hybrid cross breeding of Yak in Gilgit Baltistan

Breeding characteristics of Yaks.

 Cross breeding of male yaks with common cows in order to produce viable and exceptionally well desired hybrid offsprings is one the most important subject matter as far as local population is concerned. Breeding closely related to domestic cows, pure yak can cross with the domestic cow to produce fertile female offspring and infertile male offspring. The female offspring is locally called “zhomo’’ and male is called “zho. These hybrids are better than the yak and cow. The female zhomo are considered to be the good milk producer and the male zho are used as draft animal (for the purpose of loading and working).

Breeding system in Gilgit  Baltistan.

 Various breeding systems are practiced in the area in order to produce desirable generations. The most obvious and distinctive among all breeding systems is Yak-cow cross. The farmers and yak herders of the area have sophisticated their indigenous knowledge regarding yak- cow breeding that they learnt from their forefathers. In Gilgit Baltistan the cow-yak cross is the  most common breeding system and a priority for livestock activity for formers to produce F1 (first generation) to F6 or B5(backcross generation)back cross with that of pure Yak, P1 (first parental) had also been practicing in the area for not only to execute different offspring but also 100%pure Yak at the  end. Back cross breeding system have rarely been common practices in the Yak rearing areas as it is considered to be inferior and less productive, only the F1 generations, zho and zhomo are favoured. For cross breeding purpose, farmers particularly Yak herders have sophisticated indigenous knowledge to select superior bulls for cross breeding. The select younger and healthy bulls that the purchased from some other valleys or up from the stocks and the younger bull are trained from the suckling age. According to herdsmen, they prefer to train small calves instead of older bull by feeding spatial food items. The trained bull from time to time is then shifted to cattle herds so as to harmonize with other cattle. The adult breeding bulls are then utilized for breeding with cows, with their closely related species. According to the statement of many Yak herders that the female up to six generations are fertile but interestingly, the first three male generations are sterile( Zho, Gar and Gier) while the rest three are more or less male characteristics and restore fertility.

In Gilgit Baltistan, five distinct breeding systems have been practicing to obtain various sorts of generations at different levels.

i. Pure Yak line breeding system

ii. Hybrid cross breeding system

iii. Back crossing breeding system

iv. Pure cow line breeding system

v. Yak breeding with cow line and the Ox with female Yak line.

i. Pure Yak line breeding system

      The pure line breeding system is carried out all over the yak herder’s area at pastures. It is an ordinary practice through which pure breeding stock retains their originality and purity. This system of breeding is characterized by the pure yak with pure yak cows. The breeding usually starts with the onset of the month of August and September.

 In pure line breeding, random cross takes place between pure Yak with Yakmo the resulting young one is similar to their parents.it has been noted that a Yak bull prefers to mate Yak cow during heat period and never go for away from female herds until the mating season comes to end.

ii. Hybrid cross breeding system

 Hybrid cross characters are one of the most important features, among pure Yak with domestic Cow. It i s the most common activity that is considerably organized systematically, in Gilgit Baltistan yak herders prefer to use a pure breeding Yak line for crossing with pure breeding Cow to produce active and viable generations. This system requires the pure line from the parental stock, called P1 and the female is locally known as Zhomo  which produces  up to 04 kg milk per day, and the male resulting from the cross breeding of Yak and local Cow is known as Zho  which is locally used as draft animal.

Physical characteristics of zhomo and zho

 Zhomo and zho are the first filial generation ( F1), which obtains  mixed traits transmitted from their parants. The hybrid offspring more or less differ in physical appearance from both its parents. Their physical characteristics are as bellow.

i. zho and zhomo possess relatively a longer body than their parents.

ii. Their horns emerged upward from the head.

iii. The tail of both sexes is long enough, but less bushy.

iv. Unlike Yak body, their body does not contains long hears and there is no need of shearing.

v. Unlike Yaks, the fore and hind legs are equal in size in lenth and cane easily move on the downward slopes.

vi. Their shoulder hump is lower than Yak, but higher than Co.

vii. They possess longer neck having less hears than Yaks.

iii. Backcross breeding system

 Back crossing among hybrid female from F1 to F6 (B5) with pure breeding yak is seldom practiced in the herding at free ranges, pastures or in village. This breeding system was common in the distinct past, most importantly, the back cross system introduced by forefathers of the local farmers was somewhat close to the present day scientific knowledge. By using their indigenous knowledge, old farmers of the area were experienced enough to get pure or original male stock. It is interesting to note that pure breeding yak can be obtained after six successive generations of back cross of each female offspring with pure yak. After each and every generation male offspring acquires a few male characteristics and at the end of the seventh generation it becomes a fully potential male and can be called pure Yak.

 The table shows that how more breeding Yak is obtained after seven successive generations by continuous backcross of different female offspring with its parental pure breeding Yak.

Cross names

Backcross offspring

generation

Fertility rate

			Male	Female
Yak  cow	Zho and zhomo	F1	Sterile	Fertile
Yak Zhomo	Gar and Garmo	B1(F2)	Seterile	Fertile
Yak Garmo	Gier and Giermo	B2(F3)	Seterile	Fertile
Yak Girmo	hLooq and hLOOqmo	B3(F4)	25to40% fertile	Fertile
Yak Looqmo	Brook and Brookmo	B4(F5)	50to 60% fertile	Fertile
Yak Brookmo	Briq and Briqmo	B5(F6)	60to90%fertile	Fertile
Yak Briqmo	Yak and Yakmo	B6(F7)	100% fertile	Fertile