What should I Feed my donkey year round?
Ideally, a donkey’s year-round diet should include more mature hay than grass, to help keep his condition in check. An even bigger difference between ponies and donkeys is their tolerance for grains.
How much do you feed your mammoth donkeys?
We have rescued a 14.1 HH donkey that registers 3 of 9 on the BCS scale. We have had mammoth donkeys for six years so we are used to feeding by weight, 1.25% of their body weight a day during the summer and 1.5% in the winter seems to work.
What is the best feed for a mini Donk?
Our feed store recommended “Sheep & Goat” grain for my goat buck pen, that includes the mini donk, bc there’s a certain mineral in regular goat feed that’s “toxic to donkeys.” But I have googled and googled and can’t figure out what mineral is toxic to donkeys (similar to how copper is toxic to sheep).
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 should you not feed donkeys?
Avoid feeding potatoes, anything from the brassica family, onions, leeks, garlic, stoned fruit and anything which is old, fermented or mouldy as these are toxic to donkeys. Carrots, apples, bananas, pears, turnips and swedes are all safe and usually very popular with donkeys.
How long does a baby donkey need milk?
about 5 to 6 monthsDonkeys are good mothers, and have a 12-month gestation period, longer than humans. After giving birth, mothers will nurse their foals for about 5 to 6 months before they are weaned. The foal will usually stay within the herd for some time until eventually breaking off to join a different herd.
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 baby donkeys eat carrots?
Carrots are one of the most popular treats for donkeys. However, they are a great source of vitamin A, vitamin C, and potassium (source): all nutritional components that are important for optimum donkey health.
Are carrots good for donkeys?
Carrots can provide donkeys with the following vitamins and minerals: Beta carotene: what the vegetable is famous for and gives it its deep orange color. This is great for general eye health in donkeys and mammals. Vitamin K1: important for healthy blood circulation.
What is toxic to donkeys?
Non-medicated cow, goat, and bird foods are not good for your donkeys, and medicated feeds can be fatal! Medicated food for many other animals at sanctuaries contain Rumensin or Bovatec and other ionophores (antibiotics) to control disease. However, ionophores are EXTREMELY toxic to equines.
Are rolled oats good for donkeys?
Youngsters under the age of two and older donkeys that are more than 20-years-old have been found to do well on rolled oats or a 50 per cent rolled oat and 50 per cent rolled barley mix. Adult donkeys over the age of two years do well on good quality, clean whole oats.
Do baby donkeys sleep a lot?
Unlike humans, mini donkeys do not require a lot of R.E.M. sleep. 30-45 minutes a day is enough to keep your mini donkey alert and awake for 24 hours, but it is very important.
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.
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 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.
How do you make foal milk?
Homemade milk replacers are relatively easy to formulate. They generally consist of low-fat cow's milk (less than 2 percent butterfat content), water, lime water to reduce the incidence of diarrhea and an additive to increase both the energy content and palatability of the milk replacer.
Do donkeys need salt blocks?
Donkeys need salt and, if suffering from a salt deficiency, they may eat dirt or lick/chew objects. To avoid this, pour some loose salt into a separate container to other food or give a little at night. You can also buy equine salt lick blocks, but make sure you do not buy a cattle salt block by mistake.
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.
How to keep a baby donkey alive?
Clean the foal's naval stump in an iodine solution to prevent infection. Keep the baby donkey with its mother until it is 4 to 6 months old. Provide a shelter for the foal, especially during the first two weeks of life. Immediately dry off young foals that get rained on and keep them warm.
How to get a baby goat to eat?
Provide your baby goat with clean, fresh water at all times once it starts to eat some solid food. If the goat is with other animals, it will learn where the water is; otherwise, you may have to introduce it to water with a quick dip of its mouth. Provide your baby goat with a fenced area in which to play and graze.
How big do miniature donkeys get?
Miniature donkeys are natives to the Mediterranean Islands and are sometimes referred to as mediterranean donkeys. The miniature donkey male is called a Jack while the female is called a Jennet. They weigh between 250 to 450 pounds and are at least 32-inches in height. Miniature donkeys must not be raised alone. They must have companions, making it necessary to have more than one miniature donkey. They could live up to 47 years old, but most live to their early 40's.
How to groom a donkey?
Give the donkeys access to a salt lick and loose equine minerals at all times. Groom the foal with a stiff brush. In the spring, once the weather is warm, use a shedding blade on its winter coat.
How to keep a donkey warm?
Immediately dry off young foals that get rained on and keep them warm. Provide a shelter with at least three sides and a roof that is big enough for both the mother and foal. Provide the donkey and its mother with 1/2 or 1 acre of pasture. Encircle the pasture with wire or electric fencing.
How long have donkeys been domesticated?
Things You'll Need. Donkeys are members of the horse family, and have been domesticated for 5,000 years. Their wild ancestors, African wild asses, still live in northeastern Africa. Donkeys live between 30 and 50 years, and are intelligent animals that make good pets and work animals. Although donkeys are related to horses, ...
How long do donkeys live?
Donkeys live between 30 and 50 years, and are intelligent animals that make good pets and work animals. Although donkeys are related to horses, they are sturdier and are often considered more intelligent. Donkeys need to be cared for differently than horses, which should be taken into consideration when raising a baby donkey.
What to feed a rescue horse?
If the teeth are OK, can use either a good quality grass forage (coastal, timothy, brome, Tifton etc.) or a legume such as alfalfa.
How to care for a donkey?
To correctly care for your donkey, remember that it is not just a “horse with longer ears”. Donkeys are unique in their nutritional and care requirements, but they will give you endless enjoyment if you manage them properly. Categories. Care and Management, Feeding Management, Horse Nutrition, How To, Weight Control.
Why do donkeys eat desert?
Due to their typical desert diet, their digestive system is much more efficient than that of a horse, and therefore donkeys require a different feeding strategy. In many parts of the world, donkeys face the issue of malnutrition and starvation.
Do donkeys need energy?
In countries like the United States we present donkeys with energy rich food and usually don’t require them to work very hard for it. People tend to feed these animals just like horses – but a diet that may be perfectly fine for a maintenance horse could cause the average donkey to become grossly overweight.
Do donkeys eat horses?
Donkeys have a little different feeding behavior in some cases than horses. You might try a different feed just to give the donkey a different taste/feel. Old timers used to say that donkeys are very responsive to anything that made them uncomfortable and learn to graze very selectively, more so than horses.
Is donkey feed better than horse feed?
Hello Larry, Thanks for the question. Donkeys are typically more efficient digesters, and thus easier to put weight on than horses. We would suggest a high fat, high fiber horse feed, that is also controlled starch. SafeChoice Original or Special Care would both be excellent options for you. Good luck!
Do donkeys use fiber?
While under a visual inspection the digestive tract of a donkey and horse is the same, the way donkeys ferment and use fiber is unique. Donkeys (descendants of the wild ass) originated as desert animals and are adapted to foraging on coarse plants and grasses.
What do donkeys eat?
Your first care question might be," What do they eat and how much do they eat?". Miniature Donkeys are grazers. So, they will be eating your pasture grass. Coastal Bermuda seems to be the best , but there are many other native grasses in your area of the country ,that will be a good food supply.
How far is San Antonio from the mini donkey farm?
San Antonio is three hours South of our mini farm. ... Houston is five hours South East. Odessa Midland about 3 and a half hours West of our miniature donkey farm ...El Paso is West from our miniature donkey farm.
Where is the mini donkey farm in Texas?
Stephenville , Texas where our mini donkey farm is located , is a short drive from cities like Weatherford, Granbury, Mineral Wells, Glen Rose, Cleburne, Brownwood , and Hico. Our miniature donkey farm is about an hour to an hour and a half South West of Ft. Worth and Dallas.
How much protein should I feed my horse?
If you think you fall into that category limit the amount of horse and mule feed you give as treat and be sure it is a lower protein mix---10 % to 12%. If you cannot find that low of protein do not to feed over 14%.
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!
How much food should a baby eat?
Within a few months, your baby will be ready for a variety of foods and one to two meals a day. By 8 to 12 months old, you may have an enthusiastic eater who enjoys plenty of soft finger foods ...
How many meals should a 8 month old eat?
By 8 months, it's typical for your baby to be eating one to two meals a day. Whenever you introduce a new food, start with a very small amount (a teaspoon or two) to allow your baby to get used to a new flavor and texture.
How to tell if a child is ready to eat solid food?
Your child is likely ready to try solids when he: Can hold his head up and sit upright in a highchair. Shows significant weight gain (doubled birth weight) and weighs at least 13 pounds.
How old is a baby when he starts solids?
Age: 4 to 6 months. Age: 6 to 8 months. Age: 8 to 12 months. Use this baby feeding guide to find out what and how much to feed your child in the first year. The amounts are general recommendations only, so don't worry if your little one eats a bit more or less than suggested. It's always a good idea to discuss your plan for starting solids ...
What are the toxic metals in baby food?
If she has an adverse reaction, a food log will make it easier to pinpoint the cause. Unsafe levels of toxic heavy metals – arsenic, lead, cadmium, and mercury – have been found in store-bought baby food (including in organic brands). Learn how to avoid heavy metals in baby food.
When should babies start eating?
By 8 months or so, babies often have three meals and start adding snacks. Continue to offer a wide variety of fruits, vegetables, grains, and protein-rich foods. As your baby's eating skills improve, gradually introduce more textures and soft finger foods.
Can you start with cereal?
And while cereal is a traditional first food in the United States, it's fine to start with pureed fruits, vegetables, or meat instead. In most cases, you don't even have to wait to introduce highly allergenic foods like eggs, fish, and peanuts. (Read more about food allergies and ask your doctor to be sure.) Also, see our new rules ...