Zoo database

Donkey

Equus asinus

Natural diet Donkey

Grasses
Herbs
Leaves

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% of body weight

Sample percentage calculation

If an animal weighs 170 kg and eats 1.5% of its body weight, it will get

170 x 0.015 = 2.55 kg feed in total per day

Feed composition

10% Concentrates
80% Grass, lucerne and other roughages
10% Browse

Proportions (fresh product)

0.1 x 2.55 kg = 255 g concentrates
0.8 x 2.55 kg = 2040 g grass, lucerne and other roughages
0.1 x 2.55 kg = 255 g browse

Diet suggestions

Not recommended

Fruits
Energy rich ingredients

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).

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

Feed quantity per day

Sample percentage calculation

Feed composition

Proportions (fresh product)

Alfamix donkey

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Grazer pellets

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Mark Roordink

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