How to Feed Donkeys and Mules Without Causing Obesity or Laminitis

By Dr Duncan Houston

Donkeys and mules may share a field with horses, but they should not automatically share the same ration.

Donkeys have substantially lower energy requirements than similar-sized horses and ponies. Mules also tend to use feed efficiently, although their needs vary with body size, workload and whether they take more strongly after their donkey or horse parent.

The most common feeding mistake is not giving poor-quality food. It is giving too much energy through lush pasture, rich hay, grain, sweet feed and generous treats.

The second biggest mistake is trying to correct obesity too aggressively.

Quick Answer

Most healthy adult donkeys need a high-fibre, low-energy diet based mainly on clean feeding straw, with smaller amounts of moderate-energy grass hay or carefully controlled pasture. A common starting point is approximately 1.5% of body weight in dry matter each day, but the correct amount depends on body condition, forage analysis, dental health and activity.

Most maintenance donkeys do not need grain. Mules may need additional energy when working hard, but their ration should still be forage-first and generally lower in sugar and starch than a comparable horse ration.

Never starve an overweight donkey. A donkey that stops eating or develops a markedly reduced appetite needs prompt veterinary attention because hyperlipemia can become fatal. (Merck Veterinary Manual)

Why Donkeys Should Not Be Fed Like Small Horses

Donkeys evolved to survive on sparse, fibrous vegetation. They are highly efficient at extracting energy from forage and generally require less dietary energy than a horse or pony of the same body weight.

Current veterinary guidance estimates that donkeys may consume around 1.3% to 1.8% of body weight in dry matter daily, compared with approximately 1.5% to 2.5% in ponies. Donkeys and mules may require roughly 75% of the ration fed to a comparably sized horse, although this remains only a starting point rather than a universal prescription. (Merck Veterinary Manual)

This is why a ration that maintains a pony nicely can make a donkey obese.

Common excessive energy sources include:

• Unrestricted lush pasture

• High-energy horse hay

• Grain and cereal-based concentrates

• Sweet feed

• Large amounts of alfalfa or clover

• High-fat conditioning feeds

• Frequent apples, carrots and commercial treats

• Access to several feeding stations intended for horses

The problem is not that donkeys have a broken metabolism. Their metabolism is extremely good at doing what it was designed to do. Modern pastures and full buckets are simply far more generous than the environment for which that system evolved.

Are Mules Fed Exactly Like Donkeys?

Not always.

There is far less scientific information on mule requirements than on horse nutrition. Current guidance generally recommends starting with the donkey side of the family tree: high fibre, controlled energy and low nonstructural carbohydrate intake.

However, the individual mule matters.

A mature companion mule doing very little work may gain weight on a horse maintenance ration. A large mule packing loads through mountainous terrain may require considerably more energy, protein, electrolytes and water.

A mule’s diet should therefore be adjusted according to:

• Body weight and condition

• Work intensity

• Duration of work

• Climate

• Sweating

• Age

• Dental health

• Forage quality

• Previous laminitis or metabolic disease

The safest starting principle is to assume that the mule is an efficient easy keeper, then increase calories only when weight, condition and workload show that more is genuinely needed. (Merck Veterinary Manual)

How Much Should a Donkey Eat?

A commonly recommended starting ration for a healthy adult maintenance donkey is approximately:

• 1.5% of body weight in dry matter each day

• 70% to 75% clean barley straw

• 25% to 30% moderate-energy grass hay or controlled grazing

This is not automatically the correct ration for every donkey. Pregnancy, lactation, growth, heavy work, illness, winter weather, poor teeth and body condition can all change the requirement. (Merck Veterinary Manual)

Example for a 180-Kilogram Donkey

At 1.5% of body weight:

180 kg × 0.015 = 2.7 kg of dry matter per day

If the forage is approximately 90% dry matter:

2.7 kg ÷ 0.90 = approximately 3 kg of forage as fed

That could theoretically be divided into roughly:

• 2.1 to 2.25 kg of clean straw

• 0.75 to 0.9 kg of moderate grass hay

This is only an example. Actual forage energy, pasture access, body condition and individual intake must be considered.

Dry Matter Is Not the Same as Feed Weight

Dry matter means the feed after its water content has been removed.

Straw and dry hay are commonly around 85% to 90% dry matter. Haylage contains much more water, so a greater as-fed weight is required to provide the same amount of dry matter.

This is why replacing three kilograms of dry hay with three kilograms of haylage does not necessarily provide an equivalent ration.

Do Not Use the Horse’s Weight Tape

Standard horse weight tapes and horse equations are not reliably accurate for donkeys.

A weighbridge is ideal. When one is unavailable, use a donkey-specific weight chart or equation based on measurements such as heart girth, body length and height.

Measure weight and body condition regularly under similar conditions. Monthly monitoring is usually much more useful than waiting until the donkey has obviously gained or lost a large amount. (Merck Veterinary Manual)

What Is the Best Forage for Donkeys?

The ideal forage is:

• High in structural fibre

• Relatively low in calories

• Low in sugar and starch when metabolic risk is present

• Clean and hygienic

• Free from mould

• Free from excessive dust

• Suitable for the donkey’s dental function

“Low energy” does not mean rotten, mouldy or nutritionally useless.

Poorly stored forage can cause respiratory disease, digestive disturbance and feed refusal. The goal is clean, mature, fibrous forage, not whatever bale the horses rejected.

Feeding Straw

Clean feeding straw can form the majority of the diet for many healthy adult donkeys.

Barley Straw

Barley straw is commonly recommended because it is:

• High in fibre

• Relatively low in energy

• Usually palatable

• Softer than wheat straw

• Useful for providing long chewing time without excessive calories

Wheat Straw

Wheat straw can also be fed, although it is generally:

• More fibrous

• Harder

• Less easily chewed

• Less suitable for donkeys with poor dentition

Oat Straw

Oat straw can vary considerably. It may contain residual grain and can sometimes be higher in energy than expected. Its suitability depends on how it was harvested and what remains in the bale.

All straw should be inspected carefully for mould, dust, foreign material and contamination. (The Donkey Sanctuary)

Is Straw Safe?

Appropriate feeding straw is widely recommended for donkeys.

It provides fibre and allows the donkey to spend longer eating without receiving the calorie load associated with rich hay or unrestricted pasture.

Straw is less appropriate when the donkey:

• Has significant dental disease

• Cannot grind long fibres

• Repeatedly quids or drops feed

• Has a history of choke

• Is severely underweight

• Is growing, heavily working, pregnant or lactating without adequate additional nutrition

• Cannot access enough clean water

Straw should also not be used as the only source of nutrition without assessing protein, vitamins and minerals.

A donkey can fill its stomach with straw and still have a deficient ration.

What Type of Hay Is Best?

For most maintenance donkeys, choose a mature, moderate-energy grass hay.

Useful characteristics include:

• Soft enough to chew

• Clean and dust-free

• Not excessively leafy or rich

• Appropriate sugar and starch content

• Known or tested nutritional value where possible

For an obese or laminitis-prone donkey, forage analysis is particularly useful. Appearance does not reliably reveal sugar, starch or calorie content.

A green bale is not automatically rich, and a pale bale is not automatically safe. Hay has a talent for hiding its nutritional personality until the laboratory gets involved.

Should Donkeys Eat Alfalfa?

Alfalfa is not poisonous to donkeys, but it is often unnecessarily rich for an overweight adult maintenance donkey.

It contains more protein and usually more digestible energy than straw or mature grass hay. Large unrestricted quantities can make weight management difficult.

Alfalfa may still have a role for:

• Underweight donkeys

• Growing youngsters

• Late-pregnant or lactating jennies

• Donkeys with higher protein requirements

• Selected elderly donkeys

• Animals needing a soft chopped forage

The decision should depend on the complete ration rather than a rule that alfalfa is always good or always forbidden.

Is Pasture Safe for Donkeys and Mules?

Pasture can provide exercise, social behaviour and environmental enrichment, but lush pasture can deliver far more energy and sugar than an easy-keeping donkey requires.

Risk is greater with:

• Rapid spring growth

• Improved horse pasture

• Recently fertilised fields

• Extended grazing during high-growth periods

• Previous laminitis

• Obesity

• A cresty neck or regional fat deposits

• Insulin dysregulation

Pasture management options include:

• Strip grazing

• Track systems

• Grazing muzzles

• Dry lots or sparse turnout areas

• Shorter turnout periods

• Turning out after other animals have reduced pasture availability

• Providing clean straw away from the pasture

A grazing muzzle must fit correctly and the animal must still be able to drink. Check for rubbing, frustration and whether the donkey has learnt to defeat the device, a field in which many become surprisingly gifted.

For animals with confirmed insulin dysregulation or recent laminitis, unrestricted pasture may need to be eliminated until the veterinary plan allows reintroduction. (Merck Veterinary Manual)

Do Donkeys and Mules Need Grain?

Most healthy adult maintenance donkeys do not need grain.

Grain and cereal-based feeds are energy-dense and can contribute to:

• Obesity

• Insulin dysregulation

• Laminitis

• Hindgut disturbance

• Excessively rapid weight gain

Sweet feed and high-sugar treats are particularly poor choices for overweight or laminitis-prone animals.

Mules in heavy work may require additional calories. Even then, the first options often include:

• More suitable forage

• Digestible fibre

• A low-starch performance feed

• Fat added in a calculated amount

• Smaller meals divided through the day

The concentrate should be added to meet a measured deficit, not because every animal in the stable receives a scoop at dinner. (Merck Veterinary Manual)

What About Ration Balancers?

A low-calorie ration balancer or vitamin and mineral supplement can be useful when a straw-heavy ration does not provide enough:

• Protein

• Essential amino acids

• Copper

• Zinc

• Selenium

• Vitamin E

• Other micronutrients

A horse ration balancer should not automatically be fed at the full horse label rate. Current veterinary guidance suggests that donkeys may require approximately 75% of the comparable horse or pony amount, unless the manufacturer provides donkey-specific directions. (Merck Veterinary Manual)

The correct supplement depends on:

• Forage analysis

• Regional mineral content

• Age

• Work

• Pregnancy or lactation

• Hoof quality

• Overall ration

A ration balancer is not the same as a high-calorie conditioning pellet. Read the actual label rather than trusting the word “balancer” to behave itself.

What About Protein?

Exact donkey-specific protein requirements are less firmly established than horse requirements.

Donkeys may use dietary nitrogen efficiently, but this should not be interpreted as permission to feed a chronically protein-deficient ration.

A maintenance adult may obtain adequate protein from moderate grass hay and an appropriate balancer. Higher protein and amino acid requirements occur in:

• Growing donkeys and mules

• Late pregnancy

• Lactation

• Heavy work

• Tissue repair

• Significant muscle loss

• Certain elderly animals

The aim is not to feed the lowest possible protein level. It is to meet the animal’s requirements without using unnecessarily calorie-dense forage.

Water and Salt Still Matter

Donkeys and mules should have continuous access to clean water.

Water intake increases with:

• Dry forage

• Hot weather

• Work

• Sweating

• Lactation

• Increased salt intake

Inadequate water can reduce feed intake and increase the risk of impaction colic and other digestive problems. (Merck Veterinary Manual)

Provide plain salt and, where needed, a balanced equine mineral supplement. Electrolytes may be appropriate for working mules that sweat heavily, but they should be calculated according to workload and always accompanied by reliable water access.

How Can You Tell Whether a Donkey Is Overweight?

A donkey-specific body condition score should be used rather than relying on a horse chart alone.

The Donkey Sanctuary system grades donkeys from 1 to 5, with approximately 3 representing moderate or ideal condition.

Look and feel for fat over the:

• Neck and crest

• Shoulders

• Withers

• Ribs

• Back

• Rump

• Tail head

• Lower abdomen

An obese donkey may have:

• A thick, firm or fallen crest

• Bulging fat around the shoulders

• A broad back with a deep central crease

• Fat pads around the rump

• Ribs that are difficult to feel

• A wide, pendulous abdomen

Long-standing fat pads can become firm or calcified and may remain even after the donkey has lost meaningful body fat. This is why weight, measurements, photographs and hands-on scoring should be used together. (The Donkey Sanctuary)

A Large Belly Does Not Always Mean Obesity

Some donkeys have a large abdomen but poor muscle and inadequate body condition.

A pot-bellied appearance may result from:

• High volumes of fibrous forage

• Poor topline musculature

• Dental disease

• Age-related muscle loss

• Parasite burden

• Pregnancy

• Abdominal disease

• Previous weight loss with persistent fat pads

Feel the ribs, neck, shoulders, spine and rump rather than judging the belly alone.

A donkey can be overweight over the crest and shoulders while simultaneously losing topline muscle. Biology does enjoy making simple visual assessments less simple.

How Should an Overweight Donkey Lose Weight?

Weight loss must be slow and controlled.

For an average donkey, veterinary guidance suggests that roughly five kilograms per month may be a reasonable gradual target, although the ideal rate depends on starting weight and health.

The plan may include:

• Removing grain and sweet feed

• Eliminating high-sugar treats

• Restricting rich pasture

• Making clean straw the main forage

• Feeding smaller portions of tested grass hay

• Using several feeding stations

• Using slow feeders with safe openings

• Increasing safe movement

• Monitoring weight and body condition monthly

Do not abruptly remove forage or leave the donkey without anything to eat for long periods. (Merck Veterinary Manual)

Why Crash Dieting Is Dangerous

When a donkey stops eating or enters a severe negative energy balance, stored body fat can be mobilised rapidly into the bloodstream.

This can produce hyperlipemia and fatty infiltration of organs, particularly the liver.

Risk is greatest in donkeys that are:

• Obese

• Female

• Pregnant or lactating

• Stressed

• Transported

• Systemically ill

• Experiencing pain

• Suddenly separated from a companion

• Eating substantially less than normal

Hyperlipemia can progress through a cycle of anorexia, worsening fat mobilisation, liver dysfunction and organ failure. (Merck Veterinary Manual)

A donkey that is not eating should never be dismissed as merely sulking.

What Are the Signs of Hyperlipemia?

Possible signs include:

• Reduced appetite

• Complete feed refusal

• Depression

• Weakness

• Reduced drinking

• Rapid weight loss

• Colic

• Diarrhoea

• Trembling

• Swelling beneath the abdomen

• Reduced manure

• Progressive deterioration

The signs are not specific, so blood testing is required to assess triglycerides and organ function.

A donkey with a major appetite reduction should be discussed with a veterinarian the same day. Complete feed refusal, weakness or deterioration warrants urgent assessment. (Merck Veterinary Manual)

Obesity, Insulin Dysregulation and Laminitis

Obesity is strongly associated with insulin dysregulation and laminitis risk in donkeys.

Regional fat deposits, especially a cresty neck, are particularly concerning. A donkey may also have insulin dysregulation without appearing dramatically obese.

Veterinary testing may be recommended when the donkey has:

• Previous laminitis

• Recurrent hoof pain

• A large crest

• Persistent obesity

• Abnormal fat pads

• Difficulty losing weight

• Older age

• Suspected PPID

• Recurrent hoof-wall distortion

Diet remains central to management, but hoof care and appropriate exercise are equally important once acute pain has resolved. (Merck Veterinary Manual)

Laminitis Can Look Different in Donkeys

Donkeys often show subtler laminitis signs than horses.

Watch for:

• Lying down more than normal

• Short, cautious steps

• A stiff or shuffling gait

• Reluctance to turn

• Reluctance to walk on hard ground

• Shifting weight

• Increased digital pulses

• Warm feet

• Unusual quietness

• Reduced movement within the field

• Sudden hoof-wall rings or distortion

Do not wait for a dramatic rocked-back stance. A donkey may remain standing and simply become quieter, slower and less willing to turn. (The Donkey Sanctuary)

When Is This an Emergency?

Call a veterinarian urgently if your donkey or mule has:

• Complete feed refusal

• A marked reduction in appetite

• Sudden weakness or depression

• Rapid weight loss

• Colic signs

• Very little manure

• Repeated lying down

• A stiff or shuffling gait

• Strong digital pulses

• Hot, painful feet

• Reluctance to move or turn

• Feed or saliva coming from the nostrils

• Difficulty swallowing

• Severe diarrhoea

• Collapse

For donkeys, not eating is one of the most important emergency signs because pain, dental disease, colic, infection and stress can all initiate hyperlipemia.

Do not respond by simply offering more treats and waiting until tomorrow.

How Worried Should You Be?

Lower Risk

The animal:

• Has an appropriate body condition

• Is eating a forage-based ration

• Has no regional fat deposits

• Has no history of laminitis

• Has normal feet and movement

• Receives no unnecessary grain

What to do: continue measuring forage and monitor body condition monthly.

Moderate Risk

The animal:

• Is becoming cresty

• Has ribs that are increasingly difficult to feel

• Is gaining weight

• Has unrestricted pasture

• Receives horse concentrate despite minimal work

• Remains comfortable and active

What to do: arrange a ration review, measure intake and reduce calories gradually. Do not starve the animal.

High Risk

The animal:

• Is obese

• Has large regional fat pads

• Has previous laminitis

• Has a stiff or pottery gait

• Has suspected insulin dysregulation

• Is receiving rich pasture or grain

• Cannot exercise because of pain

What to do: involve a veterinarian, farrier and equine nutritionist. Pasture may need to be removed and forage analysed.

Critical

The animal:

• Stops eating

• Becomes weak or depressed

• Develops acute hoof pain

• Lies down repeatedly

• Has strong digital pulses

• Shows colic or rapid deterioration

• Has lost weight rapidly

What to do: seek urgent veterinary care. Hyperlipemia, laminitis, colic or another systemic illness may be present.

Feeding Working Mules

Working mules need enough energy to maintain condition and perform safely.

Their needs increase with:

• Work duration

• Load carried

• Speed

• Terrain

• Heat

• Humidity

• Frequency of work

• Sweating

Start with adequate forage. If body condition falls or the mule cannot consume enough forage, add calories gradually through a balanced low-starch feed, digestible fibre or fat.

Monitor:

• Body weight

• Topline

• Recovery after work

• Appetite

• Manure

• Hydration

• Sweat losses

• Hoof condition

• Attitude toward work

A working mule should not be kept deliberately thin in the belief that all mules thrive on poor forage. Efficiency does not remove the need for fuel.

Feeding Young Donkeys and Mules

Growing animals need more protein, energy, minerals and vitamins than sedentary adults.

A straw-dominant adult maintenance ration may not support healthy development unless it is carefully supplemented.

Youngsters require particular attention to:

• High-quality protein

• Lysine and other amino acids

• Calcium and phosphorus balance

• Copper and zinc

• Energy for controlled growth

• Parasite management

• Hoof development

The objective is steady growth, not rapid weight gain.

Overfeeding can contribute to obesity and developmental problems, while underfeeding can impair growth and muscle development. (The Donkey Sanctuary)

Feeding Pregnant and Lactating Jennies

Most pregnant jennies can continue a normal maintenance ration through much of gestation.

Energy, protein and mineral needs rise during the final months and increase further during lactation. The ration should be adjusted according to:

• Body condition

• Pregnancy stage

• Fetal growth

• Milk production

• Forage quality

• Season

• Whether she is maintaining weight

An obese pregnant jenny should not be crash-dieted. A lactating jenny losing weight quickly needs prompt nutritional and veterinary review because negative energy balance increases hyperlipemia risk. (The Donkey Sanctuary)

Feeding Elderly Donkeys and Mules

Older equids may struggle with long straw and hay because of worn, loose or missing teeth.

Signs include:

• Quidding

• Dropping partially chewed feed

• Long fibres in manure

• Slow eating

• Weight loss

• Swelling of the face or jaw

• Bad breath

• Recurrent choke

• Feed packing in the cheeks

Long forage may need to be replaced with:

• Soft short-chopped fibre

• Soaked high-fibre pellets

• Soaked forage cubes

• A complete senior feed

• Other forage replacements formulated for equids

The replacement must be fed in sufficient quantity to provide the fibre previously supplied by hay and straw. A handful of soft feed does not replace several kilograms of forage. (The Donkey Sanctuary)

What Else Can Cause Weight Gain or Weight Loss?

A feeding problem is not always the entire diagnosis.

Causes of Apparent Weight Gain

• Excess dietary energy

• Lush pasture

• Reduced exercise

• Insulin dysregulation

• PPID with regional fat changes

• Pregnancy

• Abdominal distension

• Fluid accumulation

• A heavy coat hiding the true outline

Causes of Weight Loss

• Dental disease

• Parasites

• Chronic pain

• Poor forage access

• Competition from herd mates

• Liver or kidney disease

• Chronic infection

• Gastric or intestinal disease

• Cancer

• PPID

• Inadequate protein

• Malabsorption

• Excessive workload

Adding feed without investigating unexplained weight loss may temporarily cover up a medical problem.

What Should You Do Next?

1. Establish an Accurate Weight

Use a weighbridge or donkey-specific estimator rather than a standard horse tape.

2. Score Body Condition

Use a donkey-specific 1 to 5 body condition chart and assess fat pads by touch.

3. Weigh Every Feed

Measure straw, hay, concentrate and supplements using scales. Scoops and flakes are not dependable units.

4. Calculate Dry Matter Intake

Record the animal’s body weight and calculate the current ration as a percentage of body weight.

5. Analyse the Forage

This is especially useful for obese, laminitis-prone or insulin-dysregulated animals.

6. Remove Unnecessary Calories

Eliminate grain, sweet feed and high-sugar treats when they are not medically or nutritionally required.

7. Change the Ration Gradually

Introduce dietary changes over approximately 10 to 14 days to protect hindgut microbial stability. (Merck Veterinary Manual)

8. Control Pasture Safely

Use a muzzle, track, dry lot or controlled access without leaving the donkey fasting.

9. Provide Long Feeding Time

Use safe slow feeders, several feeding points and low-energy fibre to reduce long periods without forage.

10. Increase Movement When Sound

Walking and regular controlled activity can assist weight management and insulin sensitivity.

Do not exercise an animal with active laminitis until veterinary and farriery assessment confirms that movement is safe.

11. Recheck Monthly

Record:

• Weight

• Heart girth

• Body condition

• Crest and fat pads

• Hoof comfort

• Appetite

• Ration

• Pasture access

• Exercise

12. Escalate if Progress Is Poor

If weight is not changing despite measured intake, investigate forage energy, hidden food sources, endocrine disease, accuracy of measurements and whether everyone at the property is following the same plan.

There is often one family member who believes carrots do not count if they are given affectionately.

Common Feeding Mistakes

Feeding Them Like Small Horses

Donkeys and many mules need substantially fewer calories than similar-sized horses.

Calling Mouldy or Dusty Forage “Low Quality”

The ration should be low in energy, not low in hygiene.

Feeding Unlimited Rich Hay

Hay can provide more energy than a sedentary donkey requires even when no grain is being fed.

Assuming Straw Is a Complete Diet

Straw provides fibre and feeding time but may not meet protein, vitamin and mineral requirements alone.

Crash Dieting an Obese Donkey

Severe restriction can cause negative energy balance and hyperlipemia.

Using Age Alone to Select Feed

A healthy elderly donkey with good teeth may still manage straw. A younger animal with dental disease may need complete forage replacement.

Feeding Alfalfa Automatically

Alfalfa can be useful in selected animals but is often unnecessarily rich for an obese maintenance donkey.

Assuming Every Mule Needs a Donkey Maintenance Diet

A hard-working mule may need more energy. Monitor the individual rather than feeding by stereotype.

Relying on the Belly

A large abdomen does not necessarily mean the animal has adequate muscle or healthy body condition.

Ignoring Small Appetite Changes

Donkeys often show illness subtly. Reduced eating can be an early sign of pain, colic, dental disease or hyperlipemia.

Can Obesity and Laminitis Be Prevented?

Risk can be reduced through consistent management.

The strongest prevention plan includes:

• Donkey-specific weight and body condition monitoring

• A measured high-fibre ration

• Clean straw as the main forage where appropriate

• Limited moderate-energy hay

• Controlled pasture

• No unnecessary grain

• Minimal sugary treats

• Balanced minerals and protein

• Daily movement

• Regular dental care

• Routine farriery

• Investigation of cresty necks and fat pads

• Prompt response to appetite reduction

• Testing for insulin dysregulation or PPID when indicated

Obesity usually develops gradually. That is useful because it means regular measurements can identify the trend before the donkey develops laminitis or becomes dramatically overweight.

Will an Overweight Donkey Return to a Healthy Weight?

Usually, yes, but it takes time.

The outlook is better when:

• Intake is measured accurately

• Pasture access is controlled

• Grain is removed

• Forage is appropriate

• The donkey remains active and sound

• Dental and endocrine disease are addressed

• Everyone follows the same plan

• Weight loss remains gradual

Some firm fat pads may remain after the donkey has otherwise improved. Progress should be judged using weight, body condition, mobility and metabolic health rather than expecting every old crest deposit to disappear.

The goal is not to produce a thin donkey.

It is to produce a comfortable donkey with appropriate fat coverage, preserved muscle and healthy feet.

FAQs About Feeding Donkeys and Mules

Can donkeys live on grass alone?

Some donkeys can maintain or gain excessive weight on pasture alone. Rich pasture may provide far more energy than they require and can increase laminitis risk. Controlled grazing plus clean straw is often more suitable.

Is barley straw good for donkeys?

Yes. Clean barley straw is commonly recommended as the main forage for healthy adult maintenance donkeys because it is fibrous, relatively low in energy and generally palatable. It must be balanced with other nutrients and is unsuitable for animals unable to chew it properly. (The Donkey Sanctuary)

Should a donkey eat 1.5% of body weight daily?

Approximately 1.5% of body weight in dry matter is a common starting point for an adult maintenance donkey. The correct amount varies with body condition, activity, climate, health and forage energy.

Do mules need grain?

Many companion or lightly worked mules do not. Hard-working mules may need additional calories, but concentrates should be introduced gradually and selected according to workload and body condition.

How quickly should an overweight donkey lose weight?

Weight loss should be slow. Veterinary guidance suggests roughly five kilograms per month for an average donkey as a broad reference, but the plan must be individualised. Never starve a donkey or severely restrict forage. (Merck Veterinary Manual)

Final Thoughts

Donkeys and mules do not need bad forage.

They need clean forage with less energy.

For most healthy adult donkeys, that means:

• Plenty of structural fibre

• Clean feeding straw

• Smaller amounts of moderate grass hay

• Carefully controlled pasture

• Balanced vitamins, minerals and protein

• Little or no grain

• Regular movement

• Close weight and hoof monitoring

Mules should begin with the same cautious, high-fibre approach, then receive additional energy according to the work they actually perform.

The most important safety rule is not to overcorrect.

An obese donkey needs a measured weight-loss plan, not starvation. A donkey that stops eating needs veterinary attention, not a stricter diet.

Feed the body condition and workload in front of you, not the horse ration written on the stable door.

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If you are unsure whether your donkey or mule is overweight, receiving enough protein or at risk of laminitis, ASK A VET™ can help you organise their body condition, forage intake and feeding history before you finalise the plan with your local veterinarian or equine nutritionist.