Yaks are hardy bovines farmed across the Tibetan Plateau and Central Asia for meat, milk, fibre, and transport. Their welfare in pastoral and increasingly commercial systems merits attention.
Yaks in traditional pastoral systems generally experience reasonable welfare due to natural movement patterns, social grouping, and appropriate climate. However, commercialisation pressures are driving more intensive production, including housing yaks at lower altitudes where heat stress is a significant problem. Slaughter in remote areas without stunning causes pain and distress. The growing luxury fibre market creates demand that may outpace the capacity of traditional systems to maintain welfare standards.