HISTORY OF THE BREED
| The Miniature Mediterranean Donkey is it's own breed, they are not bred down in size from standard donkeys. Their ancestors come from the Islands of Sicily and Sardinia near the Mediterranean Sea. The miniature donkey is extremely intelligent and docile and is easily trained. The first miniature donkeys were imported into the United States in 1929 by Mr. Robert Green. |
| In the early 1950's, Daniel & Bea Langfeld established the Danby Farm in Omaha, Nebraska. They were the first professional breeders of miniature donkeys in the United States. Bea Langfeld established the original registry - The Miniature Donkey Registry of the United States in 1958. She turned the registry over to the stewardship of the American Donkey and Mule Society in Lewisville, Texas in 1987. |
DONKEY TERMS
| Jenne t: femal e donke y Jack: male donke y Herd Sire: an excep tional jack used to sire foals in a breed ing progr am Geldi ng: castra ted male (can no longe r repro duce) Foal: baby donke y |
LIFE SPAN
| Miniatur e donkeys are truly a life long companio n. With proper care and nutrition, their life span is 25 to 35+ years. |
HEIGHT &
WEIGHT
WEIGHT
| Miniature donkeys average between 32" and 34" at the withers, with a maximum of 36". The average adult miniature donkey weighs between 200-350 pounds. |
COLORS
| The most common color for the miniature donkey is a slate gray color. Other colors are tans, browns, dark browns, black/brown, black (rare), sorrels, white, and spotted. The majority of donkeys have a cross at the withers that runs down the shoulders and back. Miniature donkeys usually have a white muzzle and white markings around their eyes know as "points". A miniature donkey with a black nose and no white eye rings is called a miniature donkey with no light points (NLP). While a variety of color adds interest to the miniature donkey breed, breeding for color should never be put before conformation. |
BREEDING AGE FOR JENNETS
| A jenn et shou ld neve r be bred befo re the age of thre e. |
GESTATION
| The average gestation time is 11 months, 3 weeks and 5 days, but jennets can carry a foal from 11 1/2 to 13 months. Any foal born before 11 months is considered to be premature. |
WEANIN
G
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| Miniature donkey foals are normally weaned between 4 to 6 months of age. A foal should never be weaned from it's mother under the age of 4 months unless there are circumstances that might affect the health of either the foal or the mother. Foals under the age of 4 months need their mothers milk as well as their mother's emotional support and herd socialization. |
SOCIAL
HABITS
HABITS
| Miniature donkeys are very social animals and they LOVE attention! If you have a single miniature donkey, you should always have another companion animal such as a pony, horse, mule or even a goat, sheep or llama. Often times, miniature donkeys "buddy up" and develop close relationships with another miniature donkey. |
SHELTER
| Miniature donkeys are normally kept in herds, they are not stalled individually like horses. Miniature donkeys require shade and some protection from severe weather. |
VACCINES
| While miniature donkeys are very hardy, healthy animals, they do require annual preventative vaccinations for Eastern/Western Encephalomyelitis, Tetanus, Rhinopneumonitis and Influenza. Miniature donkeys are also at risk for West Nile Virus, a new vaccine is available and recommended for all equines. Depending on your location an annual Rabies Vaccination may also be necessary. It is illegal for a miniature donkey to cross a state line without a negative Coggins test and health papers. |
FEED &
NUTRITION
NUTRITION
| Miniature donkeys require a good quality hay and should have free access to fresh clean water and a trace mineral block at all times. Grain should be fed in small amounts. Normally, grain is only fed to foals, weanlings, lactating jennets and older adults who require special care. A selenium supplement may be needed if the soil in your area is selenium deficient. Check with you Agriculture Extension Agent or Veterinarian. |
HOOF CARE
| A farrier plays a very important role in your donkey's welfare. The farrier trims and takes care of a donkeys hooves. Your farrier should visit your farm every 10-12 weeks to check all donkeys and trim or file as needed. |
| You should make it a habit of picking out your donkey's feet on a regular basis, especially when the ground is wet and muddy. Take the time to inspect the hoof wall for cracks or chips and inspect the foot for thrush. Thrush is a anaerobic bacterial infection of the donkey's frog. Anaerobic means that it can't live in the presence of oxygen. Thrush is easy to diagnose. The tissue of the frog becomes soft and ragged with a black discharge. The biggest indicator is a very offensive odor. The best defense is to keep your donkeys feet clean and dry. There are many thrush treatment remedies that you can purchase any place you buy equine supplies. |
WORMIN
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G
| All donkeys should be included in a regular parasite control program. Regular dewormings and pasture management will help to reduce or prevent any parasite problem. |
CONFORMATIO
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N
| A miniature donkey should have a well balanced look. This means that no part of the donkey should attract immediate attention, for example, head too small or too large, or the rump of the donkey being much higher than the wither. If you plan to breed your miniature donkeys, you must first verify that your donkeys are breeding quality and you must assure you have carefully selected your breeding pair. The American Donkey and Mule Society can provide you with complete conformation guidelines. We are always happy to assist new breeders! A great place to learn more about conformation is at Cooke Livestock Miniature Donkeys. |
| Add itio nal info rma tion reg ard ing min iatu re don key s |
| www.miniat ure-donkeys. org -- General resource of breeders, rescues, and associations, including a selection of pictures of Miniature Donkeys and information al links. |
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Thom-ASS Acres Miniature Donkeys
Jerry & Betty Thomas
434 W. Co. Road 400S
Winchester, IN 47394
765-584-2672
Email us at:
donkeys@thomassacres.com
Jerry & Betty Thomas
434 W. Co. Road 400S
Winchester, IN 47394
765-584-2672
Email us at:
donkeys@thomassacres.com
| Last mod ified : 02/ 17/ 200 7 |
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