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Tezpur: The Arunachal yak has been recognised as a separate breed.
It has been registered under the name of Arunachali yak by Pranab Jyoti Das, senior scientist ICAR and National Research Centre on Yak, at Dirrang, West Kameng district, in Arunachal Pradesh.
The breed registration award was conferred upon Das by Union agriculture and farmers welfare minister Radha Mohan Singh in the presence of the director-general of ICAR in New Delhi on Wednesday.
Das said a 2014-16 study conducted on the yaks, found mainly in West Kameng and Tawang districts of Arunachal Pradesh, had established it as a separate breed with distinctly different characteristics.
The study found that Arunachali yaks are characterised by their predominantly black body colour and the high fat content in their milk.
Das, who currently works at the National Research Centre on Pig (NRCP), said, "With this registration, there will be a universal acceptance of the Arunachali yak as a distinct breed and help in taking up conservation initiatives for this breed in a more focused manner."
The Arunachali yak is one of the purest yak populations in the world.
There are 13,758 (19th Livestock Census, 2012) yaks found in the state.
It is regarded as a remarkable domestic animal as it thrives in conditions of extreme cold and provides a livelihood to the people.