Video: How a Yorkshire couple reared the world's smallest cow

SHE measures little more than 33 inches in height and is dwarfed by her eight offspring. But in the context of world records, Swallow, officially the smallest cow in the world, is a veritable giant.

Born and reared in Yorkshire, she is shorter than an average sheep and, at 65 inches, is roughly the same length as a Saint Bernard dog.

The 11-year-old is a breed of Dexter cow, typically much smaller than the popular Holstein variety, and is currently expecting her ninth calf.

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Owners, 54-year-old Martyn Ryder and his wife Caroline, always knew she could be a record-breaker and are delighted with her entry in the 2011 edition of the Guinness World Records book.

"We read online that Guinness were looking for the world's smallest cow and knew that Swallow was small, " said Mrs Ryder, 48. "So when we were testing the herd for TB we had the chance to measure her.

"Unlike most of the others she isn't house trained so we had to use a cattle crush to restrict her head movement. The vet then verified the measurement."

Swallow measures 33.5 inches from rear foot to hind and is the first ever holder of the world's smallest cow title.

"She comes just up to my hip, " added Mrs Ryder.

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The average height of a Dexter cow ranges from 36 to 44 inches, with Dexter bulls tending to measure 48 inches.

Swallow's calf from last year is still shorter than she is, but her offspring from 2008 is around nine inches taller than its mother.

"She's never had a calf as small as her, " Mrs Ryder said. "But there's never a problem when she's giving birth, it's always easy."

Swallow has spent nearly all of her life in Yorkshire, on the Ryders' Pike End Farm in Rishworth, near Halifax. But last year the cold winters in the Pennines took their toll and a fortnight ago the Ryders relocated to Crossley Hall Farm, near Congleton in Cheshire.

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Despite Swallow's new-found fame, to her owners she is just another important member of their cattle farm.

"She won't get special attention, " Mrs Ryder said. "She's part of a working herd and has had a calf every year. But being a breeding cow, you do become quite attached to them. She's just lovely."

Swallow is not the only animal making records this year, with a host of new critter categories making stars of previously obscure pets.

A dog with a tongue measuring 4.5 inches has been named as having the longest in the world. Puggy, a nine-year-old pekingese from Texas, USA, could fit a whole Kit Kat stick on his tongue, and still have room to spare.

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Another dog making a bang is Jack Russell Anastasia, who has the bizarre skill of being able to pop 100 balloons in the fastest time.

The five year old terrier from California can do it in 44.49 seconds, a shade behind Michael Johnson's 400 metres world record of 43.18.

Also featured in the book is Fluffy, the longest snake in captivity. The python measures 24 feet from nose to tail.

If able to stand up she could peer over two double-decker buses stacked on top of each other. Weighing 218lbs, the slithery beast needs eight staff at her Colombus Zoo home in Powell, Ohio, to lift her up.

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The new edition of the book also includes the usual array of human records.

It includes the world's new shortest man who took over from the previous record holder He Pingping, who died in March, aged 21. The Chinese man, who had a form of primordial dwarfism, measured 74.6c.

Edward Nino Hernandez, from Colombia, measures 70.21cm and was confirmed as the new title-holder earlier this month.

But his reign will be shortlived, however, as Khagendra Thapa Magar, a teenager from Nepal is 4.68cm shorter than Mr Hernandez. Once Mr Magar turns 18 at the end of September he will become eligible for the record.

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