Does a pony grow up to be a horse?

Should you add an equine to your farm?

Many people envision adding an equine to their farm, and a well-thought-out plan can make the difference between a dream or a nightmare. Animal ownership can come at a great cost if your choices are not a good fit for your farm’s infrastructure and your level of experience.

Do donkeys eat differently from horses?

Donkeys have a little different feeding behavior in some cases than horses. You might try a different feed just to give the donkey a different taste/feel. Old timers used to say that donkeys are very responsive to anything that made them uncomfortable and learn to graze very selectively, more so than horses.

How to quarantine a new horse on a farm?

If you have to quarantine a new horse on your farm, choose a place where there is no physical contact, no contact with respiratory secretions, and no contact with nasal spray. The horses should not share feeders, water troughs, or turnout areas.

Is there a difference between feeding a donkey and a horse?

Hi Randy, Interesting question. Donkeys have a little different feeding behavior in some cases than horses. You might try a different feed just to give the donkey a different taste/feel.

What does quarantine mean?

The official definition of quarantine is: “ A state, period or place of isolation in which people or animals that have been exposed to infectious or contagious diseases are placed .”

How do you take care of a baby donkey?

Feed little and often as donkeys are ‘trickle feeders’. Any change in the feeding regime must always be carried out gradually over a couple of weeks. Always feed according to the donkey’s age, weight and temperament. Avoid dusty or mouldy feeds.

What do you feed a donkey?

The donkey diet should consist of mainly good quality barley straw or oat straw (barley straw is best) and carefully restricted access to grass. Donkeys may require supplemental hay if they are not maintaining good body condition with the straw and restricted grass diet (for e.g. during the winter months).

What is trickle feeding a donkey?

This is known as trickle feeding and helps to keep the donkey’s digestive system healthy and to keep the donkey occupied. Please note that, while donkeys are a member of the Equidae or horse family, they are a different species to horses and therefore have different needs.

Can donkeys eat straw hay and grass?

Please look out for ragwort in hay as this is highly poisonous for donkeys. Important note: Some donkeys, even young donkeys may have difficulty eating straw, hay and grass due to poor dentition. These donkeys will require veterinary attention to address the dental issues and special dietary attention to ensure they receive adequate nutrition.

What is the best hay for donkeys?

By feeding donkeys lower-calorie hay, you can keep more hay in front of them, which helps reduce boredom and promote gastrointestinal health. It is, however, challenging to find a grass hay with a calorie content in the recommended range (they are typically over 0.8 Mcals per pound).

How many things should you feed your horse?

The shelves are absolutely stocked with bales of hay, bags of grain in huge varieties, supplements that all claim to have some or another magical effect. If you listen to the salespeople, you’ll end up feeding your horse twenty different things.

What is a quarantine policy at a horse boarding facility?

If there are a lot of horses coming and going at the horse boarding facility, it is important to find out if they have a quarantine policy. A quarantine policy means that new horses and possibly even horses that have left to go to a large event must be separated from the other horses on the property for a set amount of time.

Do donkeys need different nutritional needs than horses?

Donkeys aren’t horses, and nowhere is that more apparent than in their feed needs. Find out what your donkey should eat. Q: I’d like to add a donkey to my horse herd as a companion. Do donkeys have the same nutritional needs as horses? — MA, via email A: Just like in horses, forage needs to be the foundation of a donkey’s diet.

Why are pigeons called trickle feeders?

Eating in this way has led to them being known as ‘trickle’ feeders, and this means that the feed they ingest (technically termed the ‘bolus’) together with saliva from chewing, pass into the stomach in a constant, small trickle.

How often should I trim my donkey’s feet?

Most donkeys will require a foot trim every 6-10 weeks, but care should be taken with older donkeys who might struggle to lift their limbs. You should aim to keep limbs as low as possible during trimming. If a donkey’s foot becomes overgrown you should obtain a radiograph prior to trimming to check for any changes to the bone within the hoof.

What do you need to take care of a baby donkey?

In a very cold climate, your donkey will need a stall or a four-sided shelter with a door. In moderate to warm climates, a three-sided shed is fine. Be sure to keep a filled, net bag of mixed grass hay available at all times, along with fresh water and a mineral block.

Why choose dondonkeys?

Donkeys are far better at learning by observing than are horses. When you work with your donkey and demonstrate what you want (as shown here) you will find that your donkey understands and wants to work with you.

How much grass should a donkey eat?

Grass or hay/haylage should make up approximately 25-50% of the diet depending on the time of year. Donkeys don’t generally need to eat grass alongside hay/haylage for a large part of the year when nutrients are fairly high in growing grass.

What kind of hay can I Feed my donkey?

Between oat straw and barley straw, barley straw is the best for your donkey. If you notice that your donkey doesn’t respond well to their straw diet and is becoming thin especially in winter months, you might need to give them supplemental hay such as seed hay from Timothy grass or rye.

What kind of grass do donkeys eat?

Low-quality pasture grasses are adequate. Mules are not quite as efficient as donkeys but are much more efficient than horses. There is limited information about protein requirements for donkeys but researchers have suggested that they are very efficient in the utilization of dietary protein.

What kind of hay do donkeys need?

Donkeys may require supplemental hay if they are not maintaining good body condition with the straw and restricted grass diet (for e.g. during the winter months). Types of suitable hay include: Meadow hay or seed hay (from Rye or Timothy grass). Please look out for ragwort in hay as this is highly poisonous for donkeys.

How much do donkeys eat a day?

While horses consume around 3.1% of their body weight in dry food every day, donkeys eat just 1.5% of theirs. That equates to about 2 to 3 kg of fiber per day. Barley straw is more readily available as a pond treatment than a donkey feed in the USA.

Can you feed a donkey haylage?

Whatever type of hay you choose, it needs to be stored in a dry barn for at least three months before it’s suitable for feeding. Never feed your donkey freshly cut grass, as this can cause colic and laminitis. Haylage is almost identical to grass, except that it is has a higher moisture content.

Is straw good for donkeys to eat?

As donkeys have a very high fibre, low sugar dietary requirement, straw makes a good basic feeding product.

What should I do if my horse has an infectious disease?

The period of isolation and any testing for infectious diseases should be determined in consultation with your vet. If a horse on any premises is ill with an infectious disease, your vet should be consulted as to what measures are needed to prevent the disease spreading to other animals. In general,…