History and Origin of the Breed
There is consensus that the most probable ancestor of the domestic donkey (Equus asinus) is the Nubian subspecies of African wild ass; however, the history of its domestication is poorly known. The earliest known remains of the domestic donkey date to the fourth millennium BC from a site at Ma'adi, Lower Egypt. Domestication of Africa's only contribution to the world's major livestock species came long after the domestication of sheep, goats and cattle in Southwest Asia (eighth and seventh millennia BC). It is probable that cattle-raising peoples in Nubia, in the distribution area of the Nubian wild ass, first developed the domestic donkey as a beast of burden. The donkey was to supplant the ox - which had the singular disadvantage of requiring a rest period in which to ruminate - as the chief pack animal. The tame donkey was easily led by any type of halter available and could be trained to follow a route on its own. Early effects of donkey domestication were increased mobility of pastoral peoples and perhaps true nomadism, in which whole families rather than just the men could follow their flocks from pasture to pasture. Donkeys were vital in developing long-distance trade through the Egyptian deserts. Before the first pyramids were raised, pack trains wended their way down Wadi Hammamat from the Nile Valley to the Red Sea to trade with Arabia. Donkeys were kept in great herds in ancient Egypt. In the tombs of the Dynasty IV (ca. 2675-2565 BC) are indications that wealthy and powerful people possessed droves of over a thousand head. In addition to their use as a pack animal, donkeys were employed to tread seeds into the fertile Nile floodplain and to thresh the harvest. Elsewhere, mares were kept as dairy animals. Donkey's milk, higher both in sugar and protein content than cow's milk, was used as food, as medicine, and as a cosmetic to promote a white skin. Donkey meat has also provided food for various people. The donkey was dispersed out of the Nile Valley and eventually reached all habitable continents. Donkeys were in Southwest Asia by the end of the fourth millennium BC. By 1800 BC the center of ass-breeding had shifted to Mesopotamia. Damascus, known as the city of asses through cuneiform writing and a center of the caravan trade, became famous for its breed of large, white riding ass. At least three other breeds were developed in Syria: another saddle breed, one with graceful easy gait for women, and a stout breed for plowing. In Arabia the Muscat or Yemen ass was developed. This strong, light-colored donkey is still used in caravans and also as a riding animal. The donkey was brought to Europe by the second millennium BC, possibly accompanying the introduction of viticulture. In Greek mythology the ass is associated with Dionysus, Syrian god of wine. The Greeks brought the vine and the donkey to their colonies along the north coast of the Mediterranean, including those in Italy, France and Spain. Romans later continued the dispersal in Europe to the limits of their empire. A supply ship to Christopher Columbus on his second voyage brought the first donkeys to the New World in 1495. Four jacks (males) and two jennies (females) were among the inventory of livestock delivered to Hispaniola. They would produce mules for the conquistadors' expeditions onto the American mainland. Ten years after the conquest of the Aztecs, the first shipment of twelve jennies and three jacks arrived from Cuba to begin breeding mules in Mexico. Female mules were preferred as riding animals, whereas the males were used as pack animals along the trails that tied the Spanish Empire together. Both mules and hinnies were used in the silver mines. Along the frontier each Spanish outpost had to breed its own supply of mules, and each hacienda or mission maintained as least one stud jack. The main influx of donkeys into the western United States probably came with the gold rushes of the nineteenth century. Many of the prospectors were Mexican and the burro was their preferred pack animal. The lone prospector and his donkey became a symbol of the Old West. However, donkeys were also important in mining operations in the deserts. They carried water, wood and machinery to the mines; hauled cartloads of ore and rock out of the mine tunnels; and brought sacks of ore to the mills, where other donkeys turned the mills that ground the ore. The end of the mining boom coincided with the introduction of the railroad in the American West. The age of the burro had come to an end. When the mines shut down and the prospectors left, their animals were of little value and were often turned loose. Having originally evolved in the Eastern Desert of Egypt, these hardy beasts had little problem in the American deserts. Populations of free-roaming burros remain to this day. Today donkeys are becoming increasingly popular in the United States and Canada as recreation and companion animals. They are ridden or used to pull wagons and still function as pack animals in wilderness adventures. On ranches they are used to halterbreak calves. A new role for the donkey is developing as a guard animal, defending flocks of sheep from dogs and coyotes. Reproduced from HORSES THROUGH TIME edited by Sandra L. Olsen with permission of Roberts Rinehart Publishers, 6309 Monarch Park Place, Niwot, Colorado 80503. These excerpts may be read only, any printing or reproduction of this material must be obtained in writing from Roberts Rinehart Publishers.
Breed Characteristics
Donkeys, zebras and mules all differ somewhat from horses in conformation. The most noticeable difference is of course the ears. Donkey's ears are much longer in proportion to their size than a horse�s. The necks are characteristically straighter in the long-ears, and most donkeys and all zebras lack a true wither. The croup and rump are also a different shape in the donkey and its hybrids, lacking the double-curve muscled haunch. The back is straighter due to the lack of withers. Dipped or swayed backs are a conformation fault, unless in old animals or brood jennies who have produced many foals, and not due to genetic factors. The mane and tail in the donkey are coarse. The mane is still and upright, rarely laying over and the tail is more like a cows, covered with short body hair for most of the length, and ending in a tasseled switch. Donkeys do not have a true forelock, although sometimes the mane grows long enough to comb down between the ears toward the eyes. Because the mane is stiff and sometimes flyaway, many donkeys, especially show stock, wear their manes clipped short or shaved close to the neck. Hoof shape varies as well, donkey hooves are smaller and rounder, with more upright pasterns. The legs should have good bone, but many donkeys of common breeding may appear to have long thin legs with tiny feet. Larger Asses such as the Poitou or Andalusian types may appear opposite, with huge, heavy shaggy legs and large round feet. Good legs and feet are essential for breeding mules, as a good foot is much preferable to a large body on tiny stick legs and feet. Voice: The vocal qualities are the frequently remembered differences in the long-ears. The donkey�s voice is a raspy, brassy bray, the characteristic Aw-EE, Aw-EE sound. Jacks especially seem enjoy braying, and will "sound off" at any opportunity. Color: Although many donkeys are the familiar gray-dun color, there are many other coat shades. Most donkeys, regardless of coat color, will have dorsal stripes and shoulder crosses, dark ear marks, as well as the "light points" - white muzzle and eye rings, and a white belly and inner leg. Leg barring ("garters" or "zebra stripes" may be present as well. Small dark spots right at the throat latch, called "collar buttons" are a good identifying marking and occur occasionally. These typical donkey markings may be passed on in part or in whole to mule or hinny offspring. Colors in the donkey range from the gray shades of gray-dun to brown, a rare bay, black, light-faced roan (both red and gray), variants of sorrel, albino-white (also called cream or white-phase), few-spot white, and a unique spotted pattern. True horse pinto, horse aging gray, horse appaloosa, palomino and buckskin do not occur in the donkey. The more unusual colors are the dappled roan, where the face and legs are light and the body is marked with "reverse" dapples (dark spots on a light background, as opposed to the horse dapple where the dapples themselves are light on dark), frosted grey (with light faces and legs and some white hairs in the coat) the pink-skinned, blue-eyed albino white, and the few-spot white. The few-spot white is off of spotted lines, and can throw either more few-spots or true spotted colts. The animals are best defined as a spotted animal where the skin is spotted but the color does not necessarily show through on the coat. Few-spot can be identified from albino white by checking the skin around the eyes and muzzle. Albino/creams will have blue eyes and true pink skin, while few-spots will have dark eyes, dark "eyeliner" and dark spotting on the skin. Another unusual variant of the spotting line is the "tiger spot" pattern. These donkeys vary from the typical large spots over the ears, eyes, and topline. The body will be covered with small round spots resembling the appaloosa type.
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