The world's shortest breed of cattle is on the brink of dying out with only around 60 animal alive today.

The Punganur breed, named after the town in the Indian state of Andhra Pradesh from which it originates, stands at between 70 and 90 centimetres, no taller than a Great Dane.

According to India's Food and Agriculture Organisation, this indigenous breed is facing extinction and can only be found in a handful of government-run and private farms in Andhara Pradesh.

According to Dr P Krishnam Raju, a noted private breeder, the cows used to be very popular among the poor.

“It eats little, is easy to maintain and yields 2 to 4 litres of fat-rich milk per day," he says.

"It was ideal for poor families who could not afford normal cows,” he adds.

As Indian farmers shifted to more productive cows, however, demand for indigenous breeds, which yield less milk, dwindled. Crossbreeding also led to a gradual decline in the number of Punganur cattle.

There is now, however, new hope for the diminutive breed: the pet market.

“People in cities, even those living in apartments, are buying them as pets. They are small, friendly and believed to bring good luck," says Dr Raju.

For now, Punganur cows are too expensive for most with prices starting from Rs 5 lakh (4,950 GBP) and rising to as much as Rs 30 lakh (29,700 GBP).

Punganur, held to be the world’s shortest cattle breed, is left with less than 60 purebred animals today.

Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) and the Animal Genetic Resources list this indigenius Indian breed as facing extinction.

Purebred punganur miniature cows usually grow up to two feet and weigh 50 to 100 KGs.

The rare animals can now be found only in a handful of government and private farms mostly in Andhra Pradesh where it originated.

Dr P Krishnam Raju, a noted private breeder, says historically the breed developed as a poor man’s cow. “It eats little, is easy to maintain and yields 2 to 4 litres of fat-rich milk per day. It was ideal for poor families which could not afford normal cows,” he says.

But as Indian farmers shifted to more productive cows demand for indigenous breeds, which yield less milk, dwindled. Crossbreeding also led to the gradual decline in the number of Punganur cattle.

But there is new hope for punganur cows. While researchers are focusing on reviving this breed, many are buying them as pets creating new demand for them.

Dr Raju says: “Many people in cities, even those living in apartments, are buying them as pets. They are small, friendly and believed to bring good luck.”

At Dr Raju’s farm, Nadipathy Goshala, Punganur cows have become a major draw with people just visiting him to pet the animals.

But at the moment Punganur cows are an expensive pet to acquire with the prices starting from Rs 5 lakh (4,950 GBP) and even touching Rs 30 lakh (29,700 GBP).

Video credit - Nadipathy Goshala