Phenotypic Traits of Yaks Breed in The Upper and Lower Mustang District of Nepal

Yak (Bos grunniens) is one of the lesser-known cattle breeds of Nepal. The present study embodies the fieldbased observations of yak rearing tracts in the two sites of Mustang district. Phenotypic information on conformation and traits at the farmer level was collected through direct measurements of different body parts questionnaires. Body measurements were taken during the survey, visual estimation, and measurement of adult yaks and were based on interviews with yak herders. A total of 34 adult yaks were randomly selected to measure the different elevated sites in the upper and lower mustangs of their native tracts during June 2024. Descriptive and inferential statistical methods were used in data processing and data interpretation. The overall morphometric traits of body length, heart girth, wither height, ear length, horn length, rump length, rump length, tail length, skull length and muzzle circumstances found in upper mustang were found to be 106.56±1.28 cm, 140.16±1.60 cm, 101.82±1.16 cm, 13.07±0.23 cm, 30.14±1.15 cm, 33.75±0.68 cm, 33.21±0.52 cm, 34.44±0.61 cm, 41.82±0.65 cm and 35.98±0.67 cm respectively. Most traits showed significant positive correlations at the 5% (p < 0.05) and 1% (p < 0.01) levels. Specifically, the correlation between body length and wither height was 0.381, significant at the 5% level. The correlation between body length and ear length was 0.494, and between body length and horn length was 0.526, both significant at the 1% level. Similarly, the correlation between body length and rump length was 0.491, significant at the 1% level. The correlation between wither height and ear length was 0.536, while the correlation between wither height and horn length was 0.494, both remained significant to body length