Donkeys

Donkeys remain widely kept as working animals in rural and smallholder economies, particularly where terrain, cost, or infrastructure limit the use of motorised transport and machinery. Their role ranges from carrying water and goods to providing draught power for tillage and haulage in mixed farming systems.

Pack and draught donkeys

The most common working role worldwide, carrying loads or pulling carts and implements.

Dairy donkeys

Kept in some regions for milk, valued in niche markets and, historically, for infant feeding where other milk was unavailable.

Local and landrace types

Regionally adapted, often hardy types suited to local terrain, climate, and smallholder use.

Breed and type diversity is documented internationally, including through FAO’s Domestic Animal Diversity Information System (DAD-IS), which records equine breeds and their status by country.

Donkeys are efficient at extracting nutrition from coarse, fibrous, and lower-quality forage compared with horses, reflecting their origin in arid and semi-arid environments with sparse vegetation. This efficiency means donkeys in light work can be prone to excess weight gain on rich pasture, while working or lactating animals need forage supplemented with additional energy and protein.

Donkey health and welfare depend on consistent access to forage and water, appropriate shelter, routine hoof care, and workloads and equipment suited to the animal’s size and condition. Donkeys can mask signs of pain or illness more readily than horses, which makes routine observation and handler awareness particularly important.

Donkeys support smallholder livelihoods by reducing labour burdens for transport and cultivation, particularly for households without access to tractors or fuel. Global demand for donkey hides in some markets has also raised welfare and population concerns in several donkey-keeping regions, an issue tracked by international animal health and welfare bodies.