Recently, the national standard "Technical Specification for Performance Testing of Yak" (Standard No. GB/T 43842-2024), formulated by the Institute of Animal Husbandry and Veterinary Medicine of the Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences in Lanzhou, has been officially released (National Standard Announcement of the People's Republic of China [2024 No. 1]). This standard will be implemented starting from October 1, 2024.
Performance testing of yaks aims to evaluate the performance of specific economic traits of individual yaks, which is a crucial aspect of yak breeding work. This standard specifies the basic requirements, testing items, and record-keeping for yak performance testing, standardizing the content and methods of performance testing in the process of yak variety breeding. It represents an important measure to promote the standardization and normalization of yak scientific research, production, and teaching.
China, as the main producer of yaks, currently has 2 cultivated breeds and 22 local breeds or genetic resources, mainly distributed in the high-cold pastoral areas of six provinces and regions including Qinghai, Tibet, Sichuan, Gansu, Xinjiang, and Yunnan. Due to variations in geographical and ecological conditions, grassland types, feeding management levels, breeding levels, and socio-economic development among different regions, yaks exhibit diversity in body structure, appearance, production performance, and utilization direction.
The release and implementation of this standard provide scientific, systematic, and standardized testing content and methods for yak performance testing, offering comprehensive and reliable information for yak breeding and production. It also provides strong support for yak variety breeding and cooperative breeding.
Title: Technical Specifications for Yak Production Performance Measurement
The image is provided by the Lanzhou Institute of Animal Husbandry and Veterinary Medicine.
