What kind of hay is best for donkeys?
Meadow Hay is a natural mix of grasses made from grass grown on old pasture and is suitable for feeding to donkeys. Seed Hay is also good for donkeys. It is a planted crop of specific grasses, such as rye or timothy, which the farmer makes from the stems remaining after the grain has been taken.
What kind of hay do donkeys eat?
The donkey diet should consist of mainly good quality barley straw or oat straw (barley straw is best) and carefully restricted access to grass. Donkeys may require supplemental hay if they are not maintaining good body condition with the straw and restricted grass diet (for e.g. during the winter months).
Can donkeys eat alfalfa hay?
Straw is also far lower in protein than a typical grass hay and, certainly, donkeys should not be fed alfalfa due to its significantly higher protein content .
Can donkeys have free choice hay?
Note, though, that a donkey would be fed a balancer at a much lower rate than a pony. Consult your vet for appropriate advice. In addition, both ponies and donkeys need plenty of fresh, clean water and access to a free-choice, equine salt block
What is the best hay for donkey?
Barley straw is the best all-rounder for most healthy donkeys, as it makes a good feeding and bedding straw and is readily available. Wheat straw is more fibrous than barley straw and more difficult to chew. We would usually only recommend feeding it to younger donkeys for this reason.
Do donkeys need horse quality hay?
It has also been suggested that donkeys have a 20% lower digestible energy requirement than horses. Good grass hay is adequate for donkeys. Legume hay such as alfalfa is not recommended for the same reason that lush pasture is not good for donkeys.
How much hay should you feed a donkey?
In terms of how much straw to feed your donkey, it needs to eat about 1.32 per cent of its body weight. Straw should be the main source of feed in the summer, making up approximately 75 per cent of all feed, and in the winter straw should be 50 per cent of a donkey’s feed.
Can donkeys have alfalfa hay?
The lower the calorie content the more you can feed. Straw is also far lower in protein than a typical grass hay and, certainly, donkeys should not be fed alfalfa due to its significantly higher protein content .
What is the best hay to feed donkeys?
barley straw
How much hay should a donkey eat?
It has also been suggested that donkeys have a 20% lower digestible energy requirement than horses. Good grass hay is adequate for donkeys. Legume hay such as alfalfa is not recommended for the same reason that lush pasture is not good for donkeys.
What happens if donkeys eat alfalfa?
Meadow Hay is a natural mix of grasses made from grass grown on old pasture and is suitable for feeding to donkeys. Seed Hay is also good for donkeys. It is a planted crop of specific grasses, such as rye or timothy, which the farmer makes from the stems remaining after the grain has been taken.
What type of hay do you feed donkeys?
Legume hay such as alfalfa is not recommended for the same reason that lush pasture is not good for donkeys. The digestibility is very high as is the energy and nutrient content. Donkeys and mules are prone to obesity, and will develop laminitis if they are given access to lush pastures such as spring and fall pasture.
What should you not feed a donkey?
The donkey diet should consist of mainly good quality barley straw or oat straw (barley straw is best) and carefully restricted access to grass. Donkeys may require supplemental hay if they are not maintaining good body condition with the straw and restricted grass diet (for e.g. during the winter months).
What should you not feed donkeys?
Meadow Hay is a natural mix of grasses made from grass grown on old pasture and is suitable for feeding to donkeys. Seed Hay is also good for donkeys. It is a planted crop of specific grasses, such as rye or timothy, which the farmer makes from the stems remaining after the grain has been taken.
Can donkeys eat the same hay as horses?
Donkey teeth It is best not to feed straw or hay to a donkey with dental problems. This is because these feeds require significant chewing, which may be difficult for a donkey with teeth problems. Instead feed them chaff, chop or grass pellets. These require less chewing and make choking less likely.
What feed do donkeys need?
It has also been suggested that donkeys have a 20% lower digestible energy requirement than horses. Good grass hay is adequate for donkeys. Legume hay such as alfalfa is not recommended for the same reason that lush pasture is not good for donkeys.
Should donkeys eat hay or straw?
Meadow Hay is a natural mix of grasses made from grass grown on old pasture and is suitable for feeding to donkeys. Seed Hay is also good for donkeys. It is a planted crop of specific grasses, such as rye or timothy, which the farmer makes from the stems remaining after the grain has been taken.
How much hay should a donkey have?
A combination of barley straw and hay is ideal for all donkey breeds. It gives your donkey all the fiber he needs without overloading him with protein and carbohydrates and increasing his risk of developing obesity, laminitis, or metabolic issues. Donkeys don’t do well on high-energy or high sugar hay, such as alfalfa.
What feed is good for donkeys?
In terms of how much straw to feed your donkey, it needs to eat about 1.32 per cent of its body weight. Straw should be the main source of feed in the summer, making up approximately 75 per cent of all feed, and in the winter straw should be 50 per cent of a donkey’s feed.
Is alfalfa okay for donkeys?
Meadow Hay is a natural mix of grasses made from grass grown on old pasture and is suitable for feeding to donkeys. Seed Hay is also good for donkeys. It is a planted crop of specific grasses, such as rye or timothy, which the farmer makes from the stems remaining after the grain has been taken.
How much hay should a donkey eat per day?
We know, from research conducted here at The Donkey Sanctuary, that donkeys need to eat approximately 1.5% of their own bodyweight per day in dry food. Straw contains very little water and is approximately 90% dry matter. For most average-sized donkeys this equates to roughly 2-3 kg of fibre per day.
Can you give donkeys too much hay?
Donkeys are generally able to eat as much straw as they like to fill their bellies and keep their digestive systems moving without consuming too much energy (although testing straw before feeding is recommended as some modern strains can be higher in energy than expected).
Do donkeys need hay everyday?
Donkeys with access to grass all year round won’t require much hay, even during the winter months. You should control the amount of grass and hay the donkeys eat each day to maintain ideal body condition.
How much hay does a standard donkey need?
But how do you know how much hay you will need for your donkeys? Here are a few formulas that you might find helpful in answering the question How much feed do each of my donkeys need? The standard formula that I use for calculating my donkeys’ hay consumption is: Donkey’s weight X 1.5% The weight of hay per day
How much hay does a donkey need per day?
Here are a few formulas that you might find helpful in answering the question How much feed do each of my donkeys need? The standard formula that I use for calculating my donkeys’ hay consumption is: Donkey’s weight X 1.5% The weight of hay per day
