwright Report post Posted June 10, 2008 Congrats on the new yak-lings. Not trying to hijack a thread, but there was some discussion about the Yak's hair. Below is a photo of a couple of cinchas I recently made from 1oo% Yak Hair. JW Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
bruce johnson Report post Posted June 10, 2008 Start a new thread JW. Those cinches are drop-dead gorgeous, and I want to hear you talk about them!! Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
