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Vechur cattle

Vechur cattle (Bos indicus) are a critically endangered dwarf breed of zebu cattle indigenous to Kerala, India, named after the village of Vechoor in Kottayam district where they originated.^[1]^[2] Renowned as one of the world's smallest cattle breeds, adults typically measure 87 cm in height at the withers, with body lengths around 124 cm and weights of 107-130 kg, enabling them to thrive in confined spaces with low feed requirements.^[3]^[1] Despite their diminutive size, Vechur cows yield 2.5-3 liters of milk daily during an approximately 8-month lactation, with fat content of 4.7-5.8%, proportional to body weight and valued for its nutritional profile in traditional Kerala farming.^[3]^[4]^[1] Highly adapted to tropical hot and humid conditions, they demonstrate strong disease resistance and efficient fodder conversion, making them sustainable for smallholder systems amid resource scarcity.^[5]^[2] Popular historically but reduced to near extinction by mid-20th century crossbreeding with larger exotic breeds, the Vechur has been subject to targeted conservation since 1989, including breed recognition by Indian authorities and farmer-led trusts that have stabilized populations through selective breeding and germplasm preservation.^[4]^[2]

Origin and Historical Development

Indigenous Origins in Kerala

Vechur cattle represent an indigenous zebu (Bos indicus) breed that evolved in the village of Vechur near Vaikom in Kottayam district, Kerala, shaped by geographical isolation from surrounding rivers and canals.^[2] Local farmers' selective practices emphasized compact animals adapted to the state's hot, humid tropical climate and limited-resource agroecosystems, resulting in one of the world's smallest cattle breeds, with adults typically under 90 cm in height and weighing around 125 kg.^[2] This dwarf morphology arose from natural and human-driven selection favoring traits that enabled survival in environments with high heat, disease prevalence, and seasonal fodder scarcity, distinct from bulkier zebu strains elsewhere in India.^[2] In historical accounts, such as the Trivandrum State Manual of the former princely state, Vechur cattle were documented as outperforming other local indigenous cows in milk productivity relative to their size, making them integral to smallholder farming in southern Kerala.^[2] These animals supported low-input dairy production for household needs, yielding 2-3 liters of milk daily during an approximately 8-month lactation period, with peaks up to 3.67 liters observed.^[2] The milk's notably high fat content, averaging 5-6%, contributed to its value for traditional processing into nutrient-dense products, despite the breed's modest overall output compared to exotic crosses.^[6]^[3] The breed's compactness provided practical advantages in Kerala's wetland-dominated rice farming landscapes, where Vechur cattle could maneuver through marshy paddy fields and cross canals by swimming, traits honed by environmental pressures prioritizing efficiency over size.^[2] Smallholders favored their minimal feed demands—requiring only a fraction of the grazing area needed by larger breeds—and inherent resilience to foot-and-mouth disease and other regional ailments, ensuring reliable performance in integrated crop-livestock systems without intensive management.^[2] This adaptation underscored the causal link between localized selective forces and the breed's persistence among resource-constrained farmers prior to external influences.^[2]

Decline Due to Crossbreeding Practices

In the 1960s, the Kerala government launched large-scale crossbreeding programs targeting indigenous cattle populations, including Vechur, to enhance milk yields through integration with exotic breeds.^[7] These efforts, supported by the Kerala Livestock Improvement Act of 1961, emphasized artificial insemination with semen from high-milk-producing exotic bulls such as Holstein-Friesian, which were prioritized in national dairy development strategies post-independence to address food security amid growing demand.^[7] ^[8] The hybridization diluted Vechur-specific traits like compact size and low-maintenance efficiency, as crossbred offspring inherited higher volume potential but demanded substantially more feed—often 2-3 times that of pure indigenous breeds—and showed reduced heat tolerance and disease resilience in Kerala's humid, resource-scarce environments.^[9] ^[10] Government-recorded yield data from the era validated short-term gains, with crossbreds averaging 10-15 liters daily versus Vechur's 2-3 liters, incentivizing farmers to abandon purebred maintenance despite eventual hybrid fertility declines and input costs eroding net benefits.^[9] ^[11] By the late 1980s, these policies had driven the Vechur population to the brink of extinction, with indiscriminate breeding eliminating most pure lines across Kerala.^[7] Early 1990s assessments by Kerala Agricultural University revealed only isolated purebred individuals persisting, often in remote holdings, highlighting the causal link between unchecked exotic infusion and indigenous breed erosion without compensatory genetic safeguards.^[7] ^[10]

Revival Through Conservation Efforts

In the early 1990s, Dr. Sosamma Iype, a professor at Kerala Agricultural University, collected a small nucleus herd of eight purebred Vechur cows from scattered farms across Kerala to prevent extinction through targeted conservation.^[12] This initiative focused on selective breeding to mitigate inbreeding risks while preserving genetic purity at the university's facilities.^[10] The Vechur Conservation Trust was established in 1998 to coordinate broader efforts, including breeder associations and dissemination programs.^[10] The breed received official recognition as an indigenous Indian cattle variety, with the Food and Agriculture Organization listing it in their Domestic Animal Diversity Information System.^[7] Reproductive technologies such as multiple ovulation embryo transfer and artificial insemination were employed to expand the population, yielding successful transfers into crossbred recipients.^[13] By the early 2020s, these interventions had stabilized the Vechur population at over 5,000 animals across Kerala and other regions.^[14] Dr. Iype's contributions were acknowledged with the Padma Shri award in 2022 for advancing native breed conservation.^[15]

Physical and Productive Traits

Morphology and Size

Vechur cattle exhibit the morphology of the world's smallest zebu breed, with adult cows averaging 87 cm in height at the withers, 124 cm in body length, and weights ranging from 130 to 150 kg.^[16] ^[3] Bulls are proportionally larger, typically weighing 130 to 200 kg.^[16] These dimensions have been documented in breed characterizations recognizing Vechur as an indigenous dwarf cattle of Kerala.^[17] Distinctive anatomical features include small, thin horns that curve forward and downward, sometimes so minimal as to be barely visible.^[3] The coat is typically reddish-brown, contributing to their compact, agile frame suited to Kerala's humid, tropical environment.^[7] A small hump is present on the back, consistent with zebu cattle morphology.^[18] In comparison to other Indian zebu breeds, Vechur cattle are notably smaller than Kasargod dwarfs, which represent the next smallest category, with skeletal proportions emphasizing reduced mass and enhanced maneuverability over bulk.^[1] ^[19] This diminutive size distinguishes Vechur from larger indigenous breeds, enabling their historical utility in confined homestead settings.^[20]

Milk Production and Quality

Vechur cattle exhibit low-volume milk production suited to smallholder systems, with average daily yields of approximately 2-2.5 liters per cow during a lactation period of about 8 months, or roughly 240 days.^[7] ^[3] Total lactation yield typically ranges from 470-560 kg, reflecting adaptation to nutrient-scarce environments rather than high-output breeding.^[17] This yield contrasts sharply with exotic or crossbred dairy breeds, which prioritize volume over density, often exceeding 10 liters daily but requiring intensive inputs.^[21] Milk composition features elevated fat content of 4.7-6.5%, increasing from early to late lactation stages, alongside higher solids-not-fat compared to crossbred cows.^[22] ^[23] Fat globules average 3.21-3.5 µm in diameter—smaller than in Holstein-Friesian (around 4 µm) or crossbreds—facilitating easier enzymatic breakdown and digestibility, particularly for infants and elderly consumers, as confirmed by particle size distribution analyses.^[24] ^[25] This structural trait enhances palatability and nutrient absorption in low-volume scenarios, aligning with traditional dietary needs in Kerala rather than mass processing.^[26] ^[27] Vechur milk predominantly contains A2 beta-casein variants, with studies showing a high frequency of the A2 allele (over 80% in sampled populations), unlike many European breeds favoring A1 types associated with potential digestive discomfort in sensitive individuals.^[28] ^[29] Nutritional analyses link A2 dominance to reduced inflammation markers in vitro, supporting empirical observations of better tolerance versus A1 milks from high-yield exotics.^[30] However, these traits render Vechur unsuitable for industrial-scale production, where volume trumps composition density.^[31]

Feed Requirements and Environmental Adaptability

Vechur cattle require minimal feed inputs, primarily consisting of local green grasses and agricultural by-products such as crop residues, with no necessity for grain supplementation or commercial concentrates. This low-demand regimen supports their viability in zero- or low-input farming systems, where they maintain body condition and lactation yields of 2-3 liters per day using resources available on smallholdings.^[32]^[2]^[7] Their compact size, averaging 130 kg in adults, results in feed needs roughly 50-70% lower than those of larger crossbred cattle, which often demand twice the dry matter intake for comparable maintenance due to higher metabolic scaling with body mass. Feeding practices among Kerala farmers emphasize self-prepared mixtures from household waste and native forages, enabling self-sufficiency without external inputs and reducing dependency on purchased feeds.^[2]^[33] Adapted to Kerala's humid tropical conditions, Vechur cattle exhibit superior heat tolerance, remaining unaffected by high temperatures that cause stress in exotic or crossbred breeds, as observed in field comparisons. They forage effectively in wetland environments like paddy fields and backwaters, leveraging native vegetation for sustenance while demonstrating resilience to seasonal flooding and humidity.^[2]^[34] This adaptability extends to efficient resource use, with their dwarf physiology implying lower methane emissions per unit of milk produced compared to larger breeds, based on size-dependent metabolic studies of similar indigenous cattle. FAO assessments highlight their role in sustainable low-input agriculture for marginal farmers, thriving on ambient forages without supplemental irrigation or intensive management.^[2]^[34]

Health, Genetics, and Resilience

Disease Resistance and Immunity

Vechur cattle demonstrate empirical resistance to foot-and-mouth disease (FMD), with field observations from Kerala showing minimal clinical signs and lower outbreak incidence in purebred herds compared to crossbred cattle during regional epidemics.^[20]^[1] Scientists at Kerala Agricultural University have noted that Vechur animals remain unaffected by FMD even under hot, humid conditions that exacerbate symptoms in exotic and hybrid breeds.^[2] Similarly, Vechur cattle exhibit low susceptibility to mastitis, a common udder infection in dairy breeds, with records indicating rare occurrences in indigenous pure lines versus higher rates in crosses exposed to similar pathogens.^[1] This resilience correlates with observed survival without antibiotic interventions during disease challenges, reflecting adaptive immune mechanisms honed through natural selection in tropical environments.^[2] The breed's compact size contributes to reduced metabolic demands, potentially lowering physiological stress and pathogen vulnerability, as evidenced by comparative studies of indigenous versus larger exotic cattle under Kerala field conditions.^[4] Pure Vechur populations maintain herd health through these traits, underscoring outcomes of long-term environmental adaptation over vaccine-dependent management.^[20]

Genomic Characteristics and Recent Studies

A 2024 study utilized hybrid de novo assembly combining short-read Illumina and long-read Oxford Nanopore sequencing from a Vechur calf to produce a haplotype-resolved genome, identifying 28,982 structural variants and 16,926,990 single nucleotide variants relative to the bovine reference genome.^[35] This approach enhanced resolution of complex regions, enabling detection of breed-specific variants potentially underlying adaptive traits such as compact stature. Genomic analyses have pinpointed selection signatures for heat tolerance, including polymorphisms in the HSPA1A gene, which exhibits upregulated expression in Vechur cattle under thermal stress compared to crossbreds, and variants in ATP1A1 associated with improved ion transport efficiency in hot-humid conditions.^[36] ^[37] These markers reflect long-term natural selection in tropical zebu lineages, contrasting with reduced adaptive diversity in hybridized populations. Dwarfism signatures, linked to regulatory variants in growth pathways, further distinguish Vechur haplotypes, with exome-wide sequencing revealing unique indels and SNPs in protein-coding regions tied to body size regulation.^[38] Whole-genome resequencing across Indian breeds, including Vechur, demonstrates moderate heterozygosity and admixture from diverse zebu pools, yielding low runs-of-homozygosity coverage (despite long homozygous segments comprising up to 75% of ROH proportion) indicative of minimal inbreeding depression.^[39] ^[40] Selection scans highlight loci for immune response and pathogen resistance, such as those in MHC regions, preserved in Vechur but diluted in commercial hybrids through introgression, underscoring data-supported resilience over uniformity-driven breeding.^[39] Insights into lipid metabolism pathways, potentially explaining elevated milk fat yields, emerge from variant enrichment in fatty acid synthesis genes, though functional validation remains ongoing.^[35]

Conservation and Population Management

Key Breeding Programs and Initiatives

The conservation of Vechur cattle gained structured momentum through the Kerala Agricultural University's (KAU) breeding program, initiated in 1989 by Dr. Sosamma Iype, who identified and collected the remaining purebred animals from rural households in southern Kerala.^[41] This effort employed selective breeding to avoid inbreeding, artificial insemination with purebred bulls, and multiple ovulation embryo transfer (MOET) techniques starting in the early 2000s to accelerate progeny production from elite females, resulting in the first successful embryo transfers yielding viable calves by 2000.^[42] Sponsorship from the Indian Council of Agricultural Research enabled expansion, with progeny distribution to farmers commencing around 1999 after a decade of nucleus herd development, increasing the effective population size while maintaining genetic purity.^[7] The Vechur Conservation Trust, established as a nonprofit entity, complemented KAU's work by focusing on in-situ conservation and farmer-level breeding from the early 2000s, implementing microchip implantation for pedigree tracking and selective mating to prevent genetic dilution.^[20] Techniques included embryo transfer protocols adapted for small-scale operations, achieving low mortality rates in transferred embryos and supporting the production of purebred calves for distribution beyond initial nucleus herds.^[2] Integration with national frameworks occurred through the National Bureau of Animal Genetic Resources (NBAGR), which formally registered Vechur as a distinct breed and coordinated germplasm evaluation, facilitating access to state-level subsidies under schemes like the Rashtriya Gokul Mission for maintaining registered purebred herds as of 2025.^[43]^[44] Recent advancements include the first successful birth of a Vechur calf from a frozen IVF embryo in September 2022 at the Mattupetty farm, demonstrating cryopreservation viability for long-term genetic banking and broader dissemination outside Kerala.^[45] These initiatives have collectively raised the purebred population from fewer than 10 foundation animals in the 1980s to sustainable numbers, with ongoing embryo production emphasizing 90-100% genetic purity in outputs.^[1]

Current Status and Future Challenges

As of January 2025, the population of Vechur cattle in Kerala exceeds 25,000, a recovery attributed to sustained conservation initiatives amid prior declines from crossbreeding pressures.^[46] This figure contrasts with earlier estimates of around 2,000 purebred animals, highlighting variability in surveys but underscoring the breed's precarious status despite numerical gains.^[4] The breed faces empirical risks of genetic erosion primarily from unregulated hybridization with exotic and crossbred varieties like Sunandini, which prioritize milk volume over indigenous traits and have historically supplanted local ecotypes.^[47] Urbanization in Kerala exacerbates this by fragmenting habitats and reducing smallholder holdings suitable for purebred maintenance, as land conversion for development limits traditional rearing systems.^[48] Conservation assessments classify Vechur among indigenous breeds requiring priority intervention due to such trends, with non-monitored herds showing dilution through inadvertent outcrossing driven by market demands for hybrid vigor.^[48] Future challenges center on enforcing genetic purity via monitored breeding and semen banks, as operated by entities like the Vechur Conservation Trust under Kerala State Biodiversity Board oversight, to counter dilution rates observed in unmanaged populations.^[20] Effective strategies demand data-driven policies, including genomic surveillance to quantify inbreeding risks and hybridization impacts, rather than reliance on unsubstantiated incentives that may inadvertently promote crosses.^[49] Prospects for sustainability hinge on integrating Vechur into resilient, low-input systems, leveraging its documented adaptability while mitigating anthropogenic pressures through verifiable population audits and habitat safeguards.^[4]

Uses, Economic Role, and Cultural Importance

Traditional and Modern Applications

In traditional Kerala homesteads, Vechur cattle served primarily as a source of daily milk for household consumption, yielding approximately 2.5 liters per day over an 8-month lactation period, sufficient to support one or two families under low-input systems.^[7] ^[50] Their compact size and adaptability made them ideal for small-scale farming, where they required minimal space and feed while integrating into rice paddy ecosystems. Additionally, the semi-solid dung, coated in a thin mucous layer, functioned as an effective organic fertilizer, enhancing soil fertility through high microbial content without adhering to ground surfaces or causing environmental degradation.^[51] ^[52] In modern applications, Vechur milk's high A2 beta-casein content and butterfat levels have driven interest in value-added dairy products, particularly yoghurt production optimized via response surface methodology for parameters like fermentation temperature, time, and inoculum levels, yielding superior syneresis resistance and storage stability compared to crossbred cow milk variants as of 2025 studies. ^[53] Sales of breeding stock from conservation programs further support smallholder adoption, enabling replication of these traits in sustainable dairy operations amid rising demand for nutrient-dense, locally adapted livestock outputs.^[4]

Economic Viability for Smallholders

Vechur cattle offer economic viability for smallholder farmers maintaining herds of 1-2 animals, where net returns from milk sales, calves, and by-products such as manure and urine consistently exceed operational costs in low-input systems. A study of 60 farmers across Kottayam, Thrissur, and Palakkad districts in Kerala documented net annual returns of approximately ₹62,086 for holdings of two cows, equating to ₹31,043 per animal, after accounting for variable costs like feed and labor.^[54] These returns derive from diversified income streams, with milk contributing around 26% and supplemented by value-added dairy products, heifer sales, and male calves, enabling sustainability on farms under 1 hectare without reliance on imported concentrates.^[54] Compared to hybrid crossbreds, Vechur cattle impose lower feed requirements, reducing variable costs and enhancing margins in resource-constrained tropical environments where intensive dairy operations often fail due to high maintenance and heat stress vulnerabilities. Farm trials indicate that such minimalistic setups yield positive net returns even in lowland areas with limited infrastructure, privileging extensive grazing over capital-intensive inputs.^[55] However, the breed's absolute milk output—averaging 2.5 liters per day over an 8-month lactation—constrains scalability, limiting economic appeal to larger operations seeking volume-driven profits and underscoring its niche suitability for subsistence-oriented smallholders rather than commercial expansion.^[7]

Controversies and Scientific Debates

Biopiracy Claims and Intellectual Property Issues

In 1997, environmental activist Vandana Shiva alleged that the Roslin Institute in Edinburgh, Scotland—known for its work on mammalian cloning, including Dolly the sheep—had obtained and patented genetic material from the Vechur cattle breed, specifically targeting genes associated with its dwarfism traits, without prior informed consent from Indian authorities.^[56]^[57] This claim emerged amid heightened global concerns over biopiracy following the 1992 Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD), which mandates benefit-sharing for genetic resources accessed from provider countries, and paralleled successful challenges to foreign patents on Indian resources like neem (Azadirachta indica) extracts in 2000 and turmeric (Curcuma longa) wound-healing properties in 1997.^[58]^[59] Indian officials, including representatives from the Kerala Agricultural University (KAU)—which had been conserving Vechur cattle since the 1980s under Dr. Sosamma Iype—protested the alleged patent and initiated scrutiny, asserting that no Vechur germplasm or samples had been exported from their upgraded stock to foreign entities.^[56]^[10] Roslin Institute director Graham Bulfield denied any knowledge of Vechur cattle or use of its material in their research, emphasizing that their patent applications focused on cloning techniques rather than breed-specific genes.^[59] Empirical reviews, including checks of patent records, confirmed no granted patent on Vechur genes existed, rendering the biopiracy accusation unsubstantiated despite initial media amplification.^[58]^[60] Critics of intellectual property frameworks, such as Shiva, framed the episode as a threat to national sovereignty over indigenous biodiversity, arguing that patenting traits from traditional breeds could enable monopolization without compensating source communities, especially for resource-poor farmers reliant on open-access genetics.^[57] Proponents of patents, however, contend they incentivize research investment into traits like Vechur's disease resistance and milk fat content, potentially benefiting global agriculture through innovation, provided ethical sourcing is enforced—as evidenced by the absence of proven theft here and the CBD's influence on subsequent bilateral agreements.^[58] Data from similar cases, where unsubstantiated claims prompted stronger domestic germplasm safeguards without halting progress, support prioritizing verifiable open genetic resource sharing over presumptive restrictions.^[56]^[10]

Native Breed Preservation vs. Hybridization Benefits

The preservation of purebred Vechur cattle maintains genetic diversity critical for long-term agricultural resilience, as indigenous breeds like Vechur exhibit superior adaptation to Kerala's hot, humid climate and lower input requirements compared to crossbreeds. Studies indicate Vechur cattle demonstrate enhanced disease resistance relative to local hybrids, with genomic analyses revealing unique haplotypes associated with immunity traits that diminish in crossbred populations. This aligns with farmer observations of frequent health issues in hybrids, including higher susceptibility to infections without intensive veterinary interventions.^[49]^[61]^[7] Hybridization with exotic breeds, such as Holstein-Friesian, yields short-term productivity gains, with crossbred cows often producing 10-20 liters of milk daily under optimized feeding—far exceeding the Vechur's average of 2.5-3 liters per day during an 8-month lactation. Proponents argue this supports food security in resource-constrained regions, citing national dairy statistics where hybrid programs boosted India's milk output from 17 million tonnes in 1990 to over 200 million tonnes by 2022. However, such gains rely on subsidized feeds, hormones, and climate-controlled housing, which hybrids often lack in native settings, leading to elevated mortality and reduced fertility when inputs falter.^[4]^[62] Empirical trade-offs underscore context-dependent optima: native preservation excels in smallholder systems emphasizing sustainability and minimal externalities, where Vechur's A2 milk profile and feed efficiency (requiring less than half the forage of hybrids) mitigate economic risks from volatile input costs. Skeptics, often aligned with yield-maximizing policies, prioritize hybrid economics despite evidence of genetic erosion and vulnerability to stressors like heatwaves, which disproportionately affect non-adapted crosses. Policies fixated on volume overlook causal links between breed purity and ecosystem stability, as diluted indigenous traits amplify dependency on external systems prone to disruption.^[7]^[32]^[49]

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[47]
[PDF] Sustainable use and genetic improvement - CGSpace - CGIAR
During the process, however, almost 80 percent of the local cattle have been converted to Sunandini and the local Vechur breed of cattle has almost been lost.
[48]
Indigenous cattle biodiversity in India: Adaptation and conservation
Vechur cattle in Kerala is critical in conservation status; Punganur in Andhra Pradesh and Krishna Valley Karnataka are in endangered status; Pulikulam and ...
[49]
Hybrid de novo and haplotype-resolved genome assembly of ... - NIH
Vechur cattle are well known for its disease resistance, better adaptation for tropical extreme climates, and small stature. Classical multidimensional scaling ...
[50]
[PDF] Attitude of Vechur Cattle farmers towards the conservation of native ...
Jun 4, 2020 · However, it was also observed that about one- third of the respondents shown an unfavourable attitude towards conservation of native cattle.
[51]
Vechur Cow: A New Lease of Life - Crowd Foresting
Later research proved that the dung of this breed has a high amount of micro-organisms that could increase the fertility of the soil. Its milk is very rich in ...<|separator|>
[52]
The Vechur cattle, one of the smallest indigenous breeds globally ...
Apr 14, 2024 · Today the vechur cows population is estimated to be around 3000 cows. However I will still consider it endangered because unlike olden times ...
[53]
Vechur cow milk yoghurt: response surface methodology-based ...
Jan 13, 2025 · In this research article, response surface methodology (RSM) based optimization of three production parameters namely temperature, ...Missing: modern applications stock
[54]
None
Below is a merged summary of all provided segments regarding the economic viability of Vechur cattle farming, consolidating the information into a single response. Since most of the provided PDFs (linked to https://tnsroindia.org.in/JOURNAL/issue61/ISSUE%2061%20FULL%20TEXT%20PART%204.pdf) contain no relevant data on Vechur cattle farming, I will first present the detailed information from the one valid segment (the first summary) in a dense, tabular format, followed by a comprehensive narrative summary of the remaining segments, which highlight the lack of relevant content and detail their unrelated topics. All useful URLs will be listed at the end.
[55]
[PDF] Vechur Cattle A Miniature Breed Of India
Vechur the breed was officially recognized and the. Vechur Conservation Trust was established In the past it was customary to present a. Vechur cow to the ...Missing: 2007 | Show results with:2007
[56]
A cow and a controversy - Frontline - The Hindu
Mar 27, 1999 · ... resistance to diseases, including to the foot-and-mouth disease. The Vechur cow's reputation as the ideal "backyard cow" that would meet the ...
[57]
The Moo Point: Cows and Bulls lock horns with IPRs - SpicyIP
Aug 17, 2016 · In 1998-1999, the Vechur cow found itself in the midst of a bio piracy controversy. Vandana Shiva, the famous Indian environmentalist ...
[58]
Roslin falsely accused of biopiracy - Nature
The Vechur, the world's smallest breed of cattle, is being stud- ied at KAU for its ability to resist disease and produce large quantities of high-fat milk.
[59]
'Roslin Institute's claim is false' - Frontline - The Hindu
Mar 27, 1999 · Graham Bulfield's claim that he does not know about the existence of the Vechur cow is no proof of the Roslin Institute not having used ...
[60]
Rediff On The NeT Business News: Authorities say germ plasm hasn ...
Nor has anyone patented the Vechur species, it clarified. The controversy arose when environmentalist Dr Vandana Shiva of the New Delhi-based Research ...
[61]
Hybrid de novo and haplotype-resolved genome assembly of ...
In the present study, the genome of a Vechur calf was sequenced on both short-read Illumina and long-read Nanopore sequencing platforms.Missing: 2020s | Show results with:2020s
[62]
Should I buy a Indian Cow or a Modern High Milk yielding Dairy ...
But if you stop giving commercial cattle feed, milk production reduces even in hybrid cows. This is a clear evidence of Oxytocin or other hormone present in ...