What Family Is the Yak In?

All yaks are part of the family Bovidae. This ungulate family is extremely extensive, and consists of a wide array of species, including sheep, goats, cows, antelopes and gazelles. The family Bovidae encompasses 137 species in total, according to Animal Diversity Web of the University of Michigan. Geographically speaking, bovids are very prevalent in Africa, although they also are common in North America, Asia and Europe. Through international introduction, some bovids also inhabit both South America and Australia.

Although many species exist under the bovid umbrella, they are in no way consistent when it comes to physical size. For instance, some buffalo and antelopes can exceed a ton in weight, while the royal antelope (Neotragus pygmaeus) often weighs just a mere 4 pounds. Many male yaks can weigh very close to 2,000 pounds. Drastic size diversity abounds within the very large family Bovidae.

One prominent factor that ties all of the members of the Bovidae family together -- including both wild and domestic yaks -- is the fact that they are all ruminants. Being a ruminant entails having a stomach that is separated into four distinct divisions -- the reticulum, the rumen, the abomasum and the omasum. Ruminant animals regorge cud that has already begun the digestion process as a means of attaining its maximum nourishment. "Cud" is a term that describes food that has already started breaking down within the animal's stomach.

Another physical trait that defines the male specimens of the family Bovidae is the presence of non-branching horns. Horns are not exclusive to the males, however, as certain varieties of female bovids also have them. Both genders of yaks possess horns, although the horns of the fairer sex are significantly smaller.