The Healthy Donkey

2 Husbandry

Every experienced donkey guardian appreciates that donkeys are not small horses with long ears. True, there are some similarities between donkeys and native ponies, but there are also many differences between these two members of the equine family. This can take horse owners by surprise when they first interact with donkeys, particularly if their equestrian experience is limited to a handful of different breed types.

Donkeys can, and do, live quite happily in the company of horses but their dietary and management requirements are not the same as those of the majority of their equine cousins, and this fact should not be overlooked. Regardless of whether the donkey is a Miniature Mediterranean or a Mammoth, they all require understanding, adequate shelter whether it be a stable or covered dwelling, a place to roll, companionship ideally with a fellow donkey, human interaction and an appropriate diet.

If resources are limited, donkeys will lead a solitary life in the wild but the domestic donkey generally prefers the company of at least one friend.

Donkeys also differ from horses in terms of physiology and anatomy, and in their responses to some equine medications. They generally have a higher resting respiratory rate and rarely show the more obvious signs of pain. If veterinary treatment is necessary, it is important that the attending vet understands the differences between these two wonderful members of the equine family.

COMPANIONSHIP

Donkeys are gregarious animals and need the company of at least one friend. In general, your donkey will prefer to have another donkey of the same sex as a companion. Paired donkeys will happily share a feed bowl, and will usually graze side by side or in close proximity to each another. Males and females can live together but some geldings that are turned out with female donkeys of breeding age may become rather thuggish when the jenny comes into season. Jennies may also mount each other at this time.

Donkeys forge firm bonds with their companions and some can become distressed and depressed if parted and may even panic, even if they are only separated by a stable door. This can be a challenge if one donkey requires veterinary attention or cannot engage in rumbustious activities as a result of injury or disease.

The exercises in this book can help to increase self-confidence so that donkeys paired together become less dependent on each other for emotional security. We are not suggesting for one minute that confident donkeys can then be housed alone as companionship is vital, but should the need arise one donkey can be given individual time without inciting panic in their friend.

BODY SCORE

Body scoring provides a way of assessing the physical condition of a donkey. A donkey with a body score of one would be considered to be in poor condition and a donkey with a body score of five would be considered obese. The ideal condition score is three.

A donkey with a condition score of three will have a light covering of muscle and fat on the neck, and the ribs will be just covered by a layer of fat/muscle so that the ribs can be felt with light pressure. He will have good muscle cover on the hindquarters and the hip bones will be rounded in appearance and, as with the ribs, can be felt with light pressure.

Establishing a balance between restricting grazing and providing sufficient exercise and mental stimulation for their donkey to maintain a good body score is an on-going challenge for most donkey guardians.

DIET

Donkeys originated in dry desert countries such as Africa and Asia and have evolved to survive in that type of environment. This can cause problems for donkeys living in a wetter climate with constant access to lush grasslands; this is a common issue in the UK. With diligence and careful planning, however, donkeys can lead long and healthy lives in a variety of climates.

Their origin means that donkeys' nutritional requirements are considerably less than those of a pony of comparable size. In their native desert environment donkeys eat a mix of dried vegetation from small bushes and other scrub, and are constantly on the move in search of food. Prolonged turn-out in pastures with limited exercise and constant access to rich grass can be detrimental to their health.

Donkeys can become obese very quickly and may develop fatty crests along the neck and fat pads on the body and hindquarters, which can be hard to shift. The fatty pads may also calcify (harden) despite appropriate weight loss that may be achieved through suitably controlled feeding and care.

This delightful and very happy donkey, now in the care of RSPCA Lockwood, has a fallen crest. Donkeys can develop fatty pockets in the neck due to metabolic problems or as a result of being overfed.

If the donkey's diet is deficient in any way, he may be desperate to consume far more food than his body actually needs. The provision of a good equine mineral block in the stable or the field shelter will give him access to the nutrients he requires without the need for additional supplements in feed. Personally we prefer plain mineral blocks, not tubs that contain molasses.

If your donkey is lacking essential minerals in his diet, you may notice that he tries to eat the block instead of licking it from time to time. If he continues to do this over a period of time, please consult your veterinary surgeon who can run some blood tests to ensure that your donkey does not have any underlying health concerns.

Mineral blocks developed for equines (not cattle) can be left in a bowl on the floor of a stable or the shelter but if your donkeys throw their water around and generally make a mess, you can install a low-level holder to keep the mineral block clean. Check the holder regularly for signs of chewing.

Donkeys are trickle feeders and will spend a great proportion of their day eating. Restricting access to grass is important, particularly during the spring and summer months, but they must have a high fibre food source readily available.

Extreme weight gain or excessive weight loss can cause serious medical problems that can prove fatal. If your donkey is overweight, look at ways you can change your management and feeding routine to achieve and maintain a healthy body score. Implement any necessary dietary changes gradually over a period of a few weeks and, if your donkey is rather portly, look at ways you can lower the calorie intake in an appropriate way rather than imposing a strict starvation regime which could be detrimental to your donkey's health and well-being.

In the UK donkeys do well on a diet of barley straw, supplemented with grass hay if necessary, and with restricted access to fresh, lush grass. They require little in the way of supplement to this basic diet. A feed balancer can be added to ensure that the diet is not lacking in essential nutrients, but unless the donkey is old, unwell, in foal or lactating, additional feed is seldom required. Some grass hay may be necessary during the winter months but ad lib barley straw should ideally make up a substantial part of their diet.

If you cannot find a supplier of good quality barley straw, oat or wheat straw can be fed to provide the high fibre diet that donkeys require. Oat straw has a higher calorific value than barley straw and wheat straw is more fibrous, so you will need to take your donkey's individual needs into account. Older donkeys with poor teeth will probably do better on oat straw with additional grass hay if required, while wheat straw will probably be best suited to younger donkeys that have good dental health.

If good quality straw is in short supply or if your donkey is underweight or has trouble eating due to dental issues or ill-health, try feeding a mix of un-molassed chaff with high fibre cubes. If you do need to provide extra feed, source products suitable for laminitic equines or produced specifically for donkeys. Soak the feed to reduce the risk of choking if your donkey bolts his food or struggles to chew appropriately.

As natural browsers, donkeys enjoy having access to suitable, non-toxic, cuttings from hedgerows or logs from trees such as hawthorn, ash or beech and will spend several hours stripping the bark from the stems. Grass cuttings must not be fed, however, as they can cause colic. Vegetables are a much healthier treat option than sugary snacks, and donkeys enjoy pieces of carrots, apples, banana and root vegetables such as swede or turnips, particularly through the winter months when fresh grass is not available. Make sure that any vegetables or fruits you feed your donkeys are fresh, and do not overfeed them.

As browsers, donkeys love to strip bark from logs and trees. The provision of non-toxic logs helps to wear the incisors appropriately, while offering natural enrichment.

Donkeys love to problem-solve. Offering safe toys and containers in which food can be hidden will give your donkeys fun and rewarding mental stimulation and satisfaction.

If your donkeys are stabled, feeding straw from mangers is safer than using a haynet. Donkeys love to problem solve; enrichment that extends feeding time and satisfies a donkey's inquisitive nature can be provided by placing several footballs on top of the straw in the manger so that the donkey has to push the balls around in order to get to the straw to feed. Make sure he is confident enough to push the balls around. Hiding carrot peelings in the straw will also give the donkey something to do while stabled.

Always ensure that anything you feed your donkey is high quality. Mouldy or dusty hay, straw or feed will have a detrimental...