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A young donkey that had been raised with goats, "might" make a good guard animal. Your best bet for a guard animal would be an older jenny, (female) donkey. A mule on the other hand, raised with them or not is more likely to kill a goat than guard them. It is rare to find a mule that will tolerate smaller animals, goats, sheep, calves, dogs, or chickens. I don't know why, it's just the way they are.
As for carrying capacity. A mule that weighs 1000 pounds can carry 200 pounds all day long, with a good packsaddle and padding. When the US Army used pack mules, their standard load for a 1000 pound mule was 350 pounds. Packing a mule isn't like loading a truck or wagon, you have to know what you are doing. As for pulling, they can drag their own weight on a dray or sled. In a wagon or cart with wheels they can pull many times their own weight, depending on terrain and steepness of grade. I weigh 180 pounds, and my saddle weighs 60 pounds, before I put saddle bags, canteen, rifle, axe, coat and slicker on it. My mule who weighs 1100 or 1200 pounds can carry me at a trot all day long, over any terrain where he can keep his footing. The question would be more of what the rider can do, than the mule.
A mule that will ride, drive, and pack, is worth his weight in anything you care to trade. A mule that has been mistreated, or abused is as dangerous as a bear. He will wait, bide his time, and kill you graveyard dead.
As for carrying capacity. A mule that weighs 1000 pounds can carry 200 pounds all day long, with a good packsaddle and padding. When the US Army used pack mules, their standard load for a 1000 pound mule was 350 pounds. Packing a mule isn't like loading a truck or wagon, you have to know what you are doing. As for pulling, they can drag their own weight on a dray or sled. In a wagon or cart with wheels they can pull many times their own weight, depending on terrain and steepness of grade. I weigh 180 pounds, and my saddle weighs 60 pounds, before I put saddle bags, canteen, rifle, axe, coat and slicker on it. My mule who weighs 1100 or 1200 pounds can carry me at a trot all day long, over any terrain where he can keep his footing. The question would be more of what the rider can do, than the mule.
A mule that will ride, drive, and pack, is worth his weight in anything you care to trade. A mule that has been mistreated, or abused is as dangerous as a bear. He will wait, bide his time, and kill you graveyard dead.
