Sweet Pet Gives a Mean Kick
(Page 2 of 3)
March/April 2007
Anita B. Stone
RELATED CONTENT
Domestic donkeys come in four sizes....
Raising chicks from scratch – or nearly scratch – isn't all that difficult....
Definitions of mule and donkey types....
Admirable traits of miniature donkeys make them a popular addition to any homestead....
Donkeys won’t bray unless there’s a reason, although sometimes the only reason is that they just want a hug. “Jack particularly enjoys his donkey hugs,” McPherson says. “And if I refuse, he keeps after me because that’s his nature.”
Jack feeds on grass and hay with the herd during the day and beds down with them at night, when most coyotes, fox and feral dogs are positioned to attack the herd. McPherson thinks that Jack does not intentionally patrol the pasture looking for intruders. He simply investigates and pursues predators if he detects them with his exceptional hearing and keen sense of smell. For this reason, it is not recommended to pet a dog before visiting a guard donkey.
Some routine care is necessary to keep donkeys healthy. Most important is hoof trimming. If donkeys’ tiny feet are neglected, they won’t be able to chase predators. A farrier must examine their feet every 6 to 10 weeks. Because donkeys are prone to impaction from dehydration, they require plenty of fresh water. For more on the care of donkeys, see “Cheers for the long-ears.”
Some donkey breeders raise foals around herds. The Bureau of Land Management has wild donkeys available for adoption. (See “Cheers for the long-ears” for information.) Some folks just buy what they can at the stockyards and then sell those that don’t work out.
Donkeys do have definite personalities, and some turn out to be unsuitable for guard work. When purchasing a donkey keep in mind that it must be reasonably friendly towards people and easy to handle. To guard cattle, goats or sheep, a donkey should stand about 4 to 4½ feet tall. They are most successful in protecting no more than 200 animals in small and level pastures, where they can see all or most of the area from one location. Donkeys will be of limited use on rolling terrain or rangeland covered with heavy bush, although many of the disadvantages of having stock in these locations have nothing to do with a donkey’s abilities to guard the herd.
The key to training a guard donkey is to keep the young donkey with goats, sheep or cattle after it is weaned. If the young donkey is not permitted to run with other donkeys or horses, it will think it is part of the flock or herd.