{"status":"ok","message-type":"work","message-version":"1.0.0","message":{"indexed":{"date-parts":[[2026,10,21]],"date-time":"2026-10-21T17:13:52Z","timestamp":1792602832890,"version":"4.5.0"},"reference-count":113,"publisher":"MDPI AG","issue":"8","license":[{"start":{"date-parts":[[2025,7,29]],"date-time":"2025-07-29T00:00:00Z","timestamp":1753747200000},"content-version":"vor","delay-in-days":0,"URL":"https:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/by\/4.0\/"}],"content-domain":{"domain":[],"crossmark-restriction":false},"short-container-title":["Veterinary Sciences"],"abstract":"<jats:p>The yak (Bos grunniens) is a key species in high-altitude rangelands of Asia. Despite their ecological and economic importance, yak production faces persistent challenges, including low milk yields, vulnerability to climate changes, emerging diseases, and a lack of systematic breeding programs. This review presents the genomic, physiological, and environmental dimensions of yak biology and husbandry. Genes such as EPAS1, which encodes hypoxia-inducible transcription factors, underpin physiological adaptations, including enlarged cardiopulmonary structures, elevated erythrocyte concentrations, and specialized thermoregulatory mechanisms that enable their survival at elevations of 3000 m and above. Copy number variations (CNVs) and single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) present promising markers for improving milk and meat production, disease resistance, and metabolic efficiency. F1 and F2 generations of yak\u2013cattle hybrids show superior growth and milk yields, but reproductive barriers, such as natural mating or artificial insemination, and environmental factors limit the success of these hybrids beyond second generation. Infectious diseases, such as bovine viral diarrhea and antimicrobial-resistant and biofilm-forming Enterococcus and E. coli, pose risks to herd health and food safety. Rising ambient temperatures, declining forage biomass, and increased disease prevalence due to climate changes risk yak economic performance and welfare. Addressing these challenges by nutritional, environmental, and genetic interventions will safeguard yak pastoralism. This review describes the genes associated with different yak traits and provides an overview of the genetic adaptations of yaks (Bos grunniens) to environmental stresses at high altitudes and emphasizes the need for conservation and improvement strategies for sustainable husbandry of these yaks.<\/jats:p>","DOI":"10.3390\/vetsci12080714","type":"journal-article","created":{"date-parts":[[2025,7,29]],"date-time":"2025-07-29T16:16:10Z","timestamp":1753805770000},"page":"714","update-policy":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.3390\/mdpi_crossmark_policy","source":"Crossref","is-referenced-by-count":6,"title":["Genomic Adaptation, Environmental Challenges, and Sustainable Yak Husbandry in High-Altitude Pastoral Systems"],"prefix":"10.3390","volume":"12","author":[{"given":"Saima","family":"Naz","sequence":"first","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Zoology, Government Sadiq College Women University, Bahawalpur 63100, Pakistan"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0002-8284-5896","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Ahmad Manan Mustafa","family":"Chatha","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Entomology, Faculty of Agriculture and Environment, The Islamia University of Bahawalpur, Bahawalpur 63100, Pakistan"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0002-5338-5624","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Qudrat","family":"Ullah","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Theriogenology, Cholistan University of Veterinary and Animal Sciences, Bahawalpur 63100, Pakistan"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Muhammad","family":"Farooq","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Soil Plant and Food Science, University of Bari Aldo Moro, Via Giovanni Amendola, 165\/a, 70121 Bari, Italy"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Tariq","family":"Jamil","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Independent Researcher, 07743 Jena, Germany"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Raja Danish","family":"Muner","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Animal Breeding and Genetics, The University of Agriculture, Dera Ismail Khan 29111, Pakistan"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Azka","family":"Kiran","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Zoology, Government Sadiq College Women University, Bahawalpur 63100, Pakistan"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]}],"member":"1968","published-online":{"date-parts":[[2025,7,29]]},"reference":[{"key":"ref_1","unstructured":"Gerald, W., Han, J., and Long, R. 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