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“...English saddle type ranchers, HOA queens, retired, pensioned NIMBYs, real estate interests,...”
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Wow. From your posts over time, I somehow imagined you were in rugged country surrounded by like-minded self-sufficient types. Sorry you have to deal with the above. Yuck.

Are yaks like buffalo, needing 4 layers of fencing? Will you need a large animal vet with an interest in exotics? Not sure I would want to try milking a yak! ;)

We have similar winter weather here in Wisconsin. Our vet friend really likes the Highlands. He is the kind of guy who would be interested in learning about something like a yak, though.

"Are yaks like buffalo, needing 4 layers of fencing? Will you need a large animal vet with an interest in exotics? Not sure I would want to try milking a yak! ;)"

I'm all study and no experience with them so far, but cattle fences are good enough. Five-wire with stays should do nicely. They'll need vaccinations and hoof trimming, so corral, stanchions, roping, etc. will be in order. As for a vet, some people pay them for advice once in a while (my experience). Others pay them to do everything. Knowing a good agricultural vet in case of evidence exam being needed is a good idea for some ranchers/farmers in certain situations (e.g., anyone with a corrupt/criminal neighbor). The alternative to corralling and restraining equipment is taming, which is probably much more time consuming than with cattle and could leave them more unsecured (if possible rustling problems). They'll consume a little more than half of the hay that cattle require, and supplements would probably help.

"We have similar winter weather here in Wisconsin. Our vet friend really likes the Highlands. He is the kind of guy who would be interested in learning about something like a yak, though."

I've found some of the individual farmer/rancher websites to be the most accurate for information. Some of the large associations receive input from folks with interests other than farming/ranching.