Silver Cuff Farm

Tibetan Yak are majestic, curious, intelligent and beautiful additions to our farm and life.

At Silver Cuff Farm, our small herd is cared for with an abundance of love and attention. We make sure to offer a daily schedule they look forward to which results in an equal amount of trust and respect between us. We pride ourselves on the gentle nature of our yaks.

Why yaks? Why not?

Do you love driving by a pasture to find delight when you see the presence of a group of animals grazing--we used to point and gaze and smile when we saw a field of animals. It's what would wake the kids up during road trips, spark conversation and wonder. The striking presence of yak in a pasture--how they move, run, interact and look--simply sublime.

A yak herd can thrive on a small acreage farm, as they graze more efficiently than traditional cattle and are easy on the land. Their grazing requirement, hardiness, and the ability to harvest fiber from combing them sold us--in 2013 we started looking into this breed--before we owned any land or farmhouse at all. In 2017 when we closed on our farm, within 6 months we purchased our precious foundation heifers, each 8 months old. It took us 2 more years to find "our perfect bull" in 2019, and now we celebrate our thriving calf crops each year.

As we approach the fence line each herd member comes to greet us, calves in tow, to receive head scratches and rubs behind their ears--every one a different lovely personality.

LOOK for articles about our yaks published in ACRES magazine by New Holland Winter 2023 as well as The Lancaster Farmer in Winter 2022--both featuring our stunning herd sire, "Johnny Cash"--the man in black here.

The fiber we harvest from this herd year after year is phenomenal in it's softness, fineness and volume! "Salon Days" at Silver Cuff each spring allow us to comb out their down undercoats to make them more comfortable in the summer months as well as form a close bond with each of them. Fiber is sold at local yarn shops raw for spinners & sent to a mill to process into yarn among other end products. Fineness of the down is analyzed by a lab.

Yak vary in their markings, nose color and coat lengths. When starting our herd, we wanted variety and continue to enjoy the "look" of our herd. Every farm has it's own preference for what they like to see--shape of head, markings vs. solids, nose color, fiber length, etc. We found one of the traits we particularly are drawn to is shape and symmetry of horns.

Please feel free to call or email us to chat about our animals, particularly if you are thinking of adding these exotic livestock to your current or future farm. We have admired these animals and have visited many yak farms throughout the U.S. for over 10 years--as well as attend National Western Stock Shows in Denver often where yak breeders bring their animals each January to show and sell. We have done the research, and began the dream. You can too.

Looking forward to your call,

~Eric & Susan