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 condition with the straw and restricted grass diet (for e.g. during the winter months). ...
- Please look out for ragwort in hay as this is highly poisonous for donkeys.
What treats can I give my donkeys?
Treats
- Basic treats like carrots, apples, peppermints, bananas, watermelon, oranges, pears, grapes, celery, strawberries, and pumpkin are all safe for donkeys. ...
- Donkeys like sweet flavors, like raspberry. ...
- You can add fruit to a bucket of water to make it more challenging to grab—think bobbing for apples, but with donkeys!
What human food can donkeys eat?
What human food can donkeys eat? Carrots, apples, bananas, pears, turnips and swedes are all safe and usually very popular with donkeys. Ensure that chopped fruit and vegetables are cut in a way that minimises the risk of choking, such as in sticks.
What is the best grain for 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!
How to raise a donkey as a pet?
Donkey Housing And Management. When just beginning in raising donkeys the first thing you have to prepare is land and housing. Raising donkeys requires you to build a proper house for them. The housing provides the donkeys with shade from the hot sun and keeps them warm in the winter. Donkey house can be designed using wire, fencing hardware ...
What do newborn donkeys 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 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.
What kind of milk do you feed a baby donkey?
ColostrumColostrum. Colostrum must be given within the first 12 hours of life; the first feed should be within 2-3 hours of birth. The recommended amount is 250 ml every hour for the first six hours, making a total of 1.5 litres.
What is the best thing to feed donkeys?
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 condition with the straw and restricted grass diet (for e.g. during the winter months).
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.
How often should I feed my donkey?
Feed your donkey hay or haylage two to three times a day.
Do baby donkeys drink water?
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.
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.
How long can foals go without milk?
It's an emergency if: the foal has not stood within two hours and nursed within three to five hours. Failure to do these things may indicate a problem that requires urgent medical care. And time is critical because he needs to ingest colostrum within the first six to eight hours of birth.
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.
Do donkeys need salt blocks?
A block of salt is better than nothing at all. The best is loose (granular) salt. Donkeys, mules and horses have smoother tongues than a cow and may not actually get their needed amount of salt from a block. They may end up biting the block in an attempt to get more, which can lead to teeth and jaw or tooth problems.
Can you feed donkeys sweet feed?
We vaccinate in the spring and fall. Consult your veterinarian for the types of vaccines you will need for your area. You should never feed Longears (donkeys, or mules) any pre-mixed sweet feeds, or products high in alfalfa.
Can donkeys eat dog food?
Nevertheless, dog food is not suitable for donkeys. Although a few bites probably won't hurt a donkey, you certainly don't want to make it part of their regular diet. After all, a lot of dog foods can contain different types of meat, which has no place in equine nutrition.
Can you feed donkeys sweet feed?
We vaccinate in the spring and fall. Consult your veterinarian for the types of vaccines you will need for your area. You should never feed Longears (donkeys, or mules) any pre-mixed sweet feeds, or products high in alfalfa.
What do donkeys eat for treats?
TreatsBasic treats like carrots, apples, peppermints, bananas, watermelon, oranges, pears, grapes, celery, strawberries, and pumpkin are all safe for donkeys. ... Donkeys like sweet flavors, like raspberry.More items...
Can donkeys have oats?
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.
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.
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 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 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 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 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 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
- To feed a donkey well does not require a large amount of money or feed, it is easier to feed a working donkey well than for example a working ox. The donkey is smaller and so needs less actual feed than most cattle. However, the way in which the donkey processes the food and what it gets from it are different from an ox. It is important to remember this when feeding donkeys - t…
The Digestive Tract
- The anatomy of the digestive system of the donkey is similar to that of the horse (Figure 1). It consists of the mouth (lips and teeth), the esophagus, the stomach, the small intestine, the large intestine (cecum and colon) and the rectum.
Foods Available
- Most donkeys are fed on roughages for most of their life, supplemented with grazing of natural grassland, roadsides, bush and scrubland if they are kept in the rural areas. Many working donkeys are found in urban and peri-urban areas of the world where opportunities for grazing are few and people feed their animals entirely on purchased feeds. In t...
Guidelines to Feeding Donkeys For Different Activities
- These are guidelines, since the exact amounts and proportions will be affected by how much production is expected from the donkey, its body condition and the food available. A thin donkey has few body reserves of energy, whereas a donkey in good condition does have something in reserve for a short period. Table 1shows how to assess the feeding value of roughage in terms …
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 roughage and high protein, energy con…
General Textbooks on Equine Nutrition
- 1. Allison K, Day C. A Guide to Equine Nutrition. UK: JA Allen Ltd, 1995. 2. Cuddeford D. Equine Nutrition. UK: The Crowood Press, 1997. - Available from amazon.com- 3. Frape D. Equine Nutrition and Feeding. UK: Blackwell Sciences, 1998. - Available from amazon.com- 4. Kohnke J, Kelleher F and Trevor-Jones P. Feeding Horses in Australia. A Guide for Horse Owners and Man…