The Stud Book - The Donkey Breed Society

Why Breed At All?

To preserve and improve the genus ‘Donkey’ or ‘Equus Asinus’

The donkey is far from being an endangered species, and many are relinquished into donkey sanctuaries on an annual basis, but without new life the donkey population would not be maintained at its current level, let alone improved.

For some breeders it is for financial gain, if only to fund the existing herd with mares put in foal in quick succession and their foals advertised for sale on an annual basis; for others it is in anticipation of breeding a show winner, with the mediocre being sold on when they fail to live up to expectations; whilst for a dedicated minority it will be with a genuine and considered desire to improve their stock and thereby the breed.

It is to be hoped that as Donkey Breed Society members we are going to respect our chosen animals and if and when we choose to breed, it will be for the right reasons, and with due consideration given to the choice of stallion or mare; recognising what we are trying to achieve in the way of improvement, and an understanding that donkeys can live for over half the human life expectation and will need to be cared for, long after many of us are gone.

We must never lose sight of the fact that to give the breeder the pleasure of babyhood and the fluffy foal in their paddock, the adult donkey will have to ‘endure’ a further thirty to forty years of life; those years stretching way into the future must be lived rather than endured and to that end selective breeding can ensure that limb, jaw and hoof conformation is of the best.

There can be no sadder sight than a donkey struggling to make its way across a field with obscenely constricted forelegs and cow hocks, or trying to crop grass with jaws that do not meet.

The birth of a foal can come as an immense shock to some, particularly where an owner has unwittingly purchased a mare or filly without realising that they have been running out with an entire male at some stage during the preceding twelve months and are now concealing an unborn foal.

Little time to prepare for the happy event; and in some instances little knowledge of what to expect. An even worse scenario being no time at all, when the mare gives birth without warning and the first one knows is the presence of two more ears and four more hooves in the stable or paddock.

Hopefully a little more planning can go into the birth of the majority of foals and so due consideration can be given to the choice of parents, date of foaling, and where the nuptials and happy event will take place in due course, ensuring that the birth will be a happily anticipated event with everything in place to make it as safe and secure as can be.

The information that follows is not intended to be an encyclopaedia or to replace the recognised text books that already exist. This is a layman’s guide prepared by the Stud Book Committee to help those owners wishing to breed a foal to make an informed choice.

Stud Book Report 2024

Stud Book Rules – Revised 6.11.2020 (a)

Stud Book Registration

The Donkey Breed Society holds Mother Stud Book Status for donkeys in the United Kingdom, granted in 1994 in accordance with EC Directive 90/427, and has published a printed Stud Book Annually since 1975.

The Stud Book is divided into seven registers, which accommodates the upgrading of the progeny from donkeys with unknown ancestry, to that of pedigree status, via three Improving Registers, providing the rule criteria for improvement is maintained.

Stud Book Rules

Responsible Breeding

Concerns are still being raised about the numbers of donkeys being bred indiscriminately for sale and profit rather than for any wish on the part of the breeder to retain them. With the number of people wishing to purchase donkeys declining, there is an ever growing welfare issue, exacerbated further by larger numbers of donkeys entering the United Kingdom from other EU countries.

Whilst it is the remit of the Stud Book committee to improve the breed by responsible and informed breeding it is also important to recognise when it is not in the best interest of the donkey to breed at all, and the committee is mindful that we are still in one of those times.

Prefix Registration

If you wish to give you donkey a personal identify as well as a name you could register a unique prefix which can be added in front of the name of any donkey you breed yourself.

To do this you need to apply for your choice of name to be registered through the Central Prefix Register, using the (Prefix Application Form) link, which should be completed as directed and returned to the Donkey Breed Society Registrar with the appropriate fee.

The cost of registration is £35 for a new prefix or £20 to extend a prefix you have registered for other purposes, and cheques should be made payable to the Donkey Breed Society.

Breeding performance Awards

Summerhays Brood Mare Scheme awards are made annually. The scheme is designed to reward our top pedigree (‘B’ registered in the Stud Book) brood mares, by calculating the in hand showing points that their offspring (from an ’A’ Stud Book stallion) have won for them. In this way, the offspring ‘win’ for their dam. The breeding spotlight often largely falls on the Stallion, however he is only part of the story; this award re-dresses the balance and shows the influence the mare has on the progeny

Improving Register Awards are calculated from the show ring placings of donkeys which are themselves registered on the three Improving Registers.

Stud book awards 2023 are shown here: Stud Book awards 2023

Passports

The Donkey Breed Society is an approved Passport Issuing Organisation and for that purpose the issuing of a passport document and registration are interlinked; each donkey will be assigned a registration number in the correct register for its status or type, which will appear on the passport document.

Covering certificates

Covering Certificates are in three parts and should be completed each time a mare visits a stallion recording the dates she has been covered. Please print off, complete and send off the relevant section as explained on the document DONKEY BREED SOCIETY COVERING CERTIFICATE.

Selecting the right stallion!

Having chosen your mare, whether it be from several, or the ‘no choice’ option of just the one, you now need to consider carefully the best stallion for her. This is a decision that will have a huge impact on your foal, so plan ahead, maybe a year or even more ahead, and plan with thought to the following:

What future role in life am I mapping out for my foal?
What do I known about her breeding and how does this impact on my choices?
What conformation defects in my mare am I trying to correct?
Why are Stud Book Pedigree Register Stallions Important?
How far am I willing to travel to meet the stallion of my dreams?

What is the future for my foal?

If you have no forward plan with desires to take up carriage driving, ploughing, tree hauling or win the Supreme Championship you may feel that choice of stallion is irrelevant, and that may indeed be so, but an old adage still remains true today. ‘It costs the same to keep a poor specimen as a good one’, and if the poor specimen is going to require veterinary attention on a frequent basis, then it could be considerably more. Whatever role your donkey may have in the future it deserves to be blessed with good conformation.

What do I know about my mare’s breeding and why does it matter?

Until 33 years ago little attention was paid to recording parentage of the donkey, it didn’t have the high profile of the horse and was relatively cheap to replace. These days the Donkey Breed Society holds comprehensive stud book records going back to 1974, and may be able to help trace those for your mare so that you can consciously avoid breeding her to a stallion that is in any way related. It is however more likely that your mare is of an entirely unknown origin and has to be seen to starting with a clean slate; it would still be advisable to see how much you can find out about her previous geographical location and avoid using a stallion in the same village as there could be a good chance that they are indeed related.

Breeding out conformation defects

Having identified any conformation problems in your mare it is imperative that you do not then mirror them in your choice of stallion, so its time to get up front and personal with some stud advertisements, photographs in society magazines and even the real thing, from the side of the ring at a show. Decide which stallion stirs you emotionally whether it is from the printed page or in the flesh, and ask yourself why? Does his picture show you a donkey standing well and looking settled; in the flesh does he stride out with confidence? and is he calm and settled in the company of others? Whilst showing may not be your thing, the success and results from those who do are a fairly good guide as to the quality of their stock.

Now is the time to do some home visiting, ask to meet the stallion you are attracted to. Be objective in your inspection, ask to see him walking and trotting towards and away from you as well as standing still, have your mare’s cow hocks and narrow chest or turned in hooves fixed in your mind and make sure the stallion doesn’t exhibit the same traits as he walks towards and away from you. If your mare appears to be a little light of bone with cannon bones like straws rather than tree trunks, seek a stallion with substantial leg development and your foal will at least stand a good chance of inheriting some of it. If you find yourself presented with a raving demon, be aware that such behaviour is not something you may wish to confront in your foal, the happy go lucky stallion comfortable with himself and his life, will be a better choice.

The stallion may only be 50% of the equation, but at this moment in time it is the most important 50% as making the right choice at this stage could enhance your mare’s ability to present you with an exceptional foal.

If your mare is under 36inches and bred from miniature stock careful selection of a suitable miniature stallion is even more critical as you need to avoid any stallion with the large head and short legs that might indicate dwarfism. It is imperative that your choice of stallion reflects your mare’s miniature status and that you do not send her to anything but a verified miniature stallion. To allow her to be covered by a larger stallion puts not only the life of your foal at risk but in the worst case scenario the mare as well, and the progeny will in no way be classified as a miniature donkey, regardless of height, but as part-bred standard donkey.

Why are Stud Book Pedigree Register Stallions important?

The simple fact is that they have recorded breeding, you will be able to trace their ancestry, and go out and look at progeny listed to see how they have grown and developed, and with the stallions in the pedigree register working today you can be confident that through the process of veterinary inspection prior to registration, any with hereditary defects and diseases have been identified and excluded.

Why are Improving Register Stallions Important?

They can be the means of acquiring bloodlines that might not otherwise be available and if your mare is in the Pedigree Register and you select a stallion from the 2nd Generation Improving register the progeny from the mating will be eligible for inspection for the pedigree stud book.

How far must I travel for the stallion of my mare’s dreams?

As far as is necessary and as far as your finances will allow!

The stallion down the road about which you know nothing will always be a cheaper and more convenient option than one with breeding and status three counties away, but do think carefully; if this is worth doing at all then surely it is worth doing properly

Your foal has a life expectancy of 35 – 40 years and you have a moral obligation to choose a stallion of the best quality you can

No-one that I have had contact with has made a living from breeding donkeys, but the pleasure of watching a good foal grow, knowing that you made the right choices is reward indeed.

The Stud Book Registrar can supply you with a comprehensive list of active stallions and their pedigrees.

Contact: Mrs P. Moon, Beech Grove, 75 Chain House Lane, Whitestake, Preston PR4 4LD

Before you decide to put your mare in foal, be aware that there is a 50/50 chance of the foal being male.

Donkey foals are very aware of their sexuality from a young age, and it has been known for a foal of five months old to get his own mother back in foal. A young colt foal will exhibit ‘coltish’ tendencies early on and although it is fun to play chase, and let them jump up around you when they are small, these games can quickly turn nasty in a foal that starts to throw his weight around a few months later.

So along with the other things you are considering when deciding to breed from your mare add in the costs involved in castrating your foal. The average cost of having a castration performed in 2009 is £200, and depending on your location could be substantially more with one person quoting £460, although that did include the mare and foal staying at the veterinary hospital for three days.

Speak to your own vet and ask the question, and prepare to castrate before sale; it is wholly irresponsible to sell a colt, foal or otherwise into an unsuspecting home where the new owners may not recognise the implications of having purchased an entire. You may think you have bred the best colt in the world and it would be sad to see him castrated, but he will live a much happier and fulfilled life as a gelding and be able to enjoy the company of friends. Most stallions live a solitary and frustrating life and it is only the very best who should be kept entire to secure the future of the breed.

A donkey can be castrated as young as two days old, but most vets are reluctant to perform the operation at such a young age. The optimum age to have the operation done is at about five to six months old, so the foal still has the comfort of his mum, and of course weaning is not such high priority if the chance of him covering her has been taken away. There are those who think a colt matures better the longer the operation is put off, he will have a sturdier crest and more ‘showy tendencies’, but of course he will have to be weaned at six months, and be kept in more secure surroundings. If your intention is to castrate do so as early as possible, much less traumatic for your baby and much less responsibility for you.

There is of course the need for some studs to find outcross colts to bring into their breeding programme, however most stud owners will have their eye on a certain line before the resulting foal is often born, and will have expressed a desire to purchase.

Re-homing

You may have bred your donkey with all good intentions that you will be giving him a home for life’ or you may have bred knowing full well that your foal will be for sale as soon as he/she is old enough to leave their mother.

A donkey can have a lifespan up to 40 years, so most will change homes once or more during their lifespan, and it is inevitable that the time will come when you can no longer keep your donkey and are faced with the decision to re-home them. Nobody can guarantee that the home you sell your donkey to will be suitable, but it is your responsibility to do everything you can to place them in the right home.

It is essential you know your donkey is going to a home where he will have company. Ideally this would be another donkey of similar age, as they will play and grow up at the same time. If your donkey is boisterous he may benefit from living with a slightly more mature animal, to give him some manners. A donkey will of course make a suitable companion for a horse or pony, but try to avoid goats and sheep as it has been known for a donkey to chase and even kill them.

Companionship is one of the most important issues of re-homing; donkeys are herd animals and need a companion of their own kind and will form strong and life-long bonds with another. A lonely donkey is a very unhappy and noisy donkey.

The new owners must have enough land, at least ½ an acre per donkey, which needs to be established grassland with secure boundary fences. Hedges whilst they form very acceptable windbreaks will need protection from invading teeth, as donkeys are browsers rather than grazers and will make short work of a tasty morsel of hawthorn. There must be a shelter to keep them warm and dry in winter and somewhere for them to escape the flies in summer. There must be somewhere to store feed, and if running water is not available, the new owners must be aware of the fact that water will need to be carried all year round and that it is very hard work .

If the prospective purchasers have not owned a donkey previously, it is essential that they are encouraged to research the highs and lows of donkey ownership before they embark on a purchase, and not be afraid to step back from the purchase if they have any doubts. The essentials of worming, farriery visits, poisonous plants and general donkey handling, are readily discussed on internet sites and in donkey publications. Many people dream of owning a donkey, but reality hits when they realise that it involves a lot of hard work and is not just a case of putting a donkey into the overgrown area at the back of the garden. The Donkey Sanctuary run management courses at venues around the country which provide a free and informative ‘hands on’ introduction to donkey ownership, but be warned they are popular and are often over subscribed.

It is always advisable to check if the new owners have children or grandchildren. A young donkey is not a play thing and cannot be ridden until 4 years of age. Although they may fall in love with a fluffy foal, by the time the donkey is old enough to ride, the children will have outgrown him in more ways than one.

A Crystal Ball to the future

Ideally you should work out a mutual agreement whereby the new owners agree to inform you if the donkey becomes surplus to requirements and to allow you an option to buy him/her back; or at least be able to offer assistance in finding a suitable new home if the buy back option is impractical.

If you have any doubt about the facilities in a new home or the dedication of a prospective owner, don’t do it; there are other homes and purchasers out there who will meet all the criteria – if something goes wrong it will haunt you forever!!!!!

Informative Website:

www.thedonkeysanctuary.org.uk

Publications:

Keeping Your Donkey Healthy (Janet Eley) £9-95

The Birth of a Foal

The mare will be preparing to give birth for some time before it becomes apparent to you, she will experience mild contractions that cause her to arch her back to relieve the discomfort, and will leave her group preferring to be alone. Once labour begins in earnest things do move fairly rapidly, and possibly the first visible sign will be a balloon of membrane filled with fluid, the size of a tennis ball, which you will be seen protruding from the vulva.

1. The first signs of the onset of foaling. The mare will move away from other herd members, will seem restless and may get up and down several times, appearing to land heavily on one side or the other, even rolling violently in an attempt to adjust the position of the unborn foal.

2. The mare is visibly uncomfortable and starts to strain with the onset of each contraction.

3. The correct presentation of the fore-feet just visible through the un-ruptured membrane still filled with amniotic fluid. The nose is shown here clearly visible between the forelegs, presented in the ‘diving’ position.

4. The head is almost delivered, one foreleg clearly in advance of the other so that the shoulders are presented as narrow as possible to pass through the pelvic girdle.

5. With only the hind legs left to be released, the bag has now ruptured so that the foal can move freely and breath air; the umbilical cord is still firmly attached and pulsating.

6. Mare and foal taking a breather before the final stage.

The duration of this stage is usually about 20 minutes, although if you are present it will seem a lot longer.

7. The foal starts to move away from the mare and releases itself from the membranes.

8. Although the foal is now an independent person and is managing to move further way from the mare; the cord has not yet ruptured, it is this progressive movement and even the act of the mare standing up, that will cause the cord to break at a pre-determined weak point.

9. The cord has now broken and the foal starts to make first attempts to get to its feet.

10. The protective fleshy pads that cover each hoof prior to birth; these will slowly dry and come away over the next hour or so.

11. Licking is an automatic reflex stimulated in the mare by the birth process and it is this that will help to warm and dry her foal and cement the maternal bond.

12. The foal makes a first attempt at standing by raising up onto the knees.

13. If you don’t succeed try the legs at the other end.

14. Finally success with all four legs in unison, almost!

The duration of this stage is again about 20 minutes, a healthy foal does not stay still for very long and whilst early attempts to stand will be followed by dramatic collapses, balance gets better as every moment passes until standing still evolves into a skip and a jump, and some involuntary gambolling.

15. The final element and a search for food. This is possibly the most frustrating time for all concerned, and the most vital as it is the fist milk or colostrums that lay down immunity from infection and disease. Nature has programmed the foal to seek for nourishment in the shadows, which occur under the chest and behind the elbow as well as under the ventral abdomen. Nature will come right and often human intervention causes more problems than it resolves, with a foal setting its neck and mouth against any attempt to guide it on to a teat. Once the udder is found the mare will relax and try to guide her foal into place by lifting her hind leg and pivoting into the most appropriate position.

So your foal has arrived safely and can breathe a sigh of relief. The mare should cleanse the afterbirth within 2 – 3 hours and you should carefully lay it out on the ground to check that it is complete, with no portion being retained that might set up an infection; at this stage it would be wise to call your veterinary surgeon to give the mare and foal a quick once over, and for the navel to be sprayed with an antiseptic.

Try and keep the visiting hoards to a trickle for a few days as both mother and baby need some calm and time to adjust to life, and the risk of infection bought in by other equine owners is a very real one.