Buying a donkey?

[Donn Hewes]

I am seriously considering buying a Mammoth Jack stud to eventually breed mares. I say eventually because I would like to buy a weanling. While there are many good reasons to do this; and I am sure there are many good reasons not to as well; i have been hung up on housing for quite a while. I just recently decide I needed a new sheep shed in the woods to reduce wasted hay and conserve nutrients in the bedding. For several years we have kept a small group of yearlings in the woods with out any housing. This shed in the woods would serve as “donkey house” with out any additions or modifications.

Thoughts and suggestions welcome.

[sanhestar]

Hello,

I would keep in mind, that a donkey, like a horse, needs a partner (herd animal).

If you say “breeding mares” I assume you mean mules. From what I heard, not every donkey stud will serves horses.

[Donn Hewes]

I think most donkeys don’t like to switch back and forth. One of the reasons to buy a youngster is to keep him with sheep as a guard animal, and maybe as part of my horse and mule herd at times; but he won’t be around donkeys or breed them. “breeding mares” means mules are the result!

[Rod]

Hi Donn

From what I have read Jacks do not make good guards for the little ones and especially young Donkeys. I understand a gilding or jennet should be at least 3 years old or more before putting them out with lambs or calves to guard. They play too hard with the little ones. And I second the thought that two are better than one. Our donkeys are social even more so than the mule.

[OldKat]

@Rod 22998 wrote:

Hi Donn

From what I have read Jacks do not make good guards for the little ones and especially young Donkeys. I understand a gilding or jennet should be at least 3 years old or more before putting them out with lambs or calves to guard. They play too hard with the little ones. And I second the thought that two are better than one. Our donkeys are social even more so than the mule.

Do your donkeys provide good gaurd service when you pair them up? I have had donkeys out with cattle and usually when I put a second one in the pasture they started looking out for each other, but were seldom with the cattle. I currently only have one, which I leave with some replacement heifers. He is about a 3 year old gelding & like you said he was a little rough on the calves when he was younger. He has really come into his own now, and I never find him when he is NOT with the heifers.

A few years ago I had a lease with some feral donkeys on it; they just came and went when they pleased. I could never find a place in the fence where I thought an animal could slip through, much less 25 or 30 of them like we had coming and going. They didn’t pay any attention to the cows whatsoever, but they could sure strip a pasture of its grass in a heartbeat.

[Andy Carson]

I have read the jacks are not appropriate as guards too, and from seeing some young ones play, I can definately believe it. They bite each other very very hard! I would also not think a mammoth would be a good guard anyway. I am sure there are exceptions, but the ones I was around were pretty much to opposite of “quick and alert.” I think standard or large standard donkeys would be much better guards… I was never really interested in keeping a jack, but I can tell you that from what I have seen these mare breeding jacks are separated from (and treated differently than) other donkeys from weaning age onward. It seems like an involved process both from the point of view of how the jack is kept and how the breeding itself is done. The jacks that end up breeding well command pretty respectable prices though and undeniably useful animals. I put on a link that describes some management and breeding practices. Again, I have not experience with this, but it is fascinating nonetheless.

http://research.vet.upenn.edu/Portals/49/How%20to%20manage%20jacks%20to%20breed%20mares.pdf

[Donn Hewes]

Well, I am quite dubious of the guard idea as well. It is something that could be experimented with over time. Probably something other than an intact male, mammoth jack might make a better guard animal. Might have to rethink my housing plan a little. Andy, thanks for the breeding file. That is just the kind of stuff I need to learn. I do know a few folks that have kept a breeding jack in the past, so I have some resources. From a training, breeding, and any other aspect, a weanling is the way to go.

[Robert MoonShadow]

I agree w/ Ron = a jack will likely kill a calf or sheep. A mammoth will work for a guard animal, if gelded or a jenny…IF it has just the other animals to bond with & not another ass. (And I found out the hard way that Mammoth keepers do NOT like their animal to be called donkey…its an ASS, although I don’t see what the fuss is about).
American Donkey and Mule Society (email at lovelongears.com) has a lot of info on housing and caring for the breeding jack, as well as training the guard animal.

[Robernson]

@Robert MoonShadow 23082 wrote:

I agree w/ Ron = a jack will likely kill a calf or sheep. A mammoth will work for a guard animal, if gelded or a jenny…IF it has just the other animals to bond with & not another ass. (And I found out the hard way that Mammoth keepers do NOT like their animal to be called donkey…its an ASS, although I don’t see what the fuss is about).
American Donkey and Mule Society (email at lovelongears.com) has a lot of info on housing and caring for the breeding jack, as well as training the guard animal.

Granted my knowledge is rather limited,but Mr. MoonShadow and everyone else who has said that Jacks are not to be used as guard animals is correct. But not all jennys are perfect for guardians though,because my little Donkey killed one of our lambs. So,I guess my point is that every animal is an individual. Good Luck,and Merry Christmas.

~~R

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