Marty Gordon
NRVsports@mainstreetnewspapers.com
Many people were left scratching their heads when the Salem minor league baseball team announced their new mascot and logo, the RidgeYaks.
Well, there is a farm in the New River Valley which answers those questions. There are yaks on those ridges.
Jireh Hills Ranch is located just outside Blacksburg in Pembroke, and there are yaks on those ridges. The new herd has found a home on a very high ridge, where you can practically see both Blacksburg and the state of West Virginia.
Josh and Amy Wallish are originally from Michigan and after living the D.C. city way of doing things since 2009, they decided they wanted the farm life. It was on a visit looking for land, they found the perfect ridge to build a house and start a mountain farm.
Of course, it comes with chickens and something new they had never even thought of—raising yaks.
They started with five about four months ago and will be receiving 10 more this weekend.
“We visited several other farms including some in Colorado and decided on yaks. Our goal is to conserve this type of animal,” Amy said.
They raise heritage yaks, according to Amy, because they honor both land and tradition. “Naturally hardy and gentle grazers, yaks thrive on pasture alone, support healthy soils, and fit seamlessly into our regenerative grazing system. As stewards of this rare heritage breed, we are committed to preserving strong genetics while raising animals humanely and without added hormones,” she said.
Their overall plan is to sell yak meat and their hide for things like yarn.
Yak meat is lean, high in protein, and rich in iron and omega-3s, offering the richness of beef with a cleaner, lighter feel. Yak fiber is soft, warm and hypoallergenic with the feel of luxury.
Yaks are also very fun loving, so the couple hopes to host farm tours later this year.
The animals are currently listed as Critically Endangered (nationally and internationally) and are on the Conservation Priority List at the Livestock Conservancy.
Fewer than 200 purebred American Yaks are registered in anywhere in the U.S. annually. The estimated global population is less than 500. Again, their use includes meat, dairy, fiber, pulling and draft, seed stock and conservation breeding stock.
The North American Yak is one of the few historic breeds of livestock originating in Canada. It descends from Tibetan yak which were brought to Canada between 1907 and 1927. This population was shaped by human intervention and natural selection in the rugged environment of eastern Canada and the northern United States, and the resulting breed became known as the North American Yak. The breed is closely associated with Montana, and even today the majority of the North American Yak are found in this state.
According to information supplied by Jireh Hills Ranch, the Canadian and American governments encouraged and financed the importation of breeding stock into Canada and Alaska and recognized it as valuable for its superior environmental adaptation. In 1909, large scale promotion of North American Yak as New World livestock began America. The North American Yak flourished and by 1916, there were several successful breeding herds in eastern Canada, Fairbanks Alaska, Massachusetts and even New York.
The adults can range from 500 to 1,400 pounds when fully grown.
On the recent visit to the farm, the animals were acting like puppies running to see what the humans were doing and of course, if there were treats involved.
“They are very friendly,” Amy pointed out. “And yes, they love their treats.”
The Yak primigenius spiral horn is as endangered and unique as the yak itself. The aurochs (Bos primigenius), wooly mammoth (Mammuthus primigenius) and Zebu (Bos Primigenius Indicus) are extinct species of large wild mammals that inhabited Asia. The Auroch is extinct, and the common ancestor of today’s domestic cattle, and was a prominent symbol in range of independently diverse cultures.
Yak is the only animal that still consistently exhibits this rare and endangered horn type. Those at the local farm proudly bear these.
North American Yak are black, brown, or piebald. Many have longer fiber running down the back, called a dorsal stripe. The horns often curve up and turn back forming a primigenius spiral with age.
Amy admits they didn’t know anything about the Salem minor league baseball team until a neighbor recently brought it their attention.
Now, they hope to capitalize on the connection while even giving the Salem RidgeYaks some in return.
For more information on the local yak farm, checkout jirehhillsranch.com. Farm tours coming in the near future.
For information on the Salem RidgeYaks go to: ridgeyaks.com.
