Characterization of a unique Sikkimese yak population of India: A Multivariate approach

Abstract Native Sikkimese yak in Sikkim state of India is a pastoral treasure being raised through centuries-old transhumance practices and has evolved in response to natural and man-made selection. Currently, the population of Sikkimese yak is at risk with about five thousand total headcounts. Characterization is essential for taking appropriate decisions for conservation of any endangered population. In an attempt to characterize the Sikkimese yaks, this study recorded phenotypic morphometric traits information viz. body length (LG), Height at withers (HT), Heart Girth (HG), Paunch Girth (PG), Horn Length (HL), Horn Circumference (HC), Distance between Horns (DbH), Ear Length (EL), Face Length (FL), Face Width (FW) and Tail Length with Switch (TL) on 2154 yaks of both sexes. Multivariate approach used to analyze the recorded data revealed high positive correlations between HG and PG in both the sexes and three principal components (PCs) were found to explain more than 70 percent of the population variance cumulatively. Subsequently, discriminant analysis indicated an overall genetic uniformity within Sikkimese yak population. Phenotypic characterization of Sikkimese yaks can further pave the way for preparing future conservation strategy.