As a major source of revenue for herding households, the yak industry accounts for 42 per cent of the average disposable income of local farmers and herders.
China’s Gannan Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture has developed yak husbandry as one of its leading industries. The yak population there now exceeds 1.2 million, accounting for some 7.5 per cent of the national total, according to Wang Wei, director of the animal husbandry technical services centre in Gannan.
According to the Xinhua news agency, as a major source of revenue for herding households, the yak industry accounts for 42 per cent of the average disposable income of local farmers and herders. However, traditional breeding methods were not only inefficient but also caused serious grass degradation. Almost every household in the region raises yaks. The soaring numbers of cattle and sheep have affected the quality of the grass and reduced incomes in the long run,
In 2014, with the support of the local government, Lhagyl set up a breeding cooperative in Luqu County, which is equipped with modern facilities. The cooperative now manages nearly 700 yaks. During the summer, workers herd yaks in the pasture, while the yaks are bred in sheds during the winter. The semi-intensive breeding and grazing method has more benefits than just being environmentally friendly, which also helps increase efficiency.
The yak industry has gained support from the government of Gannan. The local government has encouraged enterprises to extend industrial chains for goods such as yak meat, milk and leather. At a yak milk trading centre in Gannan, a huge screen shows real-time information on yak milk prices and stocks in regions such as Gansu and Sichuan provinces.
Trucks carrying fresh yak milk collected from herders can often be seen entering the centre established by Hualing Dairy Co., Ltd. The milk is then processed into various dairy products, such as milk powder, milk candy and casein. The production lines have increased the incomes of nearly 30,000 households in Gannan.
