• Have high percentage to keep the calves at rapid growth.
  
• Tight sheath and small teats to avoid injuries of grazing animals.
  
• Sloppy rumps are suitable for quick and hard work.
  
• Have more number of bigger, functional, sweat glands per unit area of the skin which helps them to survive under high temperature.
  
• Having white or light colored, short, sleek, densely, reflecting and glistering coat, which will not attract vectors and dislodge them.
  
• Skin – pigmented, mellow, loose, thick and presence of subcutaneous panniculus carnosis muscle, which repels vectors by twitching.
  
• Highest heat tolerant coefficient.
  
• Basal metabolic rate low.
  
• Nutritional uniqueness: ability to convert low protein, high fiber roughage materials into high-grade foodstuffs with the aid of Omasal symbionts, so thrives and performs well on inferior fodders.
  
• Crude protein utilization is highest.
  
• Perform well where even pastures are seasonal, scanty and sparse.
  
• Spend much time in grazing even during daytime; seek shade less than 3% of their total grazing time.
  
• Slow to cycle, when under nutritional stress or lactation stress, but response to cycle is immediate when nutrients are plenty.

CHARACTER ASSOCIATED WITH DISEASE RESISTANCE:

• Premunity high.
  
• Reticulo endothelial system well developed.
  
• Resistance to eye cancer. They have more resistance to viral and bacterial diseases as compared to European breeds.
  
• Through their coating, insulating, secretary characters are more resistant to tick born diseases.
  
• Sebum secretion is fly repellent.
  
• Flexible tail tip helps as a brush to repel vectors.

CHARACTERS ASSOCIATED WITH SELF-RESISTANCE:

• Enduring and estimable.
  
• Generally indigenous cattle are docile but alert.
  
• Intelligent and respond well for treatment if handled with love, skill and care.
  
• Athletic in nature, with majestic appearance, head high, square walk and quickstep.
  
• Most of the indigenous breeds, try to move in groups to avoid predators.
  
• Highest ability to self-preserve and longevity is more than 15 years.
  
• Lack in heart girth due to preponderance of draught type.
  
• Vitality and vigor unique in young ones.
  
• Outstanding mothering ability.
  
• Highest combining ability for cross breeding and formation of new breeds. High ability to walk long distances in search of food and water and to pace with the herds.
  
• Marked tolerance to direct sunlight and radiation.
  
• In the breeds like Ongole loose skin, hump, dewlap and other appendages contribute 12% excess surface area per unit weight over Taurus breeds.
  
• Horns help them to defend from predators.
  
• Have highest cutaneous and lowest respiratory heat loss, as such panting is less.