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{{short description|Cattle breed}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=November 2019}}
{{Use Indian English|date=November 2019}}
[[File:Vechur Cow.jpg|thumb|300px|Vechur cow]]
The '''Vechur Cow''' ({{lang-ml|വെച്ചൂര്‍ പശു }}) is a rare breed of [[zebu|''Bos indicus'']] [[cattle]] named after the village [[Vechoor]] in [[Vaikom]] Taluk, [[Kottayam district]] of the state of [[Kerala]] in [[India]]. With an average length of 124 cm (about 4 feet and 1 inch) and height of 87 cm (about 2 feet and 10 inches), it is the smallest cattle breed in the world according to the [[Guinness Book of Records]],<ref name="guinness">{{cite web|url=http://www.guinnessworldrecords.com/world-records/shortest-cow-(height)|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). "[http://www.frontline.in/static/html/fl1607/16070920.htm A cow and controversy]", ''[[Frontline (magazine)|Frontline]]''.</ref>
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 90 cm in height and weighs around 130 kg, yielding up to 3 litres of milk a day. This 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 mellitus|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
| publisher=The Hindu
| date=2010-07-31
| access-date=6 January 2012
| author=Nair, Madhavan}}</ref>

The medicinal property of the Vechur cow's milk have been documented traditionally by Ayurveda and recent scientific studies have substantiated this. The protein component of the Vechur cow's milk has an improved antimicrobial property.<ref>http://www.thehindu.com/todays-paper/tp-national/study-points-to-medicinal-value-of-vechur-cow-milk/article2784409.ece</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 | doi=10.6026/97320630006275}}</ref> As per recent findings, the anti-bacterial property of the lactoferrin protein present in the Vechur Cow milk is more than that of the antibiotic ampicillin. 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>[https://web.archive.org/web/20120109153829/http://ibnlive.in.com/news/medicinal-property-of-vechur-cow-milk-confirmed/218005-60-122.html ]</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>http://www.newindianexpress.com/states/kerala/After-Neera-Here%E2%80%99s-Another-Healthy-Drink---Packaged-Vechur-Cow-Urine/2014/10/24/article2490838.ece</ref>

==Controversies==
A controversy arose in 1997 when [[environmentalist]] [[Vandana Shiva]] alleged that a [[Scotland|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=0-632-05499-9 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=MAUtSuFC3RcC&pg=PA178&dq=%22Vechur+cow%22 |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 originating in India]]
[[Category:Economy of Kottayam district]]
[[Category:Cattle breeds]]
[[Category:Culture of Kottayam district]]

Vechur Cattle - Revision history

imported>Etomology: Added imperial units