The Dezhou donkey is a treasure from head to tail. Just how high is its breeding value?
The Dezhou donkey originated in the counties along the Bohai coast in Binzhou City and Dezhou City, Shandong Province, with Wudi as the central production area, so it is also called the "Wudi donkey." It is one of China's large donkey breeds and an excellent local breed, and it has now been included in the national list of protected local breeds. In appearance, it is divided into two major types: the "Sanfen donkey" and the "Wutou donkey." The Dezhou donkey has strong adaptability, tolerates coarse feed, and has strong disease resistance, making it deeply popular among farmers in various regions. The Dezhou donkey has now been introduced as breeding stock to 24 provinces and cities including **, Shaanxi, and Liaoning, and has also brought considerable economic benefits to breeders.
I. Body shape and appearance
The Dezhou donkey has a tall and large build, a well-proportioned structure, a beautiful appearance, a square body shape, and a good connection between the head, neck, and trunk. The coat color is divided into two types: Sanfen (pinkish-white around the nose, around the eyes, and under the belly, with the rest of the hair black) and Wutou (the whole body is black). Body measurements of adult breeding donkeys: the male donkey stands 142 cm tall at the withers, with a body length of 143.6 cm, a chest circumference of 152.8 cm, and a cannon bone circumference of 18.7 cm; the female donkey is correspondingly 140, 137, 160, and 16.4 cm. The male donkey has a broad forehand, a head and neck held high, large eyes and an even mouth, a spirited bearing, a straight back and slightly sloped loin, rounded ribs, powerful limbs, prominent joints, and round, hard hooves. The average withers height of the Dezhou donkey is generally 130-135 cm, with the tallest reaching 155 cm.
II. Production performance
The Dezhou donkey grows and develops quickly, reaches sexual maturity at 12-15 months of age, and begins mating at 2.5 years old. At 1 year old, the foal's withers height and body length are more than 85% of those of an adult donkey. Female donkeys generally come into estrus very regularly and can produce about 10 foals over their lifetime; even a 25-year-old good donkey can still produce foals. Male donkeys have a strong libido; under normal circumstances, the semen volume is 70 ml, sometimes reaching 180 ml, and the semen quality is good. When raised as a meat donkey, the slaughter rate can reach as high as 53%, and the meat yield is relatively high. It is an excellent sire breed for improving small donkeys. A single donkey pulling a cart can carry 750 kg and travel 40-45 km per day, and can do so for many consecutive days. Its maximum pulling force accounts for 75% of its body weight.
III. Utilization value
Donkey meat also has health benefits such as nourishing the blood and tonifying qi and deficiency. The custom of eating donkey meat has also risen in Guangdong, Guangxi, Shaanxi, Beijing, Tianjin, Hebei, Shandong, and other places, which shows that developing donkey meat farming has great potential. According to analysis, every 100 grams of donkey meat contains 18 grams of protein, 0.7 grams of fat, 10 mg of calcium, 1 mg of phosphorus, and 13.6 mg of iron. Its effective nutritional components are no less than those of beef, rabbit, dog, and other meats, making it a typical high-protein, low-fat meat food. The Dezhou donkey also has medicinal value; its hide is the raw material for making ejiao. Its milk value is also very high. Donkey milk is extremely similar to human milk, with its nutritional composition ratio accounting for almost 99% of the components contained in human milk, making it the best substitute for human milk; moreover, donkey milk has the effect of moisturizing the skin and improving the facial environment.