Analysis of the Current Status and Future Trends of China's Donkey Farming Industry
China is one of the world's major donkey-producing countries. Donkeys are gentle in temperament, tolerant of coarse feed, economical in feed consumption, highly adaptable, resistant to disease, and easy to manage. In the past, because of their great physical strength, they served as draft animals in rural areas throughout history, but with the rapid development of agricultural mechanization today, not enough attention has been paid to donkeys. Local donkey breeds and farming numbers are gradually declining. At present, people have become aware of the nutritional value of donkey products, and the demand for donkey meat, donkey hide, donkey milk, and donkey fat continues to increase. Whether in domestic or international markets, the consumption of donkey products is becoming increasingly popular.
I. Background of the Domestic Donkey Farming Industry
China has a history of raising donkeys for nearly 4,000 years and is one of the world's major donkey-producing countries. After Zhang Qian's mission to the Western Regions during the Western Han Dynasty, over more than 2,000 years, along with the introduction of fine horses and alfalfa, large numbers of donkeys and mules came eastward. During the Tang and Song dynasties, donkeys, as one of the draft animals, had already spread throughout the Central Plains. By modern times, the distribution of donkeys had reached almost all northern agricultural areas and semi-agricultural semi-pastoral areas. Donkey raising in China began in the **south and gradually spread eastward, developing from Gansu and Shaanxi to the whole country. The continuous development of donkey raising in China was mainly due to the fact that, apart from reducing the requisition of military animals, donkeys possess excellent biological characteristics and good adaptability to the small-scale peasant economy. Donkeys are relatively small in build but have a sturdy constitution, are highly adaptable to poor environmental conditions, make efficient use of forage, are not prone to illness, and are easy to feed. Therefore, donkeys consume less straw than cattle and less feed than horses, hence the saying "raise donkeys when poor, raise horses when rich." Farmers who could not afford to keep cattle or horses had no choice but to keep donkeys. Donkeys are suitable for riding, pulling, and carrying packs, are full of endurance, good at climbing mountains and crossing ridges, and can walk on rugged narrow paths, making them very suitable for draft use in mountainous areas. These excellent characteristics and uses of donkeys made them favored by farmers and widely bred and utilized. Donkeys prefer dry and warm climates, and are most numerous in the middle and lower reaches of the Yellow River, the Wei River, the Huai River, and the Hai River basins, **, the Hexi Corridor of Gansu, and the Qingyang area. Through acclimatization, donkeys have gradually adapted to the severe cold climate of Jilin and Heilongjiang. The provinces south of the Yangtze River have low terrain. Although it is hot, humid, and rainy, and donkeys do exist there, their numbers are very few. Although the mountainous areas of the southwest receive abundant rainfall, parts of northwestern Sichuan and western Yunnan, which have high altitudes and distinct dry and wet seasons, are also suitable for raising donkeys; however, Guizhou Province, which is damp and foggy, originally had almost no donkeys.
China has a vast territory, a wide distribution of donkeys, and abundant breed resources. Donkeys can be divided into three types: large, medium, and small. Large donkeys include the Guanzhong donkey and the Biyang donkey, both of which stand over 130 cm tall at the withers; medium donkeys include the Liaoning donkey, the Qingyang donkey, and the Dezhou donkey, standing between 110 and 130 cm tall at the withers; small donkeys, commonly known as maolu, include the ** donkey and the Liangzhou donkey, found mostly in North China, Gansu, **, and other places, where donkeys stand between 85 and 110 cm tall at the withers. Donkeys resemble horses in appearance, are mostly grayish-brown, and are not imposing or majestic. They have large heads, long ears, slightly narrow chests, thin and weak limbs, and relatively short torsos, so their height at the withers and body length are roughly equal, forming a square shape. They have thin skin on the neck, small but solid hooves, a strong constitution, tolerance of coarse feed, strong resistance, resistance to illness, a gentle temperament, and obedience to work. Donkeys can be used for plowing and riding. They can plow 2.5 to 3 mu per day working 6 to 7 hours. In rural areas, they can also be ridden to market and are suitable for pack transport in mountainous areas and for family draft use.
Donkey Farming: Current Status, Development Prospects, and Benefit Analysis of the Donkey Farming Industry
II. Current Status of Domestic Donkey Farming
Surveys by livestock experts of some donkey meat deep-processing enterprises, livestock trading markets, leather material markets, fur markets, Ejiao (donkey-hide gelatin) manufacturers, and donkey slaughterhouses across the country have found that donkey resources are declining sharply, the number of donkey slaughterers is decreasing year by year, and competition in the donkey hide market is becoming more intense. In terms of macro policy, most provinces focus on cattle and sheep as their leading livestock industries; donkey farming is not the direction of livestock development, and there are no scientific development plans or breed improvement projects, so donkey inventories are showing a downward trend. The reasons for the decline include many aspects: in plain areas, as farmers' incomes increase year by year, farmers have gradually replaced the donkeys and donkey carts that served as draft power and transportation for generations with tractors and tricycles; donkeys inherently have long breeding cycles, and slaughterers, driven by profit, slaughter local donkeys regardless of age or sex in an almost exterminating manner, causing donkey inventories to plummet. According to statistics from the Ministry of Agriculture, Animal Husbandry and Fisheries, at the end of 1983, the national donkey inventory was 9.449 million head, accounting for about 20% of the world's total donkey population. The donkey inventory in Gansu Province was 1.105 million head, accounting for 11.69% of the national donkey inventory. Donkey farming in Gansu Province is mainly concentrated in the Hexi Corridor and the Qingyang area.
Donkeys have strong adaptability, tolerance of coarse feed, strong disease resistance, relatively simple feeding techniques, and low risk, making them deeply loved by farmers in various regions and bringing considerable economic benefits to breeders. For example, for a breeder, one foal produced per year can be sold for 1,100 to 1,200 yuan at 5 to 6 months of age.
China has more than 30 donkey breeds, among which the fine breeds are the Guanzhong donkey, Dezhou donkey, Jiami donkey, Biyang donkey, Qingyang donkey, and Guangling donkey, six in total. In recent years, the donkey farming industry has been heating up, and expanding herds and breeding urgently need breeding donkeys, but fine breeding donkeys are scarce. The price of fine breeding donkeys has risen from 1,500 to 2,000 yuan/head a few years ago to the current 3,000 to 6,000 yuan/head. In remote mountainous areas, semi-mountainous areas, and hilly areas, the demand for draft donkeys is increasing year by year, and the price has risen from 400 to 500 yuan/head a few years ago to the current 800 to 1,200 yuan/head. Fine-breed draft donkeys have risen from 600 to 700 yuan/head to 1,200 to 2,000 yuan/head. Because adult breeding donkeys and draft donkeys sell for relatively high prices and direct purchase costs are high, many farmers buy young donkeys to raise, causing their demand to rise continuously, with prices rising from 200 to 300 yuan/head a few years ago to the current 600 to 1,500 yuan/head.
In recent years, very little commercial development of donkeys has been carried out, so they have retained only their former draft value while gradually losing their economic value. Their benefits are relatively low, which has affected farmers' enthusiasm for raising them, further causing their inventories to gradually decline. According to statistics, in Wudi County, Shandong Province, the current Dezhou donkey inventory is only 3,800 head, a substantial decrease compared with the historical peak of 27,000 head.
III. Nutritional Value of Donkey Products
1. Donkey Milk
Scientific research shows that donkey milk is extremely similar to human milk, with its nutrient composition ratio accounting for almost 99% of the components contained in human milk, making it the best substitute for human milk; it is a natural selenium-rich food, with a selenium content 5.2 times that of cow's milk. Selenium is an indispensable substance for human development and growth. It can stimulate the production of human immunoglobulins and antibodies, eliminate substances harmful to the human body, protect cell membranes and chromosomes, and protect the structure and function of ribose and nucleic acid macromolecules. Selenium deficiency in the human body can lead to arteriosclerosis, myocardial infarction, and hypertension; selenium has physiological activity similar to insulin in regulating glucose metabolism, prevents the formation of peroxide free radicals, blocks the metabolism of cancer cells, and inhibits the division and growth of cancer cells; selenium can participate in the human body's metabolic processes and has multiple functions such as improving immunity, increasing protein, and prolonging life, so selenium is called the "spark of life."
Donkey milk is rich in "epidermal growth factor," abbreviated internationally as EGF. The EGF factor has a miraculous effect in repairing nasal and tracheal mucosa, and can enhance human resistance and immunity. Medical experts believe that patients with bronchitis, pneumonia, and pulmonary tuberculosis who drink donkey milk during treatment experience auxiliary therapeutic effects. In the 1970s and 1980s, there were examples of using donkey milk as
a "folk remedy" to treat pulmonary tuberculosis.
Donkey milk is a natural health milk. Its nutritional and functional properties are innate rather than added later. Testing has shown that the cholesterol content in donkey milk is only 1/5 that of cow's milk, making it a natural low-fat, low-cholesterol organic food that can provide humanity with unprecedented
culinary excellence!
2. Donkey Meat
There is a saying in life that "dragon meat in heaven, donkey meat on earth," used to describe the deliciousness of donkey meat. Donkey meat is delicious and nutritious, a typical high-protein, low-fat green and safe meat food. Donkey meat is tender, far surpassing beef and mutton, but because it is marketed in small quantities, its influence is simply not as great as that of beef. Donkey meat has the functions of supplementing qi and tonifying deficiency, making it one
of the more ideal health foods.
Donkey meat is extremely nutritious, containing many nutrients easily absorbed by the human body. Every 100 g of donkey meat contains 18.6 g of protein, 0.7 g of fat, 10 mg of calcium, 144 mg of phosphorus, and 13.6 mg of iron. In addition, it also contains carbohydrates, calcium, phosphorus, iron, and various amino acids needed by the human body. Its effective nutritional components are no less than those of beef, rabbit, dog, and other meats.
The protein content of donkey meat is higher than that of beef and pork, while its fat content is lower than that of beef and pork, making it a typical high-protein, low-fat food. It also contains animal glue, collagen, calcium, sulfur, and other components, which can provide good nutritional supplementation for people who are weak or recovering after illness. Donkey meat has functions such as supplementing qi and blood and benefiting the internal organs, making it an excellent tonic food therapy for those with years of cumulative strain, those recovering from long illness, those with qi and blood deficiency, shortness of breath and fatigue, and poor appetite.
3. Donkey Hide
Ejiao products, a national treasure of traditional Chinese medicine with extraordinary efficacy, are made by simmering donkey hide as the main raw material. They have excellent effects in supplementing blood and qi, and are especially effective for women's beauty and skin care.
4. Donkey Bone, Donkey Blood, Donkey Fat, etc.
According to records in the Compendium of Materia Medica, donkey bone soup can "treat diabetes over many years." By-products such as donkey blood and donkey fat also have high medicinal and health value.
IV. Development Potential of the Donkey Farming Industry
According to 2000 statistics, China's donkey meat output was 182,900 tons, accounting for about 1/3 of the world's donkey meat output. In terms of medicinal value, according to estimates by the Dong'e Ejiao Group, 1.3 million donkey hides are needed per year, while the domestic supply of donkey hides is only 400,000, leaving a large market gap. Faced with such a large market gap, livestock departments and enterprises have realized the potentially huge commercial value of the donkey industry.
Donkeys are commonly known as "straight-gut donkeys." Their forage requirements are relatively coarse, and farming techniques are simple. The straw of various crops such as corn, soybeans, and wheat, as well as weeds, can all be used as feed. Very little concentrated feed such as grain is used, so feeding costs are low. Compared with cattle, sheep, pigs, and poultry, they have fewer diseases, and donkeys have a shorter growth period than cattle and horses, about 1.5 years. The gestation period is
relatively long (12 months), with 1 foal per pregnancy, and a fattening period of 6 to 8 months. The annual forage cost for 1 donkey is about 150 yuan, and the price of an adult donkey is about 1,500 yuan. If you invest in purchasing 1 female donkey, after fattening, plus the foal, the forage cost for two donkeys is 300 yuan. After 1.5 years, the foal can be sold for 2,000 yuan in income. In this way, 1 donkey can generate nearly 1,000 yuan in income per year, and the cost can be recovered in less than 2 years. Whether for farmers or large-scale breeders, the economic benefits of raising donkeys are quite considerable. Especially for farmers raising donkeys, they have uniquely favorable conditions, with virtually no need to consider labor and forage costs, and the donkeys can also be used for draft work.
According to experimental results, fattening meat donkeys for 3 to 5 months can increase weight by 100 to 150 kg. Buying 1 small donkey of just over 100 kg costs about 1,300 to 1,500 yuan, and after fattening it can be sold for 2,000 to 2,600 yuan, yielding a profit of 700 to 1,100 yuan. During the fattening period, 100 to 200 kg of concentrated feed is consumed, about 100 to 200 yuan; 500 to 750 kg of roughage is consumed, about 100 to 150 yuan; and other expenses are about 100 yuan. The net income from fattening 1 donkey can reach 400 to 650 yuan. If local feed resources are abundant, part of the funds can also be saved. Fattening and raising meat donkeys on a certain scale yields very considerable benefits.
For example, when old Liangzhou donkeys were fattened for 60 days with a single legume hay, the average daily gain was 247 g. When old Guanzhong donkeys and Liangzhou donkeys were fattened for 25 days with wheat straw and concentrated feed, the average daily gain was 435 g, and the average daily gain over 35 days of fattening was 299 g; while when Jinnan donkeys, 60% of which were old donkeys, were fattened for 70 days on a diet of high-quality legume and grass hay plus concentrated feed, the average daily gain in the first 30 days was 700 g, the average daily gain from days 31 to 50 was 630 g, and the average daily gain from days 51 to 70 was 327 g, with an average daily gain of 574 g over the entire 70 days. Through investigation and calculation, the feeding cost of meat donkeys is significantly lower than that of beef cattle, sheep, and dairy cattle, making them very suitable for farmer development. See Table 1 for details.
Of course, to change the tight supply situation of donkey products, the guidance and leadership of leading enterprises play an important role. In addition to working hard on donkey farming bases, donkey breeding, and breed promotion, efforts should also be made in the sales and development channels of donkey meat in response to the current characteristics of low donkey meat value, lack of mainstream consumption, and absence of brands, so as to mobilize farmers' enthusiasm for raising donkeys. The path to wealth through donkey farming will also become broader and broader.
V. Development Prospects
Donkey farming has low risk, wide sources of feed, low investment, quick results, and high benefits. All regions should be market-oriented, rely on their own conditions, introduce and cultivate fine donkey breeds, vigorously develop the characteristic industry of donkey farming, meet domestic and international market demand for donkey products, and increase farmers' incomes.
1. Medicinal Value
Donkeys are large in size, have thick hides, and yield a high gelatin extraction rate, making them superior raw materials for simmering the traditional Chinese medicinal material Ejiao. Ejiao not only sells well domestically but is also exported to Southeast Asian countries and European and American markets. China's Ejiao production requires about 2 million donkey hides per year. Dong'e Ejiao alone needs 1.5 million per year, leaving a relatively large market gap.
2. Dairy Value
There have been reports of a French mother raising a donkey to nurse her child and an Egyptian queen bathing in donkey milk. Donkey milk has very high nutritional value. The taro-alkali acid contained in donkey milk has effects in beautifying, whitening, moisturizing the skin, and improving facial condition. A large French daily necessities company is negotiating with China on cooperation in using donkey milk as a cosmetic raw material.
Finished donkey milk sells for about 10 yuan/kg in ** and even more in the mainland. The average price of finished donkey milk sold in the mainland is about 35 to 40 yuan/kg. This shows that the donkey milk market is large, with optimistic prospects.
3. Meat Value
The donkey meat market is in short supply, and prices have been rising year after year. From 1998 to 1999 it was 10 to 12 yuan/kg, from 2000 to 2001 it rose to 13 to 15 yuan/kg, from 2002 to 2003 it rose again to 16 to 17 yuan/kg, and in 2012 it rose again to 20 to 25 yuan/kg.
Relevant experts from the China Animal Products Processing Research Association calculated an account of the benefits of raising donkeys: by introducing a series of new feeding techniques, raising one commercial donkey, after deducting forage costs, can yield more than 2,500 yuan in profit. According to Professor Luo Xin of Shandong Agricultural University, donkey meat can increase commercial value by more than 40% simply through grading and cutting. The advancement of commercialization of donkeys will bring broad prospects for common development to farmers, feeding service industries, meat processing industries, and Ejiao production enterprises.
The trend of eating donkey meat has also risen in Guangdong, Guangxi, **, Shaanxi, Beijing, Tianjin, Hebei, Shandong, and other places, indicating great potential for developing and raising meat donkeys. In addition, donkeys' innate tolerance of harsh living conditions is the most outstanding among all livestock. Once their living conditions are changed and a more favorable and suitable fattening method is applied, their feed conversion efficiency and raising benefits will both increase substantially. This is a new type of livestock farming worthy of attention and development.
4. Donkey Bone and Other By-products
By-products such as donkey bone are auxiliary raw materials for producing medicines and health products. Output is less than 40% of demand, and prices have now risen 2 to 3 times compared with a few years ago.
In addition, as numbers decrease, because donkey breeds are rare, they can serve new purposes such as ornamental viewing and riding.