A Complete Analysis of New Techniques for Fattening and Raising Meat Donkeys

    Traditionally, donkeys in our country were raised for draft purposes. In recent years, with the deepening development of the market economy, transitioning draft donkeys to meat-type donkeys will become one of the main sources for humanity to obtain animal protein in the 21st century. Donkey meat is a fashionable delicacy among meat products, and there has long been a saying that "dragon meat in heaven, donkey meat on earth." Donkey hide is also the main raw material for brewing the precious traditional Chinese medicinal tonic "Ejiao" (donkey-hide gelatin), as well as a raw material for light industrial products, with a wide range of uses. Donkeys are herbivorous animals with strong disease resistance and tolerance for coarse feed. Currently, one meat donkey can yield a profit of over one thousand yuan, making it an emerging wealth-building project.
    Purpose. Mad cow disease and foot-and-mouth disease have appeared in some European countries, as well as swine flu. Europeans have already become afraid of eating beef, mutton, and pork. Donkey meat has become one of the main new meat choices for Europeans. For this reason, meat donkey production has broad development prospects and sales markets.
    I. Selection of fattening donkeys.
    Due to the shortage of superior breeding donkeys, inbreeding has resulted, leading to small body size, low meat production performance, and poor economic returns. Therefore, superior breeds with large body size, fast growth during the fattening period, high meat yield, and good meat quality, or improved donkeys crossbred from these superior breeds, should be selected for fattening. China's large donkey breeds include local superior breeds such as the Guanzhong donkey, Dezhou donkey, Miyang donkey, Hexi donkey, and Jiami donkey. These donkey breeds all have characteristics such as fast growth, large body size, strong disease resistance, robust constitution, good meat production performance, and obvious heterosis.
    II. Construction of donkey pens and shelters.
    Meat donkeys can be raised in three ways: tethered feeding, pen feeding, and free-range grazing. Generally, any livestock shelter can be used. New livestock shelters should be built on flat terrain, facing away from the wind and toward the sun, with an adequate water source. The size of the shelter depends on the scale of operation. In summer, it should have good ventilation for heat relief and cooling; in winter, it should be easy to keep warm and prevent cold. Feeding troughs and drinking water utensils should be provided inside the shelter.
    III. Feed formulas and scientific feeding.
    Meat donkeys have strong adaptability and tolerance for coarse feed. Forage includes green and coarse feeds such as millet straw, corn stalks, peanut vines, sweet potato vines, and various wild grasses. Concentrate feed includes mixed concentrates such as soybean meal, peanut cake, cottonseed cake, corn, sorghum, barley, and wheat. Coarse feed should be chopped to a length of 2-3 cm; concentrate feed should be crushed, roasted, or soaked to improve palatability and digestibility. Feeding should be done by tethering, with fixed trough positions, and males and females fed in separate troughs. Feed at fixed times and in fixed amounts, feeding small amounts frequently, 3-4 times per day, with free access to water after eating.
    IV. Fattening of young donkeys.
    Young donkeys can graze on tender grass at about 3 weeks after birth. Generally, at 20 days of age, they can be trained to eat concentrate feed. Corn, sorghum, wheat, soybeans, etc. can be crushed and cooked into a thin porridge, placed in a feed container, and a small amount of sugar added to induce feeding. During this period, nursing is the main source of nutrition, with supplemental feeding as a supplement. Initially, supplement with 10-20 g per day, which can be increased to 80-100 g after several days. Weaning can occur at 6 months of age. As months of age gradually increase, supplement with concentrate feed and high-quality forage. After 9 months of age, feed 3.5 kg of concentrate per day.
    V. Fattening of adult donkeys.
    On the basis of routine feeding, select 12-15-month-old feeder donkeys or donkeys that cannot be used for draft work for short-term fattening. In addition to stopping draft work, the amount of mixed concentrate feed should be increased. Feed formula: soybean meal 20%, cottonseed cake 10%, sq m (sorghum, wheat) bran 20%. After mixing, soak in water for 2-3 h. Mix the supplemental feed into the forage twice daily, morning and evening, and add 20-25 g of salt. Allow free access to high-quality forage. Feed 3-4 times per day. The fattening period is 2 to 3 months, after which they can be sold. In addition, ensure adequate drinking water, limit exercise, brush the skin, and maintain cleanliness to facilitate fattening.