Boskos GrazerWE004
Success: Available from stock
More informationDonkey
Equus asinus
Natural diet Donkey
Donkeys are grazing herbivores that occasionally also browse. They naturally eat fibrous vegetation that is low in energy. In digestion, they are more efficient compared to horses and have adapted to survive longer without water (2-3 days). Despite this, additional water supplementation is advised in captivity.
Feeding advice Donkey
Feed quantity per day
1.5%
Sample percentage calculation
If an animal weighs 170 kg and eats 1.5% of its body weight, it will get
170 x 0.02 = 2.55 kg feed in total per day
Feed composition
10% Concentrates
80% Grass, alfalfa, roughage
10% Browse
Proportions (fresh product)
0.1 x 2.55 kg = 255 g concentrates
0.8 x 2.55 kg = 2,040 g grass, alfalfa, roughage
0.1 x 2.55 kg = 255 g browse
Feeding advice Donkey
Feed quantity per day
1.5%
Sample percentage calculation
If an animal weighs 170 kg and eats 1.5% of its body weight, it will get
170 x 0.02 = 2.55 kg feed in total per day
Feed composition
10% Concentrates
80% Grass, alfalfa, roughage
10% Browse
Proportions (fresh product)
0.1 x 2.55 kg = 255 g concentrates
0.8 x 2.55 kg = 2,040 g grass, alfalfa, roughage
0.1 x 2.55 kg = 255 g browse
Diet Suggestions
Recommended
Fibre-rich forages (cereal straw)
Barley straw
Grass seed hay
Salt lick
Not recommended
Fruits
Energy rich ingredients
Common diseases
An unbalanced diet may result in one of these more commonly occurring diseases/conditions:
- Obesity
- Ulcers
- Colic
- Laminitis
- Insulin Resistances
- Hyperlipaemia
- Liver disease
Additional advice
- Divide the “Feed quantity per day” over at least three feeding moments per day.
- Supplement the diet with ad libitum roughages (read more about browsers and grazers).
- Feeding fruits or other high energy ingredients like grains might lead to abnormal fermentation in the hindgut because of high sugar or starch levels (read more about nutritional values of (wild) fruits and vegetables).
- Stimulate foraging behaviour by hiding, stacking or hanging the feed (read more about feed enrichment and foraging behaviour).
Diet Suggestions
Recommended
Fibre-rich forages (cereal straw)
Barley straw
Grass seed hay
Salt lick
Not recommended
Fruits
Energy rich ingredients
Common diseases
An unbalanced diet may result in one of these more commonly occurring diseases/conditions:
- Obesity
- Ulcers
- Colic
- Laminitis
- Insulin Resistances
- Hyperlipaemia
- Liver disease