{{short description|Cattle breed}} {{Use dmy dates|date=November 2019}} {{Use Indian English|date=November 2019}} thumb|Vechur cattle '''Vechur''' is a breed of Zebu (''Bos indicus'') cattle, named after the village of Vechoor in Kerala, India. With an average length of 124 cm and height of 87 cm, it is the smallest cattle breed in the world according to the Guinness Book of Records,<ref name="guinness">{{cite web|url=https://www.guinnessworldrecords.com/world-records/70839-smallest-breed-of-cattle|title=Shortest cow (height)|publisher=Guinness World Records|access-date=21 June 2014}}</ref> and is valued for the larger amount of milk it produces relative to the amount of food it requires.<ref name="Krishnakumar">Krishnakumar, R. (9 April 1999). "[https://frontline.thehindu.com/environment/article30159166.ece A cow and controversy]", ''Frontline''.</ref>
==History== The Vechur animals were saved from extinction due to conservation efforts by Sosamma Iype, a Professor of Animal breeding and Genetics along with a team of her students.<ref>Animal genetics Resource Bulletin 1997 (FAO)</ref> In 1989, a conservation unit was started. A Conservation trust was formed in 1998 to continue the work with farmer participation.<ref>Proceedings of the National Conference on Native Livestock Breeds and their Sustainable Use 2010.</ref>
The Vechur cow was popular in Kerala until the 1960s, but became rare when native cattle were crossbred with exotic varieties.<ref name="hindu">{{cite web | url=http://www.hindu.com/seta/2005/12/01/stories/2005120100331600.htm | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070823173915/http://www.hindu.com/seta/2005/12/01/stories/2005120100331600.htm | url-status=dead | archive-date=2007-08-23 | title=Vechur cattle: ideal for household rearing | date=2005-12-01 | access-date=6 January 2012 | work=The Hindu | author=Prabu, M. J.}}</ref> In 2000, the Vechur cow was listed on the FAO's World Watch List of Domestic Animal Diversity, in its ‘Critical-Maintained Breeds List', pointing to imminent extinction as breeds are included in the list when the number of breeding females and males fall to very low levels.<ref name="thehindu">{{cite news|last=Sainath|first=P.|title=Holy cow! Small is beautiful|url=http://www.thehindu.com/opinion/columns/sainath/article2775282.ece|newspaper=The Hindu|date=5 January 2012}}</ref> About 200 cows are supposed to exist today, nearly 100 of them with the Veterinary College.
==Characteristics== The breed averages about 87 cm in height and weighs around 130 kg, yielding up to 3 litres of milk a day<ref name="guinness" />his is much less than that of the hybrid varieties but, unlike them, the Vechur cow also requires little by way of feed or maintenance.<ref name="thehindu" /> The milk is believed to have medicinal qualities and easy digestibility due to smaller fat globule size.<ref>Thirpathy and Iype 1997 www.vechur.org</ref> A recent report claims that the milk of the Vechur cow has more of the beta casein variety A2, rather than the variety A1 which is implicated in conditions like diabetes, ischaemic heart disease and autism.<ref>"Beta casein A1 and A2 in milk and human health", Report to New Zealand Food Safety Authority, http://www.nzfsa.govt.nz/policy-law/projects/a1-a2-milk/a1-a2-report.pdf</ref><ref name="nair">{{cite web | url=http://www.thehindu.com/news/states/kerala/article544392.ece | title=Milk of the indigenous Vechur cow beneficial to health | work=The Hindu | date=2010-07-31 | access-date=6 January 2012 | author=Nair, Madhavan}}</ref>{{Unreliable source?|date=December 2022}}
The medicinal properties of the Vechur cow's milk have been documented traditionally in Ayurveda and recent scientific studies have explored these claims. The protein component of the Vechur cow's milk has an improved antimicrobial property.<ref>{{Cite news|url=http://www.thehindu.com/todays-paper/tp-national/study-points-to-medicinal-value-of-vechur-cow-milk/article2784409.ece|title = Study points to medicinal value of Vechur cow milk|newspaper = The Hindu|date = 8 January 2012|last1 = Pillai|first1 = R. Ramabhadran}}</ref><ref>{{cite journal | pmc = 3124693 | pmid=21738329 | volume=6 | title=Physicochemical characterization and functional site analysis of lactoferrin gene of Vechur cow | year=2011 | journal=Bioinformation | pages=275–8 | last1 = Shashidharan | first1 = A | last2 = Singh | first2 = R | last3 = Bhasker | first3 = S | last4 = Mohankumar | first4 = C | issue=7 | doi=10.6026/97320630006275}}</ref> According to recent findings, the anti-bacterial property of the lactoferrin protein present in the Vechur Cow milk is more than that of the antibiotic ampicillin{{Citation needed|date=March 2026}}. Although lactoferrin, present in the milk of all mammals, is found to have antimicrobial, antiviral, antitumor, immunodefence and anti-inflammatory properties recent studies prove that in the case of the lactoferrin protein in the Vechur Cow milk, these properties are much more enhanced.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://ibnlive.in.com/news/medicinal-property-of-vechur-cow-milk-confirmed/218005-60-122.html |title=Medicinal property of Vechur cow milk confirmed - southindia - Kochi - ibnlive |website=ibnlive.in.com |access-date=17 January 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120109153829/http://ibnlive.in.com/news/medicinal-property-of-vechur-cow-milk-confirmed/218005-60-122.html |archive-date=9 January 2012 |url-status=dead}}</ref> The Vechur Ghee (clarified butter) produced from Vechur cow’s milk, is famous for its high medicinal values due to the presence of A2 beta-lactalbumin protein and higher arginine content which is good for the health of convalescing people.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.newindianexpress.com/states/kerala/After-Neera-Here%E2%80%99s-Another-Healthy-Drink---Packaged-Vechur-Cow-Urine/2014/10/24/article2490838.ece|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141214025230/http://www.newindianexpress.com/states/kerala/After-Neera-Here%E2%80%99s-Another-Healthy-Drink---Packaged-Vechur-Cow-Urine/2014/10/24/article2490838.ece|url-status=dead|archive-date=14 December 2014|title = After Neera, Here's Another Healthy Drink - Packaged Vechur Cow Urine}}</ref>
==Controversies== A controversy arose in 1997 when environmentalist Vandana Shiva alleged that a Scottish company, The Roslin Institute, was trying to patent the cow's genetic code. Shiva described the action as piracy. The Roslin Institute denied the charge which was subsequently proved to be baseless.<ref name=Krishnakumar /><ref name=Jose>Jose, D. (12 August 1999). "[http://www.rediff.com/business/1998/aug/12kerala.htm Mystery shrouds Vechoor cow patent issue]", ''Rediff.com''.</ref><ref>{{cite book |author=Hall, Stephen J. G. |title=Livestock Biodiversity |year=2008 |publisher=Blackwell Publishing |isbn=978-0-632-05499-2 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=MAUtSuFC3RcC&q=%22Vechur+cow%22&pg=PA178 |page=178}}</ref>
== References == {{reflist}}
* ''Beta Casein A1a2 Polymorphism And Milk Yield In Vechur, Kasargode Dwarf And Crossbred Cattle'' Author : E. M. Muhammed and M. Stephen
== External links == {{commons category|Vechur Cattle}} *[http://www.vechur.org Vechur Conservation Trust]
{{Cattle breeds of India}}
Category:Agriculture in Kerala Category:Cattle breeds Category:Cattle breeds originating in India Category:Economy of Kottayam district Category:Culture of Kottayam district