On a snowy plateau in wintertime, a burly Tibetan young man wrestled a yak by its two horns. A technician then quickly added a microchip into the yak’s ear, enabling the yak’s information to be easily found by scanning. 

Recently, in the cold and high-altitude herding region of Garze Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture in Sichuan Province, digital tracking microchips with yaks’ insurance information were added to the yaks.

Litang County is one of the China’s largest herding counties, and its herding industry is a pillar industry for its residents. Due to its cold and high-altitude location at more than 4000 meters high, the winter and spring are the hardest time for the yaks. To help herders relieve their worries, Litang County has used all sorts of beneficial policies and decided to launch the yak insurance benefits. 

“The target of yak insurance is yaks more than two years old, with coverage including freezing, snow, diseases, predators, and floods. The coverage amount starts at 2000 yuan per yak, with premiums at 6.5% of the coverage, about 130 yuan.”according to Wang Peng, director of the Sichuan branch of the Groupama-AVIC Property Insurance Co., Ltd. 

Yak insurance has reduced the risks herders face, and the microchip tracking has also provided yaks with a form of identification.

“I totally agree with getting yak insurance. If only we had joined earlier.” Said A-Chen, a villager who has purchased yak insurance. He has just suffered from the loss of yak. During the winter before last, his family lost 12 yaks in two weeks because of freezing, causing a loss of almost 50 thousand yuan. “Now we only need to spend 26 yuan in insuring a yak. I’m more confident in raising yaks now.”

Editor：Yanina