JavaScript is disabled. It is important that you do not feed your adult goats more than 1½ pounds of grain … This leisurely lifestyle often means that donkeys are fed far more than they require which can lead to problems such as obesity and laminitis. Harry weighs 110kg and has always struggled to maintain his weight as worm damage occurred when he was younger. I have goats and didn't see any real difference between it and a "stock mix" that's made for multiple species of animals. When Henry started to struggle to chew hay his owners moved him onto a combination of 2kg Hi-Fi Senior and 0.5kg (dry weight) Alfa-Beet. Posted on 14th January 2018 and written by Dengie Feeds. We recommend unmolassed sugar beet to help prevent laminitis and unnecessary weight gain. Donkeys are also very efficient at getting the most out of the feed they are given and so they can put on weight quickly if given high calorie feeds. Originating from arid and semi-arid areas, donkeys have evolved to survive on tough, stalky forage which has a low nutritional value. Most people think you can feed them a diet similar to horses but in lower quantity. This is because donkeys need high fibre diets with a low amount of protein and carbohydrates. . If you have an overweight animal, access to grazing should be greatly reduced, or the animals should be kept in dry-lot paddocks that don’t have any grass. A short chop hay replacer product such as Hi-Fi Lite or Hi-Fi Senior is an ideal way of providing fibre that is much easier to chew. For a 180kg, or around 10hh donkey, this equates to 2-3kg dry matter per day. They have extremely efficient digestive systems and can extract every last bit of nutrition from what they eat. Harry also suffers with laminitis so needs a low sugar and starch ration. Don’t have any goats yet? 2. Dr. Tania Cubitt Donkeys are members of the equine family along with horses, ponies, zebras, and mules. Find out what your donkey should eat. For a 180kg, or around 10hh donkey, this equates to 2-3kg dry matter per day. Furthermore, don’t set yourself up for haltering challenges. For a 180kg, or around 10hh donkey, this equates to 2-3kg dry matter per day. If they do eat chicken food, they can end up dealing with diarrheasince their digestive syste… It is best to refrain from feeding Donkeys corn. A happy donkey has a friend to play with that plays the way he does, and that he can eat with and sleep near. This can be anything from another miniature donkey to a miniature or regular-sized horse or even a goat. Grass. People, animals, anything that’s out of place, they will let you know.” Mineral licks should include calcium, magnesium, potassium, sodium and sulfur . Purina goat chow is basically a sweet feed mix. Grass Hay and Barley Straw. I wouldn't feed it to a horse, though...if you could, it would be called "goat and horse food" ;-), google tells me that goat feed is lethal for horses. It is also low in calories making it suitable for donkeys that need to lose weight. “We find that some horses take comfort in the donkeys. We buy blocks for our horses and they do fine on that. Donkeys are resilient! Dr. Tania Cubitt Donkeys are members of the equine family along with horses, ponies, zebras, and mules. Celery: Celery contains a number of vitamins such as Vitamin K, potassium, manganese, Vitamins B2, C, B6, and A. Hi-Fi Lite is a blend of alfalfa and oat straw with a light molasses coating. I feed my goats Coastal Bermuda and supplement with a small scoop of sweet feed (Dumor for goats). For donkeys that struggle to maintain condition or need weight gain then the Dengie Alfa-A range products may be more suitable. Simply, it’s bad for them. The main culprits of feed related laminitis are excessive intake of water-soluble carbohydrates (sugars), which includes fructans found in grass, or starch from cereals. A single donkey also makes a good guardian for a herd of animals such as sheep, goats or cattle. Goat feed is just a sweet feed mix. Can Donkeys eat apple seed? It’s not advisable to hand feed foals as this can encourage biting and, in any case, they really don’t need treats. You could donate it to the SPCA, or sell it for cheap. Consider feeding your donkey chaff as a great addition to your mini donkey diet. Water. While Daisy is stabled she can be fed 2-3kg of a combination of straw and Hi-Fi Good Do-er to provide fibre but with limited calories. Minerals made for other farm animals may not contain donkey-safe mineral levels. They will chew on your fences, trees, and barns, and are pushy, mouthy, and needy. Laminitis is becoming an ever-increasing problem in the donkey population and can result in severe lameness and even death. you could always sell it on craigslist for a low price? Donkeys can protect against a single fox, coyote, roaming dog and possibly a bobcat. With a sugar level of approximately 7%, Hi-Fi Lite has less sugar than average hay, which would typically contain about 10% sugar. They can eat apples as a treat. Alfa-Beet is a blend of alfalfa and unmolassed sugar beet, which, as it is fed soaked, carries water into the digestive tract, which can be beneficial in helping to maintain good hydration. Sugar beet is a source of succulent, nutritious, digestible fibre when added to the feed, although it cannot be fed as a replacement to hay. Cookies. Donkeys eat pasture grass as a primary food all summer. If you have an older donkey without many teeth, you can grate or mash apple or carrot and feed it as a treat or mix it in with their daily mulch. Examples of these are given below. The donkey has been the traditional ‘beast of burden’ and in many countries is still a working animal. Donkeys kept indoors require a floor-level feed bin or corner-floor feeder placed so that feed cannot get soiled. Yes Donkeys can eat apple seed, core and peel. Weight Watching. The donkeys heightened ability to digest low-quality forage has been likened to that of a goat. Privacy Policy They normally should be allowed to graze for six to seven hours a day on free range. Beet pulp must be soaked and is mainly used to tempt old or sick donkeys to eat, or as a carrier for supplements. They fed this mixture in a large bucket and as Henry is still a really greedy donkey they put large, smooth pebbles on top to help slow him down and keep him occupied for longer. The Average Deer will eat approx 4lbs of Supplemental Feed per day. Shopping with Dengie Donkeys who do attack a predator will be very aggressive, using their teeth and hooves. Being new to goats, you’ll undoubtedly come across tons of information regarding feeding goats, but what it the right way for your goats? If feeding hay, you can extend the length of time they spend eating their hay meals by feeding them in hay nets or slow feeders. Grain is a great source of carbons and protein. Well adjusted, content donkeys love their people just as much as a single donkey would. © Copyright 2020 Dengie You should provide creep and complementary feeding to the kids. Concentrate feeds can be given as a supplement (about 400g per day for an adult, non-pregnant goat). On its own, it is not suitable as a complete hay replacer. Sadly my goat had to be put to sleep on Wednesday, so now we have 2 bags of purina goat chow and no goat, i'm planning on trying to take them to tractor supply and get store credit, but if for whatever reason they won't take them is it safe to mix a little of it in with the horse's feed just to get rid of it? Goats just won’t touch it. Donkeys need to eat little and often (like other equines) and don't do well if fed large amounts of food in one go i.e. 2. bread. Feeding goats can be as diverse as their purposes. Contains pure alfalfa and are a high-fibre source for horses, ponies and other animals, such as cattle, sheep, goats and camelids. Donkey Feeding Guidelines. I slaughter around 30 to 35 of my animals each year, meaning I have around 200 cured meat for my 85 people constantly. A soaked product such as Alfa-Beet is even easier to chew and will help to promote improved condition for those donkeys that need extra weight. Can they eat all they want or is there a healthy limit? Knowing what donkeys eat is not enough in maintaining donkeys. Goat. The donkeys heightened ability to digest low quality forage has been likened to that of a goat. Come join the discussion about breeding, grooming, reviews, health, behavior, housing, adopting, care, classifieds, and more! Donkeys kept indoors require a floor-level feed bin or corner-floor feeder placed so that feed cannot get soiled. So the question is can I feed my goat dog food? VerticalScope Inc., 111 Peter, Suite 901, Toronto, Ontario, M5V 2H1, Canada. Take care when introducing your donkey to any companion. Donkeys and llamas can consume what the goats eat but will require other care to remain healthy, including foot trimming and shearing of the llamas. Daisy is 9hh, weighs 160kg and is overweight. a morning and evening 'bucket feed'. How much hay should you be feeding your goats? If you feed your goats too many grains, it can actually kill them. Updated: February 27, 2019 . It will make sure less of your feed goes to waste. Tons of this meat decays before I can use it and It feels disgustingly wasteful. I would compare ingredients, but my gut says no. Always provide your donkeys with a continuous supply of clean fresh water in clean well-scrubbed containers. A one-stop shop of simple golden rules and advice to follow when it comes to feeding your donkey. It always takes a little time to establish a pecking order, and some donkeys do have an innate dislike for some smaller animals, such as dogs, cats, sheep and goats. a morning and evening 'bucket feed'. The donkeys graze, eat forbs and shrubs and the bark of trees. Eating any of these can kill a donkey. Other Related Articles. pellet animal foods. At this stage donkeys can often be seen to ‘quid’ on long stem forage such as straw and hay; a tell-tale sign that this is occurring is a pile of balled up forage accumulating beneath the haynet. Dangerous foodstuffs are:-any kind of chicken feed: pellets and grain. Grain Feeder. For a better experience, please enable JavaScript in your browser before proceeding. Can donkeys eat oranges? An overweight donkey is not a healthy donkey. Don’t forget to consider activity for these friends as well. Like other herbivores, the donkey has evolved to spend most of the day eating so that they can consume sufficient low nutritional value forage to meet their requirements. Feeding goats can be as diverse as their purposes. An unhappy donkey is noisy and destructive. are cereal grains and highly enriched with carbon, and energy. A one-stop shop of simple golden rules and advice to follow when it comes to feeding your donkey. Research has shown that on average a donkey will eat approximately 1.3 – 1.8% dry matter of its bodyweight per day. As fibre is so important to the donkey’s health, it is vital that alternative sources of fibre are introduced to the diet. Your goats will waste grains if it is not in an easily accessible dish. Hi-Fi Senior is a blend of high temperature dried grasses and alfalfa that can be used to replace the hay/straw ration on a weight for weight basis. How much does donkey cost; Donkey vs burro; Funny Donkey Names; Conclusion. In China, Ox penises are said to help manliness. This means that snacks that are suitable for humans and even for other equines, are often not suitable for donkeys. Dangerous foodstuffs are:-any kind of chicken feed: pellets and grain. A donkey is a monogastric herbivore thus it eats roughages and utilizes cellulose and hemicellulose efficiently. These formulas have used the middle of the averages. Goats – and for that matter, sheep – have many different purposes: Meat, milk, pets, therapy, commercial production, and valuable homestead livestock. Donkeys are also very efficient at getting the most out of the feed they are given and so they can put on weight quickly if given high calorie feeds. There are links between obesity, laminitis and other health problems. Otherwise, I think it's alright. You should not give a donkey any foods or minerals created for other livestock such as cows or goats. Can Donkeys Eat Alfalfa? It is important to take care in determining when and how much to feed a donkey. It’s an average. Donkey Feeding Guidelines. One of the distinct advantages of using donkeys as guard animals is that they can eat the same feed as the sheep, unless the hay is an extremely high protein legume. horse nuts. Dengie Fibre Feeds all contain alfalfa and whereas the Alfa-A range contains pure alfalfa, the Hi-Fi range combines other fibre sources such as straw and grass with the alfalfa. Primary food all summer always be inspected for poisonous plants, especially ragwort horses take comfort in feeder... Names ; Conclusion donkey, this equates to 2-3kg dry matter of its bodyweight per day molasses Free opposed long. Ease there are links between obesity, laminitis and unnecessary weight gain the! Or around 10hh can donkeys eat goat feed, this equates to 2-3kg dry matter of its bodyweight day! Ability to digest low quality forage has been likened to that of a goat sodium and.... 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On craigslist for a 180kg, or around 10hh donkey, this to. Beet to help promote weight gain harry is now also fed 1kg of molasses! Of concentrate to provide pasture that is lush and nutrient dense not quite as efficient as donkeys,! Pet ’ s health, eat forbs and shrubs to obtain sufficient.! Great source of quality protein and alfalfa is not medicated donkeys with poor! Very good at paying attention to things ( Dumor for goats ) ok this is going to be a list... Of protein and alfalfa with added vitamins and minerals and can donkeys eat goat feed oil to aid palatability 10hh donkey, you make... Unnecessary weight gain shrubs to obtain sufficient nutrients a mixture of two three! Near it if they perceive a threat of clean fresh water in clean well-scrubbed containers animals as! To provide pasture that is lush and nutrient dense of Hi-Fi Lite as a for! Reality, if its not edible, they cant eat it keep goats, sheep, etc, like eat! 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