care and feeding- note: Find more articLes on feeding in "articles"
throughout history, donkeys have evolved to spend the better part of their day browsing and foraging for food, and in their native arid and semi-arid climates this diet would often consist of poor quality plants and grasses. As a result, modern donkeys utilize their feed quite efficiently, and need smaller amounts of feed than horses of comparable height and weight. Today's donkey owners face the challenge of feeding their donkey enough of a low energy diet to satisfy his appetite, yet keep him from becoming obese and unhealthy.
A donkey’s gastrointestinal tract has no marked differences in structure to that of the horse, but donkeys seem somewhat less prone to colic than horses. They can break down near-inedible vegetation and extract moisture from food very efficiently. Donkeys need to eat approximately 1.5 percent of their body weight per day in dry matter, compared with 2-2.5 percent for horses. It is not fully understood why donkeys are such efficient digestors but it is thought that they may have a different microbial population in the large intestine than do horses. Another possibility is increased gut retention time compared to other equids.
Donkeys derive most of their daily energy needs from structural carbohydrates. A normal healthy donkey will require a diet of straw plus a little grazing or good quality hay. The amount required will be relative to the size of the animal. In temperate climates the forage available is often more rich and abundant than a donkey needs, resulting in weight gain and obesity along with other health complications such as founder, laminitis, hyperlipidemia and gastric ulcers.
Generally, plenty of clean water and a free choice diet of low-calorie fiber-rich forage such as barley straw, supplemented with controlled grazing in the summer and hay in the winter will meet the average donkey's nutritional needs and no concentrated feeds or grain will be neccessary. A low-calorie vitamin and mineral supplement is recommended for donkeys year-round, especially during the winter months. If grain is ever offered, the protein content should be well under 12%.
An obese donkey will develop a "crest" on the neck, and excessive fat on the barrel and over the hips. Once a donkey becomes obese, it is very difficult to get him fit again, so beware of overfeeding.
Donkeys derive most of their daily energy needs from structural carbohydrates. A normal healthy donkey will require a diet of straw plus a little grazing or good quality hay. The amount required will be relative to the size of the animal. In temperate climates the forage available is often more rich and abundant than a donkey needs, resulting in weight gain and obesity along with other health complications such as founder, laminitis, hyperlipidemia and gastric ulcers.
Generally, plenty of clean water and a free choice diet of low-calorie fiber-rich forage such as barley straw, supplemented with controlled grazing in the summer and hay in the winter will meet the average donkey's nutritional needs and no concentrated feeds or grain will be neccessary. A low-calorie vitamin and mineral supplement is recommended for donkeys year-round, especially during the winter months. If grain is ever offered, the protein content should be well under 12%.
An obese donkey will develop a "crest" on the neck, and excessive fat on the barrel and over the hips. Once a donkey becomes obese, it is very difficult to get him fit again, so beware of overfeeding.
Donkeys require minimal shelter and can withstand extreme temperatures in relative comfort. They should have adequate shade in hot summer months, and protection from the wind, rain and snow in colder temperatures. But overall, donkeys are quite sturdy and brave the elements with ease.
Though donkeys do not require shoes, they should have their hooves trimmed by a qualified farrier at regular intervals. They should also participate in a regular vaccination and worming program appropriate for your region, per the recommendations of your local veterinarian.
Though donkeys do not require shoes, they should have their hooves trimmed by a qualified farrier at regular intervals. They should also participate in a regular vaccination and worming program appropriate for your region, per the recommendations of your local veterinarian.