In Caring for donkey part 2 we are going to talk about feeding donkeys in the spring, dewormer for donkeys and wound or bug bite treatments in the spring/summer months. If you missed part 1 though you can see it here: Caring for Donkey: Part 1
Can Donkeys Eat Grass?
Spring time is full of rich new growth and my inbox is already full of “can donkeys eat grass” or be on pasture type questions. The donkeys can eat grass, but they shouldn’t!
This is why its a bad deal for a donkey used as a guardian for sheep or cattle that are on rich pastures grasses. Rich pasture grasses cause hoof problems and nutritional imbalances, leading to more health problems!
Now… there is a difference is rich grass pastures and crappy weedy pastures, like mine! People see my pics of the boys on the fields and think I’ve got them on “pasture”. Watch this video and you’ll see my pasture grasses that are not really grasses at all.
A few other tips for keeping donkeys slim and trim during spring growing season.
- Let your pastures grow tall! Its the young short or fresh cut grasses that contain the most sugars. Letting grasses grow tall makes the grass more fibrous. So they are less prone to over eating it and its got way less sugar. Less fuel for mowing too!
- Only allow donkeys on grasses during nights and early mornings in the spring/summer months. Grass sugars are highest when the sun is high in the sky on hot days!
- Make sure they get exercise!
I see also of people say keeping donkeys on a track system is the only way to keep them from gaining too much weight but it’s not true. I know plenty of people who have their donkeys on track systems and only feed straw, but their donkeys are still overweight. There’s more to a healthy donkey than free feeding straw and track systems. Figure out what works for your donkeys for the resources and the situation you have on your property.
There is more than one way, and caring for donkeys has many facets! Just follow the general rule of no rich pasture and no high sugar hays or feeds. Give them exercise and the right minerals and supplements, the rest will come together!
Dewormer for Donkeys
Or as I see it called so often, “wormer for donkeys” But please, it’s deworming! You’re deworming your donkey, not worming. Just a little observation…
Another very common concern in the spring is deworming donkeys. What’s the best dewormer for donkeys? Natural dewormers for donkeys? Is Safeguard dewormer for donkeys ok or ivermectin and so on?
I choose to deworm my donkeys naturally with herbs. I have done so sine 2011 and will continue because it works. Sometimes use appropriate essential oils too but herbs are my favorite!
If you are interested in my donkey Deworming Protocal, using herbs and EO’s you can find it in my Natural Donkey Care Course
Caring For Donkeys: Healing Wounds in the Hot Months
Open wounds can take longer to heal and are more prone to infection in the summer. The flies carry bacteria and if you live in a humid place like I do, that can also prolong healing. A few months ago I shared my natural wound care protocol in a PDF. It’s FREE if you’d like to read the post and download it.
I highly recommend you be prepared for wounds because they can happen at any time. Do body checks often and try to catch them before they get infected.. Here’s the link to the article and PDF if you are interested in natural wound care for your donkey: Donkey Wounds
That’s it for Caring For Donkeys Part 2
I hope you found this helpful and informative! Spring and summer can be so much fun when you’ve got donkeys to do activities with and enjoy time outside with them but its important we take into consideration the changes the seasons can bring. We all want our donkeys to be comfortable, happy and healthy so they can feel their best!