Donkeys on the farm

Mercury80

What is the point of having donkeys on the farm nowadays? Are they any use? Do they give you more of a grant. I don't understand. Please help. Modest farmer just got into it looking at ways at improving my few fields. Complete novice please help? Thanks.

lab man

Cattle wont get red water if a donkey grazes with them

ganmo

halter training show animals

Outkast_IRE

Have seen them used as companion animals with horses etc, they are meant to be great at helping keep an injured horse calm during recovery in the stables.

Apparently in the USA they are sometimes bonded with sheep, and left out in the pasture with them as many donkeys would have no problem protecting lambs from fox or wild dog.

Username John

Outkast_IRE wrote: »

Have seen them used as companion animals with horses etc, they are meant to be great at helping keep an injured horse calm during recovery in the stables.

Apparently in the USA they are sometimes bonded with sheep, and left out in the pasture with them as many donkeys would have no problem protecting lambs from fox or wild dog.

They are used with sheep here too, for protection from foxes / dogs. Apparently better when they have a small foal with them.

dohc turbo2

Some people not into cattle just after the payments keep them ,

djmc

Land needs to be maintained by grazing it
Not always a lot out of cattle and more work and expense eg. Slurry they make a lot of it tb testing brucellosis testing vet fees bvd testing calf regs getting cards signed and stamped vet fees silage slurry spreading
A few donkey's or horse's will graze tighter and you would have to worry about none of the above

Bullocks

lab man wrote: »

Cattle wont get red water if a donkey grazes with them

Is that true and how does it work ?
A mate of mine always has a donkey with the cows when they're ready to calve . He reckons there is no need to get up checking them because he can hear the donkey roaring when a calving starts . I don't know if it's just his donkey or are they all prone to do that .
Personally I can't stand them around the place

Mercury80

lab man wrote: »

Cattle wont get red water if a donkey grazes with them

Omg that's great, how is red water prevented like this

Count Mondego

Mercury80 wrote: »

Omg that's great, how is red water prevented like this

Donkey is a sponge for all the ticks, he'll be riddled with them.

stop animal cruelty

Does that not have an effect on the donkey tho?

blackdog1

I've heard of guys training young bulls to walk by tying them to a donkey and the donkey leads them around the pen.

_Brian

lab man wrote: »

Cattle wont get red water if a donkey grazes with them

Some laden near us run goats for the same reason.
I've never seen any proper reasoning for it though. Would donkeys eat weeds like ragworth?? Goats seem to.

byhookorbycrook

Outkast_IRE wrote: »

Have seen them used as companion animals with horses etc, they are meant to be great at helping keep an injured horse calm during recovery in the stables.

Apparently in the USA they are sometimes bonded with sheep, and left out in the pasture with them as many donkeys would have no problem protecting lambs from fox or wild dog.

Horse and donkeys shouldn't actually pasture together due to parasites. They are fiercely loyal animals and have been used with racehorses to help calm them as you say. There was a famous racer whose name escapes me who would refused to load in the lorry without the donkey.

Base price

I have a negative memory regarding donkeys on mixed grazing and been active in the life cycle of liver fluke
Wouldn't have one around the place.

Genghis Cant

For years my grandfather used to tell me that an ass was good for two jobs on a farm.
Taking in hay, and putting out dung. I think I was a teenager before it finally dawned on me what he was on about!

In recent years though I've softened towards asses. The countryside would be worse for their demise.
The same asses drew some turf off the bogs around me in their time.

frazzledhome

Had a few donkeys here over the years. Last one was let go May 14 and we took over the milking ourselves!!

My Dad used to say 'in business if you meet an ass you should ride it'.

kay 9

Alot of lads say they're lucky on the land. Now I'm not the superstitious type but who knows. Have nothing against them. Nice animal imo, though they can mow some ground

renandstimpy

I'm a bit confused ... I hear regularly about donkeys spreading this and that and spreading worms but if you dose them like you would a horse is that not problem solved at least that's what I do with mine ... never ever heard about horses and donkeys not to be mixed because of parasites could you elaborate please .. ours are mixed all the time and never have a problem .

foxy farmer

Apparently they shouldn't be seperated if in pairs as they form bonds with other animals. Saw this myself last year and had a lucky escape. A relation asked me to keep an eye on place while he was in hospital. Horse donkey and a dozen cattle. Donkey has since passed on but was nearly 40 yrs. Dont believe it but anyway. One day no sign of donkey with horse in field. His legs were giving trouble. Went to see if he was in the shed. When i went to the door the donkey was stretched flat out. Went to sit him up as i thought the worst. Next thing i know horse came flying in the door. She turned on me and reared up on her hind legs. Needless to say i made for the door. Any time i came between horse and donkey in field the horse would come running. Knew donkey was vulnerable. They'd been together for nearly 20 yrs.

Mercury80

I would be very worried about the donkey if it took all the parasites, is there a way to prevent red water and say dose the donkey to prevent parasites harming the donkey

Outkast_IRE

Mercury80 wrote: »

I would be very worried about the donkey if it took all the parasites, is there a way to prevent red water and say dose the donkey to prevent parasites harming the donkey

Yes regular dosing the same as you would with horses etc, not that hard really.

Ard_MC

All sheep here and got a couple of donkies to help with mixed grazing. Seems to help reduce to worm burden in lambs and donkies are easily kept over the winter. Bit of hay and shelter and they are grand. Wouldnt be without now.

Do need moving before i go working the dog tho!!

Odelay

Mercury80 wrote: »

I would be very worried about the donkey if it took all the parasites, is there a way to prevent red water and say dose the donkey to prevent parasites harming the donkey

Ard_MC wrote: »

All sheep here and got a couple of donkies to help with mixed grazing. Seems to help reduce to worm burden in lambs and donkies are easily kept over the winter. Bit of hay and shelter and they are grand. Wouldnt be without now.

Do need moving before i go working the dog tho!!

Why do you need to move them before working the dog?

Ard_MC

Odelay wrote: »

Why do you need to move them before working the dog?

When i send the dog for the sheep, the donkies decide its fun to chase the dog!!

Probably a good thing as keeps the sheep safe from other dogs.

Odelay

Ard_MC wrote: »

When i send the dog for the sheep, the donkies decide its fun to chase the dog!!

Probably a good thing as keeps the sheep safe from other dogs.

I was assuming the dogs chased the donkeys! Do you think the donkeys are protective of them?
Also, are the donkeys feet hard to manage?

Birdnuts

Got 2 donkey and 2 Shetlands on the place in North Mayo. Hardy but hoof care is important, especcially on soft ground. Donkeys are orginally desert/steppe species so cold/heat/snow doesn't really bother them, but some sort of a simple shelter from extended wet spells is important as their coats aren't as water-proof as other types of stock.

KatyMac

It's nice to hear that some of ye with sheep have a use for the donkeys. I like them, but have a mare that absolutely hates the sight. When I used to ride around the roads I knew where every donkey was. She would try and attack them across the gate/fence, teeth bared etc. Was a nuisance. She must have had a bad experience with one when young.

Ard_MC

Odelay wrote: »

I was assuming the dogs chased the donkeys! Do you think the donkeys are protective of them?
Also, are the donkeys feet hard to manage?

I get a lad in twice a year to trim the feet. Its only 20 quid each time. But is important to keep right.

Not sure if they are protective or just like chasing dog's...either way it works!!!

djmc

Does anyone know if grants can be drawn with just an equine number like basic farm payment
Das or its new name glas etc.
Or do you have to have a herd or flock number

Connemara Farmer

djmc wrote: »

Does anyone know if grants can be drawn with just an equine number like basic farm payment
Das or its new name glas etc.
Or do you have to have a herd or flock number

I think they can be, in my GLAS conversations locally I talked to a man who I think only has ponies. In my innocence I asked had he a herd number and got cut down to size

Check it out, but I don't think he has any other type of animal only the ponies.

royster999

How many stocking units is it per donkey?
Is there a difference in stocking units when compared to the donkeys age?

sonnybill

royster999 wrote: »

How many stocking units is it per donkey?
Is there a difference in stocking units when compared to the donkeys age?

A donkey once chipped with passport in your name counts as 1.0lu and that counts for both mares/jacks / gelding ass and a foal couple of weeks old once chipped and registered !

Capercaillie

djmc wrote: »

Land needs to be maintained by grazing it
Not always a lot out of cattle and more work and expense eg. Slurry they make a lot of it tb testing brucellosis testing vet fees bvd testing calf regs getting cards signed and stamped vet fees silage slurry spreading
A few donkey's or horse's will graze tighter and you would have to worry about none of the above

don't know about donkeys, but horses will destroy fences and ruin fertility. They ****e in one corner of field and strip fertility in rest of field.

djmc

Some ponies can thrive on rough grazing like heather and Molina where cattle might struggle especially in winter without supplementary feeding.

Base price

Capercaillie wrote: »

don't know about donkeys, but horses will destroy fences and ruin fertility. They ****e in one corner of field and strip fertility in rest of field.

+1000
Many stud farms/equestrian farms use cattle or sheep to complement the grazing regime in their paddocks. Cattle will graze sour "horse dung" grass and visa versa.

Base price

djmc wrote: »

Some ponies can thrive on rough grazing like heather and Molina where cattle might struggle especially in winter without supplementary feeding.

Every day is a learning day . I hadn't a clue what Molina was until I googled it.
While I agree that ponies/horses can and will thrive on rough grazing I would add that it depends on acreage available per head, body score heading into winter and other factors like worming, feet condition etc, likewise cattle will also thrive in such equitable conditions.

pedigree 6

Base price wrote: »

Every day is a learning day . I hadn't a clue what Molina was until I googled it.
While I agree that ponies/horses can and will thrive on rough grazing I would add that it depends on acreage available per head, body score heading into winter and other factors like worming, feet condition etc, likewise cattle will also thrive in such equitable conditions.

The hardiest little fcekers that would fatten on nothing are welsh or Shetland ponies. Have a small stallion here on the area of a garden here and it's a job to watch that he won't get too fat and laminitis and die. They're the most efficient of grazing animals to put fat on their backs with the least amount of grass. Afaics.

Base price

pedigree 6 wrote: »

The hardiest little fcekers that would fatten on nothing are welsh or Shetland ponies. Have a small stallion here on the area of a garden here and it's a job to watch that he won't get too fat and laminitis and die. They're the most efficient of grazing animals to put fat on their backs with the least amount of grass. Afaics.

Of all the small breeds I have a personal dislike to Shetlands, horrid feckers that should have been kept on the Scottish Islands. In my mind they are as invasive as grey squirrels.

Rainman16

I asked my father, a life long farmer, the same question and he said nowadays Donkeys are pretty much useless on a farm but some people keep them as a farm pet.

topmanamillion

What do people think of an Ass roaring?

I remember a few years ago a neighbour had a Jack and he never stopped it. Thankfully he's gone now.
When I say neighbor she was about a mile away and I could still hear the jack.

Base price

topmanamillion wrote: »

What do people think of an Ass roaring?

I remember a few years ago a neighbour had a Jack and he never stopped it. Thankfully he's gone now.
When I say neighbor she was about a mile away and I could still hear the jack.

A neighbour across the fields keeps a gelded jack with his sheep. Have no issues with him roaring and would miss the sound if anything happened to him. He seems to roar more during the winter evenings than the summer.

phelixoflaherty

A Jerusalem 2 stroke

Kovu

Base price wrote: »

Every day is a learning day . I hadn't a clue what Molina was until I googled it.

Me neither, just colloquially called them tussocks :pac:
There's two donkeys within a half mile of us....both owned by ladies so when they're roaring Dad will turn to me or vice versa and say ''Oh there's Mary's/Patricia's* ass showing off again!'' (or similar)


*Mary/Patricia may not be their real names, to spare their blushes!

djmc

Shetlands are known for being wicked other mountain or moorland breeds like the welsh mountain breed the dartmoor or kerry bog pony are a lot more placid and do just as well to keep condition on.
The donkey actually belongs in the desert and not on heath especially during winter.
There are few true mountain breeds of cattle except maybe the yak or highland and think nearly all would need hay or silage over the winter if kept out on a bog .
They all do ok during summer grazing but the breed and age of animals are important factors as well.

Ave Sodalis

djmc wrote:

Shetlands are known for being wicked other mountain or moorland breeds like the welsh mountain breed the dartmoor or kerry bog pony are a lot more placid and do just as well to keep condition on.

Just a point on the Kerry Bogs. These are still a rare pony, having only recently been brought back from near extinction. My own feelings on them is that ownership should be left to experienced handlers as there's only about 300 of them registered.
The Connemara is a very hardy breed too, but with all horses/ponies/donkeys, it depends on the individual. However, you can't go far wrong with native ponies. I wouldn't get a Shetland, due to the risk of over eating. We have a miniature, and in summer, he gets tied to a tree with a lunge line in the garden and other than a handful if hay at night to keep him occupied, that's all he eats.