Yaks look like long-haired cows with humps, and are fixtures in Tibet and throughout the Himalayan region of south central Asia, Mongolia, and nearby countries.

Recently, researchers reported that cheese from yaks could be healthier than cheese from dairy cattle. When compared to cheddar cheese, yak cheese contained higher levels of several healthful fatty acids, the researchers said.

Yak cheese is available in some gourmet food stores in the United States.

Brian W. McBride of the University of Guelph in Ontario, Canada and his colleagues detailed the findings in the March 12 issue of the Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry.

Image Credit: National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration