Donkeys

[cowman]

I know that some keep donkeys with their cattle to protect from dogs or coyotes. I have been offered a donkey for free. Whick is better; a jenny or a jack? Is one better than two? Thanks.

[james dilley]

if you get two then they may very well ignore the cattle and not do there job,as far as the sex of the animal it makes no real difference that i know of.

[JanH]

Originally Posted by cowman

I know that some keep donkeys with their cattle to protect from dogs or coyotes. I have been offered a donkey for free. Whick is better; a jenny or a jack? Is one better than two? Thanks.

Are you calving? If so a jenny. Definitely. Size makes a difference as far as one or two...a standard (pony size) can definitely make a difference. Do *NOT* try running a jack with them. A gelding can even be a problem. A jenny can be an excellent guardian but NOT A MALE. I have a friend who got a male and it about killed one of her sheep...grabbed him by the neck and started shaking her, kicking her. You don't need that with calves. Almost every problem I've heard of a donkey attacking stock has been jacks or geldings. With horses they'd be fine...sometimes with larger stock. But I would NOT use them around young calves. A good jenny is worth a *lot* as a guardian...I had a shetland sized one that would stand over lambs so the horses didn't hurt them. Saw two Rottweilers walk 1200' back along a fence, 350' across and 800' back up to detour around the field Angel was in. Dogs that had killed chickens. I never lost a lamb. She went after another strange dog that someone stupidly decided to take with them on a shortcut across the property...would have been a dead dog without its owner. Definitely a jenny.

[JanH]

if you use a donkey be SURE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! the donkey can NOT get to mineral tubs and supplements for cattle that has urea or rumensin in it...it will kill the donkey! (and horses). If any doubt at all ask your feed dealer...some things for ruminants can *not* be tolerated by equines.

[eb]

Originally Posted by cowman

I know that some keep donkeys with their cattle to protect from dogs or coyotes. I have been offered a donkey for free. Whick is better; a jenny or a jack? Is one better than two? Thanks.

Definitely a jenny...I got my jack as a guard animal...now I have to guard all my animals from my jack...

[SHELBY]

We had no problems with our gelding 7 year old standard donkey...Put calves out with him and everything....We did have to watch the 8 month old bull though he fell in love if you get what I mean.. ..That poor donkey was always kicking that bull because he wouldn't leave him alone....
Another note I would like to add is what my vet told me.....Donkeys are similar to horses but are yet different...They have a more goat like stomach when it comes to eating things that might give a horse colic it won't affect a donkey the same way....We had 3 horses come down with colic after eating something in the pasture (after 1st frost) but donkey didn't....Vet said that donkeys can tolerate more than horses....