Zebu cattle are the group treated as Bos indicus in the FAO account of tropical livestock. A hump over the shoulders or neck is characteristic, and the account describes heat tolerance and relatively low feed requirements.
The hump sits over the shoulders or on the back of the neck and consists of muscle, connective tissue and variable fat. Its size and shape vary with breed, sex and age. Common features include a narrow body, sloping rump, rather long legs and thin, loose skin; the dewlap is usually well developed, especially in males.
The FAO account describes most cattle indigenous to the tropics as zebu and links their heat tolerance partly to efficient sweating and a short, sleek coat. Relatively small size and low metabolic rate are among the reasons it gives for their comparatively low nutritional requirements.
An extinction-risk assessment has not been added yet.