What treats can I give my donkeys?
Six Homemade Mini Donkey Treats from the Heart
- Popgrain Balls. Our first yummy treat for mini donkeys is these Popgrain balls. ...
- Flax Snax. The sweetness of these Flax Snax can be attributed to ingredients like molasses, cinnamon, and coconut oil.
- Apple and Carrot Treats. ...
- No-Bake Cookies. ...
- Carrot Treats. ...
- Ultimate Donkey Cookie. ...
- Conclusion. ...
What should I Feed my donkey?
- Limited grazing (if available)
- No straw or hay
- UK: 2.25-3kg MolliChaff Donkey fed free-choice or several times a day, 0.5kg Saracen Donkey Diet, soaked and split into two feeds per day and 150g TopSpec Comprehensive Balancer per day. ...
- USA: 2.25-3kg Triple Crown Safe Starch Forage per day, fed free-choice or split into three or four feeds per day. ...
What should you feed your donkeys?
- Hay
- Straw
- Minerals and Vitamins
- Short chop chaff products
- High Fibre Pellets
- Fruits and Vegetables
- Dried Sugar Beet Pulp
- Don’t forget – Your donkey needs plenty of fresh water!
What is the best grain for donkeys?
What should I feed my donkey?
- Basic rules of feeding a donkey. Feed little and often as donkeys are ‘trickle feeders’. ...
- High fibre requirement. Donkeys require a diet high in fibre and low in protein, sugars, starch/carbohydrates and calories. ...
- Common health problems associated with an inappropriate diet. ...
- General. ...
- Elderly donkeys. ...
What does a baby donkey eat?
Baby donkeys are mammals and therefore nurse from their moms. Foals will continue to nurse from their mothers until they reach about 6 months old, when it will be time for them to be weaned. At this time, they start eating hay, straw, and grass. Straw makes up 70% of an adult donkey's diet.
What do you feed a donkey foal?
Offer the donkey hay or prepared horse feeds, with a small amount of grain or pasture grass. Cut out the grain when the foal is no longer a baby. Provide both mother and foal with fresh, clean water at all times. Give the donkeys access to a salt lick and loose equine minerals at all times.
What is the best thing to feed donkeys?
What to feed your donkeysStraw. We recommend feeding donkeys quality barley straw as it is high in fibre and low in sugar, and closely resembles the food that a donkey would eat in the wild. ... Hay. ... Silage. ... High fibre pellets. ... Short chop chaff products. ... Dried sugar beet pulp. ... Succulents. ... Minerals and vitamins.More items...
What do you feed a mini donkey?
Miniature donkeys eat grass and hay. One barrell of hay has several precut blocks. Feed one block to each miniature donkey per day. Check on the water every couple of hours to make sure that it is clean of insects and algae and make sure to have water in various places out of direct sunlight.
What milk can I give to a baby donkey?
Goat or cow's milk Goat's milk is considered to be good foster milk as the fat particles are smaller than in cow's milk. It is more easily digested and it also seems very palatable.
Can foals drink cow's milk?
After ingestion of colostrum, foals require a continuous supply of milk. Commercially available milk replacers specifically formulated for foals are an option. Alternatively, unmodified goat's milk or 2% cow's milk with 20 g/l of dextrose (not sucrose) added can be used.
What foods are toxic to donkeys?
Barley straw is a great option along with Meadow hay or seed hay. However, it's important to avoid feeding donkeys cereal grain, as they may develop gastric ulcers from these. Many other foods can be harmful to donkeys such as bread, rotting fruit, chicken feed, and horse nuts, and should all be avoided.
Should donkeys eat hay or straw?
Straw should make up the majority of most donkeys' diets, with grazing and hay or haylage being considered a top-up only. Feeding a donkey on grass and hay without providing any straw will end up over-supplying them with calories and energy, causing them to store the excess calories as fat.
Are Oats good for donkeys?
Donkeys require a diet high in fibre and low in protein, sugars, starch/carbohydrates and calories. The donkey diet should consist of mainly good quality barley straw or oat straw (barley straw is best) and carefully restricted access to grass.
Can mini donkeys eat sweet feed?
You should never feed Longears (donkeys, or mules) any pre-mixed sweet feeds, or products high in alfalfa. Equines in general should never be turned out in a pasture with Fescue grass.
Can donkeys just eat grass?
Because food availability in their native settings is sparse donkeys in such environments don't only eat grass. They happily eat browse (woody shrubs, trees, and broadleaf plants) and forbs (flowing plants) as well.
What is barley straw for donkeys?
Barley straw is the best all-rounder for most healthy donkeys, as it makes a good feeding and bedding straw and is readily available. Wheat straw is more fibrous than barley straw and more difficult to chew. We would usually only recommend feeding it to younger donkeys for this reason.
What is barley straw for donkeys?
Barley straw is the best all-rounder for most healthy donkeys, as it makes a good feeding and bedding straw and is readily available. Wheat straw is more fibrous than barley straw and more difficult to chew. We would usually only recommend feeding it to younger donkeys for this reason.
What is the best grain for a donkey?
barley strawThe donkey diet should consist of mainly good quality barley straw or oat straw (barley straw is best) and carefully restricted access to grass. Donkeys may require supplemental hay if they are not maintaining good body condition with the straw and restricted grass diet (for e.g. during the winter months).
Can donkeys eat cow feed?
Therefore, cattle rations should not be fed to donkeys unless the contents are known to be free of urea and additives like monensin. Cereals and cereal by-products such as millet, sorghum, maize and their brans can be fed to donkeys as a source of energy.
How much beet pulp should I feed my donkey?
*Standards or minis also get soaked beet pulp (no molasses!) if they are looking a little thin or they are working. About 1/2 cup per 100 pounds. Rescue donkeys that are underweight will need additional foods, and so do pregnant jennets.
Can donkeys eat cereal?
Donkeys, on the other hand, don’t need this kind of supplementation. In fact, cereal grains should never be fed to a donkey; a donkey’s increased metabolism of energy and protein makes cereal grains completely off-limits.
Can donkeys get laminitis?
It also means that if a donkey is let loose in a lush pasture, he’s more likely to put on too much weight. (And yes, overweight donkeys can develop laminitis.) Ideally, a donkey’s year-round diet should include more mature hay than grass, to help keep his condition in check.
Is a donkey a pet?
Donkeys are growing in popularity as pets, even here in Kentucky, home of the Horse Capital of the World! Because donkeys look so similar to ponies, their owners may think Hallway Feeds is a good option to ensure they get all the nutrition they need. However, donkeys and ponies are very different—with different digestive systems, ...
Is a donkey a browser?
For example, ponies are grazers, and they can meet a lot of their nutritional needs out in the pasture. Donkeys, however, are both grazers and browsers.
Can a donkey have a ration balancer?
A product like Hallway Feeds Pure & Simple Balancer can support a healthy digestive tract and has the protein, vitamins, and minerals that many equines need to ensure overall health. Note , though, that a donkey would be fed a balancer at a much lower rate than a pony. Consult your vet for appropriate advice.
What does a donkey eat?
The donkey is a herbivore. This means that it eats plants as food. The food provides the energy, protein, minerals and vitamins which the donkey needs for maintenance, for work, for growth, and when appropriate for pregnancy and lactation.
How much do donkeys eat?
It will then eat about 2.5 kg of dry matter in a day per 100 kg live weight. A donkey allowed access to grazing at will, will spend about 60% of the day in feeding.
How does a donkey get energy?
Energy is available to the donkey in several different forms. It is supplied in the food as carbohydrate, fat or protein. It is also available from the body reserves of glycogen in the muscles and liver or from fat in the adipose tissue throughout the body. Providing energy from food protein is wasteful. Many working donkeys are in lean condition and so have few body reserves to call on. The main supply of energy to a working animal is therefore the carbohydrate and fat in the diet. Carbohydrate is in two forms:#N#(a) simple carbohydrates, which are broken down to glucose which is absorbed from the small intestine into the bloodstream and#N#(b) complex carbohydrates found in fibrous plant material, which are fermented by the microorganisms in the large intestine to produce volatile fatty acids absorbed through the gut wall into the bloodstream.
How does a donkey regulate its temperature?
One way the donkey regulates its body temperature is by reducing the metabolic heat produced during feeding. Rate of passage of digesta through the intestine can also slow down when the donkey is hot, further reducing food intake.
How to meet water requirements for donkeys?
The best advice that can be given on how to meet water requirements is - offer water to the donkey at every opportunity and at least 4 times a day, more if it is working in the heat. Contrary to popular belief a donkey, and a horse, does not suffer from water toxicity. Both species can drink large amounts of water in one go without suffering any ill effects. A donkey deprived of water is very good at drinking to its requirements. In a study in Zimbabwe donkeys drinking only every 48 hours, drank the same amount over a three-week period as donkeys allowed to drink as much as they wanted daily. Working donkeys can also be watered during work in the day with no harm. In any short rest periods it is important to make sure the donkey is in the shade and to offer it water. It may not drink straight away so let the donkey spend some time at the trough or with the water bucket (at least 5 minutes) to see if it will drink. When it starts drinking it may pause in drinking and look about, make sure it is allowed to continue until it has finished and turns away of its own accord.
How much time do donkeys spend feeding?
In natural conditions a donkey would spend 14 - 16 hours a day in feeding. It is important that donkeys kept on grazing land have time to eat. Work in particular takes the donkey away from feeding. The more work it does the less time there is for feeding, but the more food is needed to meet the increased energy requirement. A working donkey therefore needs more concentrated feeds than one that is not working. Donkeys are more susceptible to the time available for eating than cattle. Cattle increase rate of eating if they have been working, donkeys do not, since the initial chewing is more important in processing the food in the donkey than in the ox (a ruminant).
What is the digestive system of a donkey?
It consists of the mouth (lips and teeth), the esophagus, the stomach, the small intestine, the large intestine (cecum and colon) and the rectum.
What do donkeys eat?
High fibre requirement. Donkeys require a diet high in fibre and low in protein, sugars, starch/carbohydrates and calories. The donkey diet should consist of mainly good quality barley straw or oat straw (barley straw is best) and carefully restricted access to grass. Donkeys may require supplemental hay if they are not maintaining good body ...
How do donkeys survive?
Donkeys have evolved over thousands of years to live in semi-arid environments where the nutritional quality of the food available is very poor. They have adapted to eat fibrous plant material in small quantities throughout the day. This is known as trickle feeding and helps to keep the donkey’s digestive system healthy and to keep ...
What is trickle feeding?
This is known as trickle feeding and helps to keep the donkey’s digestive system healthy and to keep the donkey occupied. Please note that, while donkeys are a member of the Equidae or horse family, they are a different species to horses and therefore have different needs.
How to keep donkeys indoors?
Donkeys kept indoors require a floor-level feed bin or corner-floor feeder placed so that feed cannot get soiled. Hay nets are not recommended as it is better for donkeys to eat from the floor and empty hay nets can be a hazard. Place enough straw in the feeder so that they can browse through it. There will be no waste as the remainder can be used for bedding. If possible, position the feeder so that the donkey’s feet are not on the bedding while they are eating, so they have a chance to dry out. It is recommended to allow ‘paddock’ time to exercise and for environmental enrichment.#N#Donkeys should always have access to a clean water supply and they may be quite fussy about what they drink. A securely supported bucket or a self-filling trough should be constantly available and should be cleaned out daily after the stable has been mucked out to avoid a build up of dust or dirt in the water.
Why do donkeys need veterinary attention?
These donkeys will require veterinary attention to address the dental issues and special dietary attention to ensure they receive adequate nutrition. They may require supplementary feeding with high fibre products that are more easily eaten e.g. short-chop high fibre products to reduce the need to chew.
Do donkeys need special diets?
Elderly donkeys. Please note that elderly donkeys may require special dietary attention. Dental disease and/or other health problems may mean that older donkeys have trouble chewing long strands of straw/hay and therefore they may require supplementary feeding to provide an alternative fibre source.
Do donkeys need water?
Donkeys should always have access to a clean water supply and they may be quite fussy about what they drink. A securely supported bucket or a self-filling trough should be constantly available and should be cleaned out daily after the stable has been mucked out to avoid a build up of dust or dirt in the water.
What Are You Going To Use Your Donkey For?
You may be wondering why this question has been included in an article instructing you on how to raise your donkey. However, the answer to this question is particularly relevant to how your donkey needs to be raised to perform well in their future careers.
Raising Donkeys as Mule and Hinny Breeders
Mules and hinnies are prized as hard-working pack and riding animals. They combine the surefootedness and hardiness of donkeys with the size and stride length of a horse, in other words, they’re the best of both worlds.
Raising Donkeys as Riding Animals
Although less popular than horses and mules, donkeys nonetheless make surefooted, hardy riding and pack animals.
Deworming Schedule and Pasture Management for Young Donkeys
Donkeys can easily pick up worms while grazing in the pasture, particularly if they share their field with other livestock. Controlling your donkey’s worm burden is essential to preventing future health problems. Additionally, worms “steal” all the good nutrition from your donkey’s feed.
What Vaccinations Does Your Donkey Need?
Donkeys typically follow the same vaccination schedule as horses, which vary according to which part of the world you live in. Donkeys are susceptible to many of the same illnesses as horses, such as African horse sickness, equine herpes virus, strangles, rabies, and tetanus.
Hoof Care for Young Donkeys
Most young donkeys won’t need to see a farrier until at least a year old unless they have hoof problems. From then on, they will need to see a farrier every six to ten weeks, according to their hoof growth patterns.
Gelding Your Jack
A crucial decision to make when raising male donkeys is whether to geld your jack. In 95% of cases, the answer is a resounding YES!
WHICH SEX TO KEEP
Firstly, if you don't plan on breeding with donkeys, it's best not to keep stallions. They can be very unpredictable and get aggressive, especially if there is a mare in season nearby. Geldings and mares are safer options when you want to keep donkeys for other reasons. Even better is keeping donkeys of the same sex.
SHELTER AND SPACE NEEDS
Unlike a horse, donkeys do not have a natural build-up of grease to make their coat waterproof, and they originate from hotter climates. For this reason, they should always have access to a shelter or stable where they can hide from the elements.
WHAT DO DONKEYS EAT?
They are natural browsers and enjoy grass, bushes, berries, and fallen fruit that they may find in their natural habitat.
COMPANIONSHIP
Donkeys need a friend. It is vital to their health and well-being. They will often pair up for life with one donkey or other equines such as horses, mules, and goats. They can get very stressed when removed from their companion or even when the companion has died.
HEALTH AND WELLNESS
Donkeys are desert country animals engineered to endure rugged, dry terrains. So when they live in environments far removed from this, hoof care is also critical. Find a farrier who can check and trim their hooves often.
How many foals did the bred mares produce?
Bred over 14 mares and produced over 30 foals and never had a single vet bill related to having "problems" feeding Alfalfa. Alfalfa is only a problem if it is not fed responsibly and it's nutrient value not taken into consideration when you are developing your ration. R.
Is alfalfa good for horses?
Have to agree that no alfalfa is best for young equines. The calcium will affect the tendons, real easy to get epiphisitus going. Makes for VERY upright pasturns. Calcium intake can be balanced with feeding other food items, like wet beet pulp which provides phosphorus. But straight alfalfa hay is a big reason for so many young horse problems, especially when grain feed is also part of their diet. We see the results all the time in hurting 3-4 year olds trying to show, broke-down 6-8 year olds who can't go anymore. Pretty sad.
Introduction
Feeding Strategy of The Donkey
The Digestive Tract
Foods Available
Guidelines to Feeding Donkeys For Different Activities
Conclusions
- The final test of a ration is to try feeding it to some donkeys and see if it is palatable, maintains weight and keeps the animals healthy. Feed a range of feedstuffs - if possible a mixture of dry forage, green forage and some concentrate - and then you can rarely go wrong. Feed the young donkey on the best possible feeds available, good quality r...
General Textbooks on Equine Nutrition