In a year of gloom for the livestock industry, a Blackie, Alta., ranching family is enjoying a renaissance with the humble donkey.
For Grant and Sharon Cooke, raising miniature donkeys has been a pleasure emotionally and financially since they started the herd in 1988. As major breeders, with 120 animals, they have shipped considerable numbers carrying the Circle C name across North America and to England. Their latest good news story was Oct. 20 when they shipped 12 of their animals to Ireland.
It all started last July, a day before their annual miniature donkey sale on the farm southeast of Calgary. Pictures of the sale offering had been posted on their website and an interested buyer named Frank O’Sullivan called from Ireland with an offer to purchase four, sight unseen.
Read Also
Alberta eases water access for riparian restoration
Alberta government removes requirement for temporary diversion licence to water plants up to 100 cubic metres per day for smaller riparian restoration projects
Despite a seven hour time difference he participated in the annual auction by phone and by Aug. 15 he arrived in Canada to examine his purchases and pick out more to establish a breeding program in Ireland. He wanted donkeys standing less than 33 inches at the shoulder to differentiate them from the Irish donkeys that are taller at 38-40 inches.
He especially wanted females and eventually found a package of bred females and some with jennet foals at side. He added a jack to the group to start breeding.
The Cookes advised him to go with quality and conformation and not worry about colour. Filling the order was a bit of a challenge.
“We didn’t have any bad ones, but we couldn’t decide which ones we were willing to part with,” said Sharon.
They also had to cajole some clients into selling back some Circle C donkeys to make the package work best for their new Irish customer.
The donkeys were shipped by air in a specially designed aircraft used for transporting horses. They landed in Luxembourg for a rest and health check and then travelled by ferry and van to their new home within a few days of leaving Canada.
The Cooke farm consists of a large grain and purebred Angus cattle operation. While their crops have faltered at times, the donkeys have been a success story over the years. This summer, when the national donkey show is held at the Calgary Stampede, the Cookes will hold their 14th annual miniature donkey sale at the farm on July 9.
“The donkeys have been very good to this farm,” she said.
The miniatures are in high demand especially among those looking for quiet, easy to manage animals. They are also popular in the United States.
The Cookes are not involved in embryo transfer and semen collection programs because they want to control animal numbers and quality.
