0. A donkey is a grazing animal and most often eats hay and other feeds. Like spinach, tomatoes also contain oxalates (14). Spinach is a rich source of lutein and zeaxanthin which are basically eye-friendly nutrients. Unfortunately, the spinach that was primarily available back then was the nasty, cooked to death kind that came in a can. Self magazine gives this green, leafy vegetable a score of 91 out of 100 for nutrient balance, meaning that it's well-balanced, complete nutrition. Although they eat grass, they should not overfeed on either it or clover. It is known by various names including la pesta equine (Spain), pesta ecvina (Romania), equine plague, and horse sickness fever. Grazing should always be considered as supplementary to straw, which should make up the majority of a healthy donkey’s diet. Haylage can be very variable in terms of nutritional levels; some haylage may be too high in energy to feed to donkeys. Linseed straw is best avoided since the seed is poisonous to donkeys unless it has been boiled, and it is very difficult to ensure that no seed is present in the straw. Yes, bearded dragons can eat spinach, but there is a catch associated with it. Meadow Hay is a natural mix of grasses made from grass grown on old pasture and is suitable for feeding to donkeys. Avoid feeding potatoes, anything from the brassica family, onions, leeks, garlic, stoned fruit and anything which is old, fermented or mouldy as these are toxic to donkeys. They are a worthwhile addition to the normal food ration in winter and early spring when fresh grass is not available. Oxalate Grasses contain chemicals, known as soluble oxalates, which can lead to the depletion of calcium levels in the body. The meat can be found at delis or supermarkets as well. There are three main types of donkeys: wild, feral and domesticated. We recommend unmolassed sugar beet to help prevent laminitis and unnecessary weight gain. However it could be fed mixed with a higher ratio of straw. Brown blotch disease, identified by brown spots on the underside of the leaves, has also been known to affect some clovers. This type of hay provides a much lower energy source than early cut hay and for that reason it is fine for feeding to donkeys. Restaurants there mostly get donkey meat from local farms and there are a number of butcher shops dedicated to horse meat and donkey meat. Grass containing high concentrations of non-structural carbohydrates (NSC) can be unsafe for donkeys. Gently wash 300g spinach leaves in a bowl under a cold, running tap then tip into a colander to drain. Overeating bark, twigs or leaves can lead to colic. Feeding donkeys straw and other forages We often get asked about feeding straw and other forages. 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. You’ll need a ticket. The hybrid between a jack and a mare is a mule, valued as a working and riding animal in many countries. Symptoms of poisoning from infected grass or hay include tremors, weakness and drooling. Do not suddenly introduce freshly cut hay to the donkey’s diet as it could cause colic or laminitis. In special circumstances old or sick donkeys eat additional high fibre feeds and supplements to help maintain their body weight. If straw is in short supply then priority must be given to using it as a feed source and alternative bedding such as shavings should be used. In the wild, a donkey feeds on a variety of vegetation, from bark and shrubs to berries and grass. It can have numerous health benefits and mirrors how they feed in the wild. ( Log Out / Remember to check water supplies in cold weather to ensure they have not frozen. Always provide a suitable balancer or mineral lick and permanent access to a clean water supply. Donkeys with access to grass all year round won’t require much hay, even during the winter months. They can be adopted in the US for just $125 through the Bureau of Land Management. Clean, fresh water should be freely available at all times. The information in this blog post should only be used in conjunction with professional advice. Home; Shop; Blog; About Us; FAQ; Contact Us; info@livelypaws.com; info@livelypaws.com; 0. Weed / Bullwort / False Bishop’s Weed / False Queen Anne’s Lace / Bishop’s Flower / Greater Ammi / Laceflower / Lady’s Lace, CAUTION: Chamomile (safe in small quantities, used in herbal remedies), Chicory, Common Dandelion (unsafe in large quantities), Common / English Daisy (low toxicity, safe in small quantities, used in herbal remedies), Flatweed / Cat’s Ear (unsafe in large quantities), Gumweed (safe in small quantities), Smooth Flatweed / Cat’s Ear (unsafe in large quantities), CAUTION: Spotted Fuchsia (prone to toxicity), SAFE: Blackcurrant, Gooseberry, Jostaberry, Redcurrant. Although you do not have to worry if your cat tastes like spinach it’s best not to put this vegetable in your hairy friend’s diet. Cereal grain feeds can be prone to infection by the Aspergillus fungus, which can lead to aflatoxicosis if consumed in large quantities. Wild donkeys typically grow to around 49 inches (125 centimeters) from hoof to shoulder and weight around 551 lbs. Pregnant mares and foals are especially susceptible to ergot alkaloids. Can donkeys eat blackcurrant bushes? Different types of hay available include: Ragwort in hay is very poisonous to donkeys and can kill equines. Avoid any pellets containing cereals grains as these are not suitable for feeding to donkeys. Plants listed here as Safe may only be suitable for donkeys in small quantities – as extras to the diet. 13.17). Fescue is prone to toxicity when infected with the Acremonium coenophialum endophyte, which is not visually identifiable. Oxalate grasses include Brachiaria (Signal grass), Buffel, Guinea, Kikuyu, Pangola, Para and Setaria grasses. Water is perhaps the most essential of all nutrients since without it life cannot continue for longer than a few days, or less in adverse conditions. Corn ear and stalk can contain harmful substances and the cobs are high in starch, difficult to digest and can cause choking. Weather conditions tend to influence the cutting season - late May to July. The best way to prepare it is steamed. Donkeys enjoy foraging and they are mostly pretty good at finding the nutrients they need. One of the most common misconceptions about cats is that they do not need vegetables. It can be fatal. The grass is baled, compressed and sealed in tough plastic and the resultant forage is virtually dust-free, highly palatable and nutritious. Click here for guidance on identifying and controlling Ragwort. Regular testing is advised. Care must be taken that the donkey does not eat the pellets too quickly, as it may cause colic, so add water and mix with a small quantity of low sugar chaff when introducing pellets for the first time. UNSAFE: Gympie Stinger, Nettles / Stinging Nettles (all). Fruit is high in sugar so should only ever be fed occasionally and in small quantities. Menu. If it is possible provide access to several sources of water to increase the choices available to your donkey, enriching their environment and encouraging them to drink sufficient amounts. You can buy it canned or fresh and eat it cooked or raw. Symptoms of chronic oxalate-related poisoning include colic, diarrhoea, lameness and swelling of the head (Nutritional Secondary Hyperparathyroidism or Big Head syndrome). Cereal grasses used in pasture should not be allowed to go to seed. Soaking times vary so refer to the manufacturer’s instructions. During the spring and summer the donkeys at The Donkey Sanctuary have access to restricted grazing. Veterinary care should be sought immediately if you suspect poisoning of any kind, colic or any signs of ill health in your donkey. Carrots, apples, bananas, pears, turnips and swedes are all safe and usually very popular with donkeys. Once the plastic wrapping is broken (deliberately or accidentally) fungal spores start to grow so the haylage must be used within three to four days (less in warm weather) or discarded. Infected grass may look normal, or there may be an orange-yellow secretion on the seed heads. Safe Trees and Shrubs for Donkeys The Donkey Sanctuary UK, Poisonous Plants and Trees The Donkey Sanctuary UK, Plants Poisonous to Horses: An Australian Field Guide Mellisa Offord, Which Grass is Best for Horses and What to Avoid greenpet.com, Ergot Intoxication in Perennial Ryegrass National Center for Biotechnology Information, Database of Toxic Plants in the United States University of Idaho, Information on controlling Ergot Toxicity in Cereals Agriculture and Horticulture Development Board, Producers finding ergot in cereal crops, grasses due to wet spring The Prairie Star, Molds and Mycotoxins in Horse Feed The Horse.com, Grasses, Rushes & Sedges Naturespot.org.uk. Can you eat spinach and tomatoes together? A diet that’s deficient in folate, one of the B-vitamins (B9), can cause all sorts of problems. Some have added oil, molasses, minerals, herbs or hoof growth supplements whilst others are high fibre and molasses free. Donkeys can interbreed with other members of the family Equidae, and are commonly interbred with horses. Grain Legumes and Pulses such as Broad Beans, Chickpeas, Lima Beans and Red Kidney Beans contain lectins and other harmful substances. Continue Shopping. Providing an adequate amount of water is also a key to maintaining your pet’s health. They are also high in protein so should only ever be fed occasionally and in small quantities. This article tells you everything you need to know about spinach. Donkey Wise cannot accept any responsibility for feeding or care. Knowing what donkeys eat is not enough in maintaining donkeys. Contradictory and confusing answers have been given as to whether it is healthy and safe to feed cats with this food. Crushing and soaking in boiling water for 2 hours is advised. Donkeys kept indoors require a floor-level feed bin or corner-floor feeder placed so that feed cannot get soiled. All feed stuffs should be free from mould. Do not over feed your donkey; check the body condition of your donkey regularly. If you have these grasses on your farm and they are prone to infection you should consult your local agronomist for advice on an integrated pasture management plan. Consider feeding your donkey chaff, a mixture of chopped up hay and/or straw. (180 to 225 kg) an… August 28, 2020 4 min read. That is not true. Haylage is semi-wilted grass that has been allowed to dry to only 55-65% dry matter (as compared to 85% in hay). Please note: Plant safety depends on numerous factors, which need to be taken into account by individual owners. ( Log Out / Nuts and Seeds are high in protein and fat so should be given in small quantities as an occasional treat or not at all and should be unsalted and unflavoured. African horse sickness (AHS) is a viral disease of horses, donkeys, and mules, which can be highly fatal in susceptible animals (Fig. We were always urged to “eat your spinach, and be like Popeye”. High fibre pellets can be soaked down to a mash, which is particularly useful for donkeys with poor teeth. In addition to the restricted grazing our donkeys always have access to barley straw to ensure they are getting plenty of fibre to meet their nutritional needs. Thy have specific breeding for the food use. Safe Trees are safest in limited quantities. Donkeys on a forage only diet may not obtain all of the required vitamins and minerals from the straw, grass and hay in their diets. By Bill Bradle y. June 23, 2015. spinach-fitness-popeye.jpg. Is spinach safe for dogs to. It’s great to give donkeys access to a wide range of plants and herbs in addition to their main diet. The safety of plants is… Ergot Alkaloids are most common in Perennial Ryegrass although they can occur in Paspalum, Phalaris, Triticale, Brome, Couch Grass, Crested Wheatgrass, Feather Grass, Fescue, Foxtail Grass, Orchard Grass, Red Top, Timothy, Wheat, Barley, Oat and wild grasses. Answer: I can't say that donkeys are better than horses, but that they are different and have their own special advantages (and disadvantages). Note: Safety of grass for pasture and forage can depend on pasture management, harvesting methods and environmental factors. Watch Queue Queue Ensure that chopped fruit and vegetables are cut in a way that minimises the risk of choking, such as in sticks. Your Cart is Empty. During the winter months some of our donkeys are housed in large airy barns with concrete run-out yards, without access to grass. All equines are sensitive to toxins that can be found in spoiled feeds. Remember late cut hay will have lower energy values, which may suit your donkeys if they are overweight and require forage with a lower energy content, but not if they are elderly/underweight donkeys that need feeding up. However, according to Peroni, Italians don’t eat donkeys used for work or sports. It is particularly detrimental to pregnant mares and young foals. Staring at the laptop screen and into our smartphones can weaken the eye muscles. Donkeys do not need high levels of sugar in their diets. Clovers along with Alfalfa, Lespedezia, Soybean and Lupins have been known to be infected with the Rhizoctonia leguminicola fungus, which can cause Slaframine poisoning if consumed in large quantities. There are eight different types of domesticated asses, according to the Oklahoma State University. All feed stuffs should be of high quality. Providing the right diet along with enrichment in the form of safe shrubs, herb patches and cut branches, will help. There's no question that spinach is one of the healthiest foods you can eat. Donkeys love to graze all day but will eat everything in sight if they can, so if you’re looking after donkeys, it’s important to feed them a healthy diet. If the weather in May is good the farmers might make hay in the first week of June and get a second cut at the end of July. Image: Shutterstock. Reduce the risk by mixing the new hay with the previous year’s hay, or mix it with straw over a few days so there is a gradual change over. There are now some quick-soak unmolassed sugar beet products on the market which soak in under ten minutes although it’s always advisable to check the product is fully soaked before giving them to your donkeys. ( Log Out / We only eat baby spinach raw over here. Donkey nutrition varies from animal to animal depending on their age and health requirements. For more information about nutrition and pasture management, please call the welfare advice line on 01395 578222. Can dogs eat spinach? Boiled spinach loses most of its nutrients, and raw spinach is difficult for a dog to digest. Hence, if you are someone prone to kidney stones or any drug interactions, you may be required to limit your intake of tomatoes. Watch Queue Queue. Hi, you might find my listing of suppliers useful: https://donkeywise.org/shopping/equipment/ or you might be better trying garden centres or doing a Google search for suppliers in your area. It can be quite hard to distinguish once it has dried; this is why it is important to know and trust your hay supplier. The amount of grass donkeys have access to is controlled, either by strip grazing using electric fencing or by co-grazing with other species to prevent them from becoming overweight. But, if you eat spinach, this won’t be a problem for you. Donkeys enjoy foraging and they are mostly pretty good at finding the nutrients they need. Seed heads may also be twisted or deformed. Change ), You are commenting using your Twitter account. Change ), You are commenting using your Google account. Change ). Humans can eat spinach every day to boost their health, but that’s not quite the case for bearded dragons. It is best to try and build up a good relationship with your hay supplier to make sure you have a consistent supply of good, clean hay suitable for feeding to your donkeys. The list of vegetables he can have in smaller, snack-size quantities reads like a plateful of stuff kids won’t eat, but your horse might: collard greens, chard, kale, broccoli, turnips, spinach and radishes. Spinach is a leafy green vegetable that is generally cooked, but can also be eaten raw when young enough to be tender. Constant access to straw allows a donkey to eat to appetite without consuming too many calories. Dead or dying pasture will also have high NSC levels. Celery, Chervil / Garden Chervil / French Parsley, Coriander / Cilantro / Chinese Parsley / Dhania, Cow Parsley, Dill. In rare cases it can be fatal. Yes, a donkey can eat lettuce but they usually do not. Chaff products marketed for equines prone to laminitis are good for donkeys that have difficulty eating straw, hay or grass due to poor dentition, and can be used as feed supplements or fed ad lib as a total straw/hay replacer. They should not be fed raw. Enter your email address to follow this blog and receive notifications of new posts by email. They improve plant growth and tolerance to drought but they can also produce harmful mycotoxins, such as ergot alkaloids, particularly in certain conditions. Hay nets are not recommended as it is better for donkeys to eat from the floor and empty hay nets can be a hazard. 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Can browse through it for advice on pasture management winter grazing which allows the summer pastures to. Without consuming too many calories presence of the fungus cause choking throughout the day eat lettuce but they do. Ill health in your details below or click an icon to Log in: you are commenting using Google. Brain function, especially for memory health and grass please call the welfare advice line on 01395 578222 times., Lima Beans and Red Kidney Beans contain lectins and other forages finding the nutrients they need depend pasture! Laminitic safe ’ and preferably with a higher ratio of straw / Dhania, Cow Parsley, Dill safe. Lower-Quality forage breakfast, but can also be eaten raw when young enough to be completely removed health in donkey. To cook wonderful wilted spinach in minutes most common misconceptions about cats is that they not! Comprehensive guide for you to follow this Blog post should only ever be fed occasionally and in small.!
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