Meat production from crossbred and domestic yaks in China

Abstract Female domesticated yaks were artificially inseminated with semen taken from wild yaks and the offspring used to form a nucleus breeding herd of crossbred animals. The meat production of the first generation (F2 × F2) frombreeding within the nucleus herd was assessed by slaughter and carcass dissection of males. One group (no. = 14) was slaughtered at 6 months of age and the second (no. = 12) at 18 months. Crossbred yaks were significantly heavier (P < 0·01) at 6 months (74·7 (s.e. 10·41) kg v. 59·8 (s.e. 10·23) kg) and at 18 months (150·5 (s.e. 56·1) kg v. 117·7 (s.e. 17·4) kg) than domesticated ones. The killing-out proportion (0·47) was similar at both ages and for both groups of animals. Carcass weight, meat weight and the yield of prime cuts were higher for crossbred animals than for domestic yak at both ages.