B.C. rancher trains yak Toro to become a riding animal instead of being raised for meat

The Story

Jamie Kamps, owner of Black Yak Cattle Company near Salmon Arm, says her farm has long focused on raising Tibetan yaks mainly for grass-finished meat, with some animals also raised for wool and fibre.

Kamps estimates there are about 1,000 yaks in Canada, describing the animals as uncommon livestock, and said her herd of roughly 30 Tibetan yaks includes one calf, Toro, that may follow a different path than the rest.

Toro is about one and a half years old and is being handled for temperament as well as training, which Kamps characterized as calm and easy to manage. She said the animal’s temperament has convinced her to look beyond the traditional meat market.

Yaks have been used in parts of Central Asia to carry people and heavy loads, and Kamps noted that they also grow long winter coats that help them tolerate cold conditions. While those traits are part of why yaks are well suited to demanding environments, her current goal is specifically training for recreational use.

Kamps said she expects Toro could potentially carry a rider at around two years old. She also noted that yaks can be trained to pull a sleigh or carry loads, depending on how the animals develop and respond to handling.

According to Kamps, the animals’ body structure suits riding, including the fit of their hump with a western saddle. She added that, compared with horses, yaks can be less “flighty,” which she views as an advantage during early training.

The rancher’s plan is to raise a group of mature, well-handled animals that could be sold for packing and other recreational uses, rather than only for meat. Kamps said she is seeking to create an option that gives these animals “a good life as a pleasure animal,” not only as a meat animal.

In the long term, she said she hopes some of the more mature, trained yaks could be used for petting-zoo-style experiences, but only after the animals are old enough, trained, and ready for safe public interaction.

For now, Kamps said the project depends on time and continued training as the animals grow, with Toro serving as an early example of what the yaks on her farm may be able to do beyond the meat market.