RED DEER – While donkeys and mules are beasts of burden in most of the world, they are pets and show animals in Canada and the United States.
“The mule has fairly successfully moved out from in front of the plow and under the show saddle,” said veterinarian Tex Taylor of Texas A and M University, a donkey and mule specialist who spoke at the Alberta Horse Breeders and Owners conference in Red Deer Jan.11.
Mule races and jumping, show ring events, driving, timed events, dressage and reining are becoming popular. Miniature donkeys probably make up the fastest growing sector and are especially popular for driving classes.
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Taylor said three types of people raise these animals: those who were raised around livestock and have always had donkeys or mules; those who have lost their enthusiasm for horse shows; and those with no livestock experience, who Taylor said make up the fastest growing group. Many of them start with miniatures, and while they need guidance, are also enthusiastic.
Training requires patience and different approaches than what are used with horses.
“The more we learn and study about donkeys and mules, the more we become aware they are not just like horses,” he said.
They can be hard to lead, and restraint procedures are different than those used for horses. Each new training concept must be introduced slowly and they must be given time to adjust.
Herd health is similar to horse care, although research in this area is limited. These animals have few health problems, but some areas should be carefully observed.
Deworming, nutrition and vaccinations are similar to horse care.
Colic and impaction can happen, but they show fewer pain symptoms than horses, so may die before the seriousness of the problem is noticed.
They can also get tumours around the eyes and lice.
Foot anatomy is different and requires observation.
A donkey’s coffin bone is more blunt, making careful observations necessary to identify lameness. The wall of the foot is also wider than a horse’s. Arthritis can be a problem, but may not be detected before they display difficulty walking.
The mule foot is similar to the horse, but there are more congenital deformities such as deformity of the coffin bone or in the hocks.
The growth plates in the long bones of the donkey’s legs close four to six months later than what is expected in horses.
The mammoth ass often has a weak rear end and those types should not be used for breeding.
Respiratory problems are common, with a high incidence of pneumonia and secondary infections. Donkeys and mules must be vaccinated, especially animals under three years of age.
Estrus cycles are similar to the horse, but donkeys can cycle year round rather than seasonally.
Donkeys have a higher incidence of twins.
Mule production requires some savvy. Unless raised with horses, male donkeys, called jacks, are often reluctant to breed mares and the mares may reject the donkey. Artificial insemination may be a better approach.
When producing mules, the offspring tends to resemble the sire. Therefore, mules sired by donkeys resemble donkeys and hinnies sired by stallions have more horse characteristics.
Castration of donkeys and mules must be done carefully because they tend to bleed more. However, castration is a good idea to curb aggressive stallion qualities.
Definitions
Jack: male donkey.
Jenny or jennet: female donkey.
Mule: jack and mare cross; may be either sex but are almost always sterile.
Hinny: stallion and jennet cross; may be either sex and are almost always sterile.
Mule mare: mare used for mule production.
Burro: feral donkey.
Miniature donkeys: 36 inches tall or less at the withers.
Standard donkeys: 36 to 56 inches tall.
Mammoth ass: more than 56 inches tall.
