Tuk

Tuk are an animal native to the planet Shulon, with both domesticated and wild varieties as well as highland and lowland varieties. They are often raised as livestock, being kept for their meat and milk as well as their load bearing abilities. The highland varieties are also often raised for their wool.

Appearance

Tuk are a large stocky animal, with four legs ending in three-toed feet. They have a very broad neck, with a hump structure made of muscle along the neck and shoulders. The highland varieties tend to be a bit shorter and stockier than lowland varieties who tend to be taller and less burly.

They have thick shaggy fur that is typically a brown or black color with some domestic versions having stripes or spots. Highland varieties tend to have longer denser fur that is thicker in the winter and often have longer pale-tipped fur along the spine, neck, belly, and hindquarters. Lowland varieties which tend to live in warmer or more temperate climates have shorter, thinner fur.

They have a set of horns that grow from the top of the skull and curve down and towards the front of the face in a spiral. The horns are used for attacking and defending from predators and they are also used by males in dominance displays. The horns are typically larger in males who also typically have a tine that branches out near the base of the horn and sticks straight up.

Biology

Diet

They are herbivores and eat lots of plants, tending to prefer leaves from shrubbery and trees over grass. They have large digestive systems that help them digest the plants they eat.

They will also eat grain and fodder mixes that are made and fed to them by farmers.

Behavior

Tuk are herd animals with a male typically fighting other males for dominance over a herd of females. They tend to graze as a group gathering together when threatened, but otherwise they tend to fend and think for themselves. 

The females typically produce milk after they have given birth and continue to until their baby has weaned. Some domestic breeds of Tuk have been bred to continuously produce milk, which is a staple in Shulanite cuisine.

Uses

Tuk are commonly kept as livestock on Shulon, with farming families typically having one or two on average. They are kept primarily for their milk and loadbearing abilities, but they may also be butchered for their meat which is commonly used in elite Shulonite cuisine.

The shaggy longhaired highland have shaggy fur called woom, and the longer wool that grows on their neck, hindquarters, belly, and back is often collected and used in textiles. This wool is often collected through hand combing or collecting the natural shed in the spring when they are naturally shedding their thick winter fur.

Historically, Tuk were often used to pull wagons or farming equipment which also led to them being very useful in Shulanite society. Modern forms of transportation and machinery have mostly replaced the Tuk in these roles, but the Tuk is still important to Sulanite society.