Govt to launch Yak breeding project in Gilgit-Baltistan

Government is launching Yak breeding project in Gilgit-Baltistan to overcome beef shortage.

A briefing session in this regard was held in Governor House Gilgit.

According to the details, The Project Director of Live Stock department Gilgit-Baltistan gave away detailed briefing to the Governor Raja Jalal Hussain Maqpoon.

Governor said high altitude and hilly pastures in Gilgit-Baltistan are feasible place for yak breeding.

Yak is an iconic symbol of Tibet and high altitude regions. More than 22m domestic yaks provide food — both meat and milk — transport, shelter and fuel for Tibetians and others.

In recent years, the nomadic communities have faced challenges due to the decline in yak population and desertification of high altitude rangelands in the wake of climate change. The primary goal of the project is to compare the genomes of wild and domestic yaks and investigate genetic changes underlying domestication, detect genomic regions that have been subjected to artificial selection and high altitude adaptation.