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Barnyard Buddies:  New Yak  |
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YakLady
True Blue Farmgirl
652 Posts
Natalie
Montana
USA
652 Posts |
 Posted - Mar 11 2013 : 2:09:20 PM
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http://royaltacres.blogspot.com/2013/03/new-yak.html
Well, we got a new yak on Friday. We were told she is "bucket trained" meaning she comes for a bucket of treats. Not so much. She's wild as all get out, but I am hoping she will come around. Everyday I go out and love on the other girls who will let me, and the new girl keeps a good 40 foot distance and just watches, very confused, as they let me pet them and scratch behind their horns and ears.
We got her because she is a high-white (meaning she has lots of white down fiber) and because she was living alone with no other yak and a bunch of horses who harassed her. We've named her Danaerys after my favorite Game of Thrones character and call her Dany for short.
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Here is her darker side with Yoko in the background.
And here she is with Yoko and Yinny. All three ladies are around 4 years old. Hopefully Yoko and Yin are bred, and Dany will be soon!
~Hen 4316~ Just a farmgirl in Western Montana.
Starting a family and raising up a small ranch using natural resources.
www.mydoterra.com/thurman |
Edited by - YakLady on Mar 11 2013 2:16:10 PM |
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Bear5
True Blue Farmgirl
13055 Posts
Louisiana/Texas
USA
13055 Posts |
Posted - Mar 11 2013 : 3:00:57 PM
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In time, I hope she comes around to the hugs and scratches. Good luck. I love the pictures.
Marly
"It's only when we truly know and understand that we have a limited time on earth- and that we have no way of knowing when our time is up- that we will begin to live each day to the fullest, as if it was the only one we had." Elisabeth Kurler-Ross |
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YakLady
True Blue Farmgirl
652 Posts
Natalie
Montana
USA
652 Posts |
Posted - Mar 11 2013 : 4:09:23 PM
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I hope so, too Marly! Thanks :) There are bigger pics in the blog link :)
~Hen 4316~ Just a farmgirl in Western Montana.
Starting a family and raising up a small ranch using natural resources.
www.mydoterra.com/thurman |
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lovinRchickens
True Blue Farmgirl
3492 Posts
Kelly
Pipe Creek
Texas
USA
3492 Posts |
Posted - Mar 11 2013 : 5:44:55 PM
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Just beautiful. Going to look at your blog to. Thanks for posting
Blessings
~Kelly~ |
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oldbittyhen
True Blue Farmgirl
1511 Posts
tina
quartz hill
ca
USA
1511 Posts |
Posted - Mar 11 2013 : 8:17:07 PM
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Well I was lookin at your Yak's and my Grandson came in and took one look and said "Grammy, we need "YIKS" too, when can we get one? I told him that I didn't think they would like liven in the desert, too hot with all that hair, and his reply was, we'll make him his own pool and misters like the hogs have...
"Knowlege is knowing that a tomato is a fruit, Wisdom is not putting it in a fruit salad" |
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YakLady
True Blue Farmgirl
652 Posts
Natalie
Montana
USA
652 Posts |
Posted - Mar 11 2013 : 9:58:47 PM
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Thanks Kelly :)
Tina, that's hilarious! And you're not wrong, they would have a hard time in the desert for sure. Mine have a pond to stand in when it's hot, but we only have about 3 days in the year when the Temps get in the high 90s. The herd prefers 50*F and below ;)
~Hen 4316~ Just a farmgirl in Western Montana.
Starting a family and raising up a small ranch using natural resources.
www.mydoterra.com/thurman |
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kysheeplady
True Blue Farmgirl
1291 Posts
Teri
KY
USA
1291 Posts |
Posted - Mar 12 2013 : 04:34:56 AM
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Natalie,
She is beautiful! I love her markings ... How big are these animals? And how many babies do they have? Really, just beautiful! And have you spun their fiber???
Teri
"There are black sheep in every flock"
White Sheep Farm
www.whitesheepfarm.com |
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kristin sherrill
True Blue Farmgirl
11303 Posts
kristin
chickamauga
ga
USA
11303 Posts |
Posted - Mar 12 2013 : 06:55:29 AM
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She sure is pretty. Can't wait to see calf pictures again. They're so cute.
Kris
The good beekeeper is generally more or less cranky. C.P. Dadant
www.kris-outbackfarm.blogspot.com
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YakLady
True Blue Farmgirl
652 Posts
Natalie
Montana
USA
652 Posts |
Posted - Mar 12 2013 : 09:28:17 AM
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Teri- Thanks :) She is beautiful, but a pain to get near. Her owners were older and haven't messed with her in a while, clearly. Dany weighs 780 lbs and that's about full grown for yak cows. 800 lbs is average. My bull will be growing through his tenth birthday (he's turning 4 on the 1st of April) and He should top out around 1200 lb or so. The horns are intimidating, but they are very short-legged. They also eat less than half what a 'normal' Bos taurus cow does, which is nice. They usually have only singles, though I've heard of the occasional set of twins. I haven't spun their fiber because I'm terrible at spinning (can you say LUMPY?) but I will comb everyone out after we get our last snow and send it off to be cleaned and carded at a mill. Then I'll probably sell it because I'm that bad at spinning, hah!
Question for you Teri, I need to shear my sheep, I did 2 sheep in school with manual clippers. I want a head for my Andis 2 speed clippers. I've heard the 3 tine (?) ones are better?
Thanks Kris :) I can't wait for the calves to start dropping! June is our start month, hopefully!
~Hen 4316~ Just a farmgirl in Western Montana.
Starting a family and raising up a small ranch using natural resources.
www.mydoterra.com/thurman |
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kysheeplady
True Blue Farmgirl
1291 Posts
Teri
KY
USA
1291 Posts |
Posted - Mar 12 2013 : 10:37:24 AM
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Natalie,
I have a Oster Shearmaster, I believe it has either 13 or 17 teeth. But I will be honest we (hubby and me) have not used it in years. We have a regular sheep shearer come every year in April or May, he does the searing, worming and triming hooves for about $7.50 each sheep. Now I know that sounds cheap, but we pay for his travel both ways. We are just to old for all that work.
We keep the Oster just in case his set has a problem, just as a back up.
When we first started we used a Lister ... did not work for us.
Teri
"There are black sheep in every flock"
White Sheep Farm
www.whitesheepfarm.com |
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YakLady
True Blue Farmgirl
652 Posts
Natalie
Montana
USA
652 Posts |
Posted - Mar 12 2013 : 11:30:37 AM
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Hmmm okay I will have to see. I heard the more teeth, the more likely newbies will cut the sheep?
~Hen 4316~ Just a farmgirl in Western Montana.
Starting a family and raising up a small ranch using natural resources.
www.mydoterra.com/thurman |
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kysheeplady
True Blue Farmgirl
1291 Posts
Teri
KY
USA
1291 Posts |
Posted - Mar 12 2013 : 11:42:24 AM
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that may be, but less chance for second cuts. And don't think you want a bunch of second cuts in your fleece. It is smoother on the sheep too. Check out the different heads.
Teri
"There are black sheep in every flock"
White Sheep Farm
www.whitesheepfarm.com |
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YakLady
True Blue Farmgirl
652 Posts
Natalie
Montana
USA
652 Posts |
Posted - Mar 12 2013 : 12:05:43 PM
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Thanks :) I'll definitely look into this more. And possibly into paying someone to shear the 4 sheep.
~Hen 4316~ Just a farmgirl in Western Montana.
Starting a family and raising up a small ranch using natural resources.
www.mydoterra.com/thurman |
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chickensforme
True Blue Farmgirl
90 Posts
Anne
Coopersburg
Pa
USA
90 Posts |
Posted - Mar 12 2013 : 12:24:29 PM
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Dear Natalie, I am new to the group, but have seen your some of your posts and I LOVE you name YAKLADY. I did not know until now that you can raise them. Are they popular out in Montana? I am from Pennsylvania and don't think anywhere here raises them.
Thanks,
Anne
"A dog's tail never lies" |
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YakLady
True Blue Farmgirl
652 Posts
Natalie
Montana
USA
652 Posts |
Posted - Mar 12 2013 : 12:36:51 PM
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Thanks Anne :)
Yak require no special permits (like elk, for example) and they are lesser known, but very useful! Especially if properly trained :)
There is a man I know in Maine who raises yak... I'll look for you to see if there are any in PA that you could maybe visit :) I'll do that when I get home tonight. In the mean time, check out iyak.org they have a breeder list by state :)
~Hen 4316~ Just a farmgirl in Western Montana.
Starting a family and raising up a small ranch using natural resources.
www.mydoterra.com/thurman |
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AliciaNak
True Blue Farmgirl
405 Posts
Alicia
Elko
Nevada
USA
405 Posts |
Posted - Mar 12 2013 : 5:30:14 PM
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Natalie,
Where did you find her?
I ask because I saw a few Yak for sale on ksl.com (go to the classifieds, then scroll down to livestock). KSL covers ID, UT, NV, WY and some MT and CO. I don't remember exactly where these Yak were, but I thought somewhere in Utah. And I think I remember a Yak cow with more white advertised there. A friend was giving me a hard time, says I need one to add to my zoo! But they wouldn't like our high desert summers at all.
Alicia
Do not follow where the path may lead. Go instead where there is no path and leave a trail.~Ralph Waldo Emmerson
www.blondenak.blogspot.com
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YakLady
True Blue Farmgirl
652 Posts
Natalie
Montana
USA
652 Posts |
Posted - Mar 12 2013 : 6:20:02 PM
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Alicia, She's from Augusta, almost to Great Falls, MT. There are many people with a few yak around Denver because they are shown at the NWSS every year in January :) I looked on KSL and there's just one Bull yak (native black color) I found- he is in Utah. Maybe the same people had the Royal girl.
What is your hottest heat spell each year and how long does it last? Do you get snow in the winter?
We hit 90s-100 about 3-7 days a year, and get mild snow. They are miserable those few hot days, but with the pond and shade trees, they pull through :)
~Hen 4316~ Just a farmgirl in Western Montana.
Starting a family and raising up a small ranch using natural resources.
www.mydoterra.com/thurman |
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Fiddlehead Farm
True Blue Farmgirl
4562 Posts
Diane
Waupaca
WI
USA
4562 Posts |
Posted - Mar 12 2013 : 6:36:27 PM
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What a magnificent animal!
http://studiodiphotosite.shutterfly.com/
farmgirl sister #922
I am trying to be the person my dogs think I am.
I get up every morning determined to both change the world and have one hell of a good time. Sometimes this makes planning my day difficult.
- E. B. White |
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crittergranny
True Blue Farmgirl
1096 Posts
Laura
Lindrith
NM
USA
1096 Posts |
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HodgeLodge
True Blue Farmgirl
662 Posts
Tiana
Berkeley Springs
WV
USA
662 Posts |
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AliciaNak
True Blue Farmgirl
405 Posts
Alicia
Elko
Nevada
USA
405 Posts |
Posted - Mar 14 2013 : 09:16:00 AM
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We get a pretty long heat spell in the summer, 95-100, probably 3-4 weeks a year. Winters are hit and miss on severity. This year was a pretty bad one (or good..depends I guess!). We got a fair amount of snow, but 3 weeks of negative 10 or lower at night, "warming" to 5 degrees or so in the daytime! They would probably do ok at some of the high elevation ranches, one around here raises buffalo, but not down here at my place.
They sure are beautiful animals tho!
Alicia
Do not follow where the path may lead. Go instead where there is no path and leave a trail.~Ralph Waldo Emmerson
www.blondenak.blogspot.com
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texdane
Farmgirl Legend Chapter Leader Chapter Guru
4658 Posts
Nicole
Sandy Hook
CT
USA
4658 Posts |
Posted - Mar 14 2013 : 12:28:08 PM
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Neat pictures, Natalie. I don't think I have ever "met" a yak in person - only have seen photos. :)
Nicole
Farmgirl Sister #1155
KNITTER, JAM-MAKER AND MOM EXTRAORDINAIRE
Chapter Leader, Connecticut Simpler Life Sisters
Farmgirl of the Month, January 2013
Suburban Farmgirl Blogger
http://sfgblog.maryjanesfarm.org/ |
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YakLady
True Blue Farmgirl
652 Posts
Natalie
Montana
USA
652 Posts |
Posted - Mar 14 2013 : 6:49:54 PM
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Thanks all :)
Sounds like you're on the right track there, Alicia! American bison are far less fuzzy than yak (Asian bison). They can handle the 100+ degree weather much better than the yak can.
We ran Dany through the squeeze chute today, got some hands on her for about 2 hours and worked some burs out of her hair. You can read about it here: http://royaltacres.blogspot.com/2013/03/dany-in-chute.html
~Hen 4316~ Just a farmgirl in Western Montana.
Starting a family and raising up a small ranch using natural resources.
www.mydoterra.com/thurman |
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Madinet85
True Blue Farmgirl
94 Posts
Elizabeth
Indiana
USA
94 Posts |
Posted - Mar 16 2013 : 05:42:10 AM
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How cool! I think its funny the horses picked on her, you'd think with those horns she'd be the bully!
Hopefully she likes her new home better.
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YakLady
True Blue Farmgirl
652 Posts
Natalie
Montana
USA
652 Posts |
Posted - Mar 16 2013 : 12:47:56 PM
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Well there were about 30 of them, and they were BIG horses, some were around 18 hh. It was strange being in that pen!
~Hen 4316~ Just a farmgirl in Western Montana.
Starting a family and raising up a small ranch using natural resources.
www.mydoterra.com/thurman |
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Barnyard Buddies: New Yak |
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New Yak
