Techniques for the Production and Management of Meat Donkey Breeding
Practical experience in stall feeding has proven that using different types of feed to fatten donkeys yields good results. In comparison, a diet of concentrated feed and dried grass is more effective. For example, fattening aged Liangzhou donkeys with only legume hay for 60 days resulted in an average daily weight gain of 247 grams. Fattening aged Guanzhong and Liangzhou donkeys with a diet of wheat straw and concentrated feed for 25 days yielded an average daily weight gain of 435 grams, while fattening them for 35 days resulted in an average daily weight gain of 299 grams. Fattening aged donkeys (60% of which were Jinan donkeys) with high-quality legume and grass family hay combined with concentrated feed for 70 days resulted in an average daily weight gain of 700 grams for the first 30 days, 630 grams for days 31-50, and 327 grams for days 51-70, yielding an overall average daily weight gain of 574 grams over 70 days.
Meat donkey breeding can adopt stall management or semi-grazing, semi-stall management; it can be done on a certain scale by agricultural producers or through intensive operations. Breeding can follow a self-breeding and self-raising model or adopt a staged production model for out-of-area fattening. Regardless of the method used, the principle of adapting measures to local conditions and ensuring profitable operation should be followed. In practice, these three management methods are not used singly but rather overlap to some extent.
Each year, at least two health checks and deworming sessions should be conducted for the donkeys, promptly identifying and treating any diseases.
For newly purchased donkeys, on the first day, provide only water; on the second day, provide water along with fresh grass or hay; on the third day, provide water, allow free access to fresh grass or hay, and add 0.5 kilograms of wheat bran; from the fourth to sixth day, continue as above, adding 1 kilogram of corn.
After a six-day transition period, enter the fattening phase, allowing free access to coarse feeds such as grain grass, cottonseed hulls, soybean stalks, and corn stalks. Feed each donkey 3.5 to 4 kilograms of mixed concentrated feed per day, composed of: cottonseed cake or soybean meal, peanut cake 50%, cornmeal 29%, wheat bran 20%, salt 1%, and add 20 grams of sodium bicarbonate per donkey per day.
During the fattening period, limit movement, supply clean drinking water, brush the donkey's body daily, and keep the pen and surrounding environment dry and hygienic. Slaughter after 60 to 70 days of fattening.
Embryonic Development of Foals
Proper care of pregnant mares ensures normal fetal development. Good prenatal development lays the foundation for postnatal development. The fetus obtains its nutrition from the mother, so the feeding of pregnant mares must be strengthened, especially during the last 2 to 3 months of pregnancy. Additionally, the mother's ability to produce milk postpartum is directly related to whether she has accumulated sufficient nutrients during pregnancy. Therefore, taking good care of pregnant mares is doubly important for both the fetus and postnatal development.
Summer is the season when various green forages grow abundantly. Fresh green grass is juicy and palatable, and meat donkeys often overeat due to its palatability, leading to "intestinal gas disease." These forages ferment rapidly in the gastrointestinal tract, producing large amounts of gas that cannot be expelled in time due to the excessive amount of forage in the intestines, resulting in "intestinal gas disease."
Prevention:
1. Do not feed large amounts of young, juicy forage (especially alfalfa and other leguminous forages) all at once or graze on them excessively. It is best to mix green forage with quality dry grass for feeding.
2. If the disease occurs, immediately needle the posterior sea, qi sea Yu, and large intestine Yu acupoints. Gas will be expelled soon after needling. For particularly large abdomens, puncture the intestines to release gas as soon as possible, but do so slowly to avoid collapse.
Treatment:
1. Mix 250 grams of sodium sulfate, 30 grams of powdered dry ginger, and 1500 grams of warm water, and administer as a single dose.
2. Crush 5 heads of purple-skinned garlic, add 250 grams of white wine, mix, then add an appropriate amount of warm water and administer as a single dose.
Rearing Nursing Foals
Newborn foals have poor adaptability to external environments and require good feeding and careful attention.
1. First, ensure the foal consumes colostrum promptly. Colostrum produced within the first 3 days after birth is rich in nutrients, antibodies, and inorganic salts, enhancing the foal's immunity and aiding in the expulsion of meconium. Foals can stand within half an hour of birth, and the attendant should guide the foal to consume colostrum as soon as possible. If the foal cannot stand within 2 hours after birth, colostrum can be hand-milked and fed every 2 hours.
2. Monitor the foal carefully. Foals are initially clumsy and prone to accidents. On the day of birth, observe whether meconium has been expelled. If not, use 1000 milliliters of warm water or physiological saline, add 10-20 milliliters of glycerin or soft soap for enema administration; or consult a veterinarian. If diarrhea (grayish-white or green feces) occurs, suspend nursing and provide treatment. Simultaneously, check if the mare's udder and the foal's feed are hygienic, and ensure bedding is dry and warm.
3. Rearing foals with insufficient or no milk. Insufficient milk in foals is often caused by the death of the mother, and the best solution is to find another mare with similar birthing timing and abundant milk to foster the foal. Foals with insufficient or no milk can also be fed cow or goat milk. Since cow and goat milk have higher protein and fat content and lower lactose than donkey milk, dilute the milk with water (1:1) and add sugar and lime water slightly (add 3-5 tablespoons to half a liter of cow or goat milk), maintaining the temperature at 35℃-37℃, feeding every 1.5-2 hours. As the foal grows larger, the intervals between feedings can be extended.
Common deworming drugs for meat donkeys include three types:
Refined carbaryl: Calculate the dosage based on 50mg-80mg per kilogram of body weight, prepare a 10% concentration, and administer via stomach tube for good effect. For weak donkeys, it is best to divide the required dosage over two days.
Ivermectin: Calculate the dosage based on 0.2mg per kilogram of body weight, administer via subcutaneous injection. This can eliminate both internal and external parasites.
Fenbendazole: Calculate the dosage based on 10mg-20mg per kilogram of body weight, prepare a 10% concentration, and administer orally.
Observe the donkey's feces for three days after deworming to determine the effectiveness and ensure confidence in the outcome.