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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|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 (magazine)|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 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
| 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 [[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=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]]

Vechur cattle - Revision history

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