Are Donkey's Trained to Watch Cattle or Natural

[echix2005]

Are there any type of donkey better to watch over a herd w/ cattle and goats? Do the Jenny's do better than the Jacks?

Also are they automatic watchdogs or do you have to train them and at what age should you get one.

Do you just throw them into the herd or should they all be raised together?

Gotta get this figured out. Neighbor just brought home 6 calfs and a Jenny with them - she's a paint and gorgeous but she sure monitors those calfs!

Guess I need one with our upcoming little herd - we have lots of coyotes here and they said that a Jenny will keep them out of the field - she will basically kill them??

 

[Baymule]

Donkeys just naturally hate varmits. That can mean coyotes, stray dogs or your own loved pet. I had one that stomped everything, including chickens. Some could care less, right now I have a jack that will let cats and dogs in his pen, but if the dog is agressive, it's on and the jack is the winner. Jennys are best, Jacks can be agressive and kill instead of protect. Young donkeys play rough by biting each other on the neck. That is ok for the donkeys, but can injure or kill young or small livestock. Miniatures are too small and are likely to be victims of attacking predators. Mammoths are big and can be too slow to react quickly. Standard donkeys are the best size. I have run donkeys with cows, (don't have any now) and had very good results-never lost a calf. I even had 2 jacks with the herd and they were great with the new calves, but killed chickens. Whatever you get,take a real look at it and don't expect a donkey to be what it is not. Each one is an individual and they ALL are highly intelligent.

 

[patandchickens]

Just to add a key little bit to Baymules excellent explanation: not *every single* donkey hates canids. I have known two -- exactly two -- donkeys who were actually real good around dogs, even strange dogs. They would therefore have made really sucky guard animals.

Whatever you get,take a real look at it and don't expect a donkey to be what it is not. Each one is an individual and they ALL are highly intelligent.

This especially!


Pat, who has not used them for guarding but has known a certain number of recreational-use and pasture-pet donkeys

 

[echix2005]

Ok, going for a standard size then - I definitely do not want a masacre on the farm here with coyotes, chickens,etc. getting stomped like grapes by whatever I put in there - my neighbor has 2 "jesus" donkeys - guess they are miniatures but they don't look real small - about the size of a medium cow. Is that a mini or standard for a donkey?

 

[goodhors]

How tall is the animal at the shoulder? This is what determines Standard, Mammoth, Mini.

I think Mini horses are 36" and under. But a donkey of 42" is still pretty small, not going to do well in a fight with several or large dogs.

The sheep protectors we know run about 50" and up, in donkey sizing. Most are commonly found at the BLM sales of previously wild donkeys. Jenny is the preferred gender. They have other issues, not all will handle well, expecially with hoof care. If your ground is not harsh, rocky and stony, they need hoof care more often. Even with tranquilizers, they can be hard to trim.

Never heard of "Jesus donkeys" as a breed or specification. There are gray ones with lined backs, cross stripe on the shoulders supposedly where Baby Jesus sat as the Holy Family traveled to Egypt. All of that type I have seen were small, maybe 45-48 inches tall. People back then were smaller, so it could have worked.

People come up with all kinds of odd names for stuff, so I am guessing on this name. Crosses on the shoulder are common with certain colors on donkeys, not always a breed characteristic.

 

[jodief100]

I do not have donkeys but a farmer near me swears by them as Livestock Guardians. He said he wouldn't trade his jenny for a dozen dogs. He has mammoths and recomends using a jenny or gelding, not a jack.

 

[FlipFlopFarmer]

i agree with each animal is an individual. I had a lil jenny(standard) in with my cows, and she only went after coyotes and stray dogs and was very very people friendly. She never went after my farm dog when he was with me, but she watched him closely and he never went near her on his own(mutual respect i suppose).

i now have a pony mule(molly mule) in with my two mares and she is a fierce guardian. The stray cats that once lurked near my chicken tractors and crossed our field regularly, are scarce at best. the lil mule has a keen eye for anything in the pasture and tries to stomp the bejesus out of it.