Thesis (M.S.)--University of Wisconsin--Madison, 1981. / Typescript. eContent provider-neutral record in process. Description based on print version record. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 15-19).

The broad objective of the study was to determine the socio-economic importance, health and welfare aspects of donkeys used for carting in a peri-urban area. A survey was conducted among 71 donkey owners in Joza, a peri-urban area near Grahamstown in the Eastern Cape Province (ECP) of South Africa to investigate their perceptions on socio-economic importance, health and welfare aspects of donkeys used for transport. Two hundred and seventy-one donkeys used for carting were assessed through direct observation of health and behaviour parameters to determine their welfare status. Results revealed that donkeys are indeed of immense value to people, being used daily (54.93%) for income generation activities and at least once per month (7.08%) for domestic chores. Most of the respondents (32%) earned R 600.00 per week while 11% earned at least R 200.00 per week from carting using donkeys. Donkeys were used for carting of goods (90.14%) more than for manure (16.9%). Gender and age of owners significantly (P < 0.05) influence perceptions on source of income while education level influenced their perceptions on carting firewood, goods and water. Results on management practices and health problems encountered by working donkeys showed that most of the owners managed their animals poorly. Most donkeys were being beaten (74.65%) during work, made to travel long distances (43.66%), worked long hours (52.11%) without adequate water (59.10%) and feed supplements (83.10%). Wounds (95.97%), coughing (75.65%) and lameness (64.79%) were some of the health problems encountered by donkeys. Significant relationships (P ˂ 0.05) were observed between owners’ perceptions on management practices and health problems encountered by donkeys. Among the observed animals, 61% were thin and mostly apathetic (26.2%) than medium and fat animals. Responses to observer approaches were significantly associated with sex and body condition score (BCS), with stallions in good body condition being more aggressive. Donkeys having a BCS of 3-5 avoided chin contact either by kicking out or moving away. Results further showed that most of the donkeys were suffering from external injuries, with the hindquarters (39.85%), shoulder (32.10%) and spine (21.77%) being the mostly affected areas. The prevalence of wounds on tail-base, belly, flank and neck were seen in less than 13% of the animals. The prevalence of wounds was influenced by age and BCS of the animals. Young donkeys with good BCS were less affected than old donkeys. Lameness, poor coat condition, external parasites, abnormal mucous membrane and dental problems were observed in less than 30% of the animals. It was concluded that donkeys play a pivotal role economically and socially to the livelihoods of people in a peri-urban area (Joza) in terms of income generation and transportation. However, these animals are experiencing multiple health and welfare problems. Therefore, more access to veterinary services, training on donkey use and management, health and welfare promotion programs are of paramount importance in solving the problem of poor health and welfare in donkeys.

Thesis (MMedVet (Equine Surgery))--University of Pretoria, 2006. / Includes bibliographical references. Also available in print format.

Thesis (MMedVet. (Anaes))--University of Pretoria, 2000. / Also available in print format.

(1) Rate of increase was measured for feral donkey populations in parts of northern Australia as the average exponential rate of increase, r, in a population subjected to substantial reduction. (2) The annual rate of increase was estimated to be r = 0.21. This estimate was compared with the exponential rate of increase in another recovering donkey population and found to be in close agreement. (3) Ultimate and proximate factors regulating the abundance of feral donkey populations were examined by monitoring and sampling two populations; one at or close to equilibrium density, the other below equilibrium density and recovering from reduction. (4) The size of the population at equilibrium density remained stable over the 12 months of monitoring while the size of the recovering population increased by 20 percent (r = 0.18/yr). (5) Growth and body condition were significantly depressed in the population at equilibrium density suggesting that donkey populations are limited by the food resources available to them. (6) Breeding occured over a discrete season, with births occurring between September and February. 11 (7) Fecundity was high, with more than 75 percent of mature females breeding in each year, and was independent of population density. (8) Adult and juvenile mortality were density dependent, with mortality over the first six months of life the most important demographic factor influencing rate of increase in donkey populations, and hence population abundance. (9) Implications of the estimated rate of population increase for the cost of long-term control of feral donkey populations were examined by constructing numerical models predicting the relative cost of ongoing control. (10) These models were constructed using functions to describe density dependent variation in population productivity and the cost per donkey removed. (11) The cost of removing donkeys at various population densities was estimated using predator-prey theory. The cost, measured in hours of helicopter time per removal, was found theoretically and empirically to take the form of an inverted functional response curve, with cost saturated at high donkey densities. (12) The utility of models predicting the cost of continuing pest control is illustrated by comparing the relative costs of two potential strategies for feral donkey control.

There are approximately forty two million donkeys in the world. All developing countries have an expanding population of donkeys, which are used for the provision of various services. The most commonly performed procedures in donkeys are castrations, tumour removals, foot care and dental treatments. All of these procedures can be performed in standing donkeys provided sufficient analgesia and sedation are provided. The donkey should be recognised and treated in its own light. Very few analgesics relieve pain without producing side effects. The ideal analgesic would provide good analgesia and sedation without any side effects. Combined with sedation, analgesia aids in the handling of animals and reduces the danger to attendants. Neuroleptanalgesia provides a more potent sedative and analgesic allowing more procedures to be performed. A marked synergistic effect between opioids and alpha2 adrenergic agonists is reported. Detomidine-butorphanol is used extensively for equine sedation and analgesia in the United States of America and Europe. Currently there is limited information available on effective sedative and analgesic drugs or drug combinations in donkeys. Detomidine and xylazine, which belong to the alpha2 adrenergic agonist group, have been described for use in donkeys. No information exists on the use of opioid drugs or opioid-sedative combinations in donkeys. Detomidine produces sedation and analgesia of a greater magnitude and a longer duration than xylazine. Detomidine has been used to sedate horses for diagnostic, therapeutic or minor surgical procedures and as part of a premedication or an intravenous anaesthetic protocol. Detomidine is a good analgesic. The duration of sedation and analgesia is dose dependent. The sedation produced by detomidine alone is not always satisfactory and some horses will respond to noxious stimuli with well-directed kicks. For this reason, detomidine and butorphanol are very often combined. Butorphanol is a synthetic mixed agonist-antagonist opioid. The detomidine is given five minutes before the administration of butorphanol or the butorphanol can follow the detomidine. Sedation is easily extended by additional doses of detomidine and/or butorphanol. This combination produces profound sedation in which horses are apparently unaffected by sounds, tactile stimuli and surrounding activity. It has been suggested that donkeys require a higher dose of detomidine for sedation than horses. The recommended dose for donkeys is 20-40 µg/kg. The degree and length of analgesia and sedation is dose dependent. A dose of 5-10 µg /kg was found effective for sedation and a dose of 20 µg /kg was effective for sedation and analgesia. No recommended doses for butorphanol in donkeys exist. Twelve healthy male donkeys were randomly divided into two groups. One group received 10 µg/kg of detomidine while the other group received 10 µg /kg of detomidine and 25 µg /kg of butorphanol. Sedation was evaluated by a scoring system and characterised by lowering of the head, relaxation of the upper eyelids, drooping of the lower lip and dropping of the ears. Analgesia was evaluated by means of a pinprick method. The average dose for detomidine was 11.24 µg/kg and that of butorphanol was 28.0 µg/kg. The onset time to sedation was 4 minutes 21 seconds with detomidine alone and 3 minutes 28 seconds with the combination. The average length of sedation for the detomidine group was 20 minutes, and for the detomidine-butorphanol group was 1 hour and 7 minutes. The analgesia lasted twice as long in combination group compared to the detomidine group. Detomidine did not eliminate coronary band pain. Heart rates dropped significantly in the first minute after the injection in both groups, and this was statistically significant. There was however no statistical difference between the two groups. An atrioventricular and a sinoatrial block were recorded during this trial. The respiratory rates tended to decrease in the first few minutes after which the rate stabilised. Four donkeys receiving butorphanol had Cheyne-Stokes respiratory patterns. It was evident that the combination of detomidine and butorphanol produced a greater sedative and analgesic effect than detomidine alone. The superior sedation is the result of synergistic effects between detomidine and butorphanol. This trial has shown that detomidine in combination with butorphanol in donkeys produces sedation that is superior to detomidine on its own and last at least twice as long. Analgesia was dramatically improved with the combination as compared to detomidine alone. / Dissertation (MMed Vet (Anaesthesiology))--University of Pretoria, 2000. / Companion Animal Clinical Studies / unrestricted

Thesis(M.Sc. (Animal Production)) -- University of Limpopo, 2022 / Donkeys continue to play a significant role in draught power activities for both rural and urban regions in underdeveloped countries, where they are commonly employed for transportation of goods and movement of people at extremely low prices. The study sought to determine donkey farmers' breeding practices as well as donkey morphological characterization in three villages such as Thorp, Archibalt and Genau of the Blouberg Local Municipality. A total of 21 donkey farmers and 74 donkeys were used to collect data. The following Morphological traits characterized were; Head length (HL), Ear length (EL), Neck length (NL), Chest width (CW), Back length (Bal), Body length (BoL), Hips width (HW), Umbilical circumference (UC), Back height (BH), Height at the rump (HR), Thoracic circumference (TC), Chest depth (CD), Withers Height (WH), Front leg length (FLL), Cannon circumference (CC), Cannon length (CL), Cannon height (CH) and Body weight (BW). Descriptive statistics, Chi-square tests, Analysis of variance (ANOVA), Pearson correlation, and Rank Index were used for data analysis. Education level of the farmers in the three villages was significantly different (p<0.05) with the majority of farmers having secondary education. There was no significant difference (p>0.05) amongst the villages on different reasons behind keeping donkeys. The results showed a significant difference (p<0.05) in inbreeding knowledge by the farmers amongst the three villages. The selection criteria used across the three villages were not significantly different (p>0.05). Rank and Indices in selection of male donkeys looked at body size (0.39), growth rate (0.19), Draught power performance (0.14), and for overall preference in female donkeys it was body size (0.26), twinning ability (0.23) and mothering ability (0.15). Body size and growth rate where the most important traits to donkey farmers. The coat colours were not significantly different (p>0.05). In all the eighteen measured traits, only four (BaL, HW, BH and FLL) showed a significant difference (p<0.05) among the three villages. BW in male donkeys was not significantly correlated (p>0.05) with HL, EL, NL, BaL, HW, FLL, CC, CH, CL but was positively correlated (p<0.05) with BoL (r = 0.34), UC (r = 0.35), TC (r = 0.33), CD (r = 0.31), CW (0.94), BH (r = 0.41), HR (0.60), and WH (r = 0.58). BW in female donkeys was not significantly correlated (p>0.05) with NL, BaL, TC, and CL but positively significant correlated (p<0.05) with HL, EL, BoL, HW, UC, FLL and CC CW, BH, HR, WH and CH with correlation coefficient values ranging from 0.34 to 0.75. The farmers had no breeding program in place the donkeys were allowed to mate on their own without designed breeding program. Selection of donkeys to be part of the heard was based on physical attributes, such length It was concluded that donkey farmers in Genau, Archibalt, and Thorp villages engaged in breeding practices that could be valuable in construction of a community-based breeding program.

O jumento Pêga é uma raça nacional criada principalmente para a produção de muares marchadores, e possui valor econômico em todo território nacional. Com o objetivo de avaliar as medidas e índices morfométricos, eficácia de métodos de estimativa de peso vivo, bem como desenvolver uma fita de pesagem para jumentos da raça Pêga, foram utilizados 47 animais, 22 jumentas adultas e 25 jumentos em crescimento de ambos os sexos. As medidas morfométricas (peso fita; altura cernelha e garupa; distância codilho-solo; comprimento do corpo, cabeça, pescoço, espádua, dorso-lombo, garupa, antebraço e canela; perímetro torácico, de antebraço, canela e joelho; largura de cabeça, peito e anca) foram realizadas mensalmente com os animais posicionados em estação forçada em piso de concreto sem irregularidades ou inclinações. Após as mensurações, índices morfométricos foram calculados: índice dáctilo-torácico (IDT), de carga de canela (ICC), de conformação (ICF) e peso vivo verdadeiro (PVV). Para os jumentos em crescimento, equações lineares e não lineares descritas na literatura foram utilizadas para verificar sua aplicabilidade na fase de vida e espécie e desenvolveu-se uma equação para predição de peso com base na medida do perímetro torácico. Foi observado efeito do tempo de avaliação (P&lt;0,001) e não houve efeito de sexo (P&gt;0,05) para as medidas e índices morfométricos dos jumentos em crescimento. Os jumentos nascem com cerca de 14,86% do peso e 67,77% da altura das mães e aos seis meses atingem cerca de 40,37% do peso e 84,45% da altura. De acordo com a avaliação dos índices morfométricos, os jumentos adultos e em crescimento da raça Pêga são classificados como adaptados tanto à atividade de sela como tração, e que possuem maior capacidade de carga em relação aos equinos. Ao se comparar os métodos de pesagem, observou-se diferença (P&lt;0,001) entre os pesos da balança eletrônica e fita de pesagem comercial para equinos, sendo que a fita subestima o peso dos animais em crescimento, sendo necessário correção deste em 1,76%. As equações não lineares e as lineares encontradas na literatura, elaboradas para equinos e outras raças de jumentos não se adequam aos animais da raça Pêga do nascimento aos seis meses de idade, portanto sugere-se a utilização da equação desenvolvida no presente estudo (PV(kg)= -156,43+2,5178*PT), que apresenta coeficiente de determinação (R2) de 0,9638 com o peso vivo dos animais em crescimento. A partir da equação desenvolvida no presente estudo pode ser possível a elaboração de uma fita métrica para pesagem dos jumentos da raça Pêga em crescimento, o que tornaria o acompanhamento do crescimento dos animais mais prático e confiável. / The Pêga donkey is a national breed created mainly for the mules production, and has economic value throughout the national territory. In order to evaluate the measures and morphometric indexes, efficacy of live weight estimation methods, as well as to develop a weighing tape for Pêga donkeys, 47 animals were used, 22 adult donkeys and 25 growing donkeys of both sexes. The morphometric measures (weight tape, withers heigh, croup height, ground-to-ground distance, body length, head length, neck length, shoulder bone length, back-loin length, croup length, forearm length, shin length, thoracic perimeter, forearm perimeter, cinnamon perimeter, knee perimeter, head width, chest width and hip width) were performed monthly with the animals positioned at a forced station on a concrete floor without irregularities or slopes. After the measurements, morphometric indexes were calculated: dactyl-thoracic index (DTI), weigh in cannon index (WCI), conformation index (CI) and true live weight (TLW). For growing donkeys, linear and non-linear equations described in the literature were used to verify their applicability in the life stage and species, and an equation for weight prediction was developed based on the measurement of the thoracic perimeter. The effect of the evaluation time (P&lt;0.001) was observed and there was no effect of sex (P&gt;0.05) on morphometric measures and indexes of growing donkeys. The donkeys are born with about 14.86% of the weight and 67.77% of the height of the mothers and at six months they reach about 40.37% of the weight and 84.45% of the height. According to the evaluation of the morphometric indexes, adult and growing Pêga donkeys are classified as adapted to both saddle and traction activities, and have a higher carrying capacity in relation to equines. When comparing the weighing methods, we observed a difference (P&lt;0.001) between the weights of the electronic scale and commercial weighing tape for equines, and the tape underestimates the weight of the growing animals, which needs to be corrected in 1, 76%. The nonlinear and linear equations found in the literature, elaborated for equines and other donkey races, are not suitable for the Pêga breed from birth to six months of age, so it is suggested to use the equation developed in the present study (PV Kg) = -156.43 + 2.5178 * PT), which presents coefficient of determination (R2) of 0.9638 with live weight of growing animals. From the equation developed in the present study it may be possible to create a measuring tape for weighing the growing Pêga donkeys, which would make monitoring the growth of the animals more practical and reliable.

O jumento Pêga é uma raça nacional criada principalmente para a produção de muares marchadores, e possui valor econômico em todo território nacional. Com o objetivo de avaliar as medidas e índices morfométricos, eficácia de métodos de estimativa de peso vivo, bem como desenvolver uma fita de pesagem para jumentos da raça Pêga, foram utilizados 47 animais, 22 jumentas adultas e 25 jumentos em crescimento de ambos os sexos. As medidas morfométricas (peso fita; altura cernelha e garupa; distância codilho-solo; comprimento do corpo, cabeça, pescoço, espádua, dorso-lombo, garupa, antebraço e canela; perímetro torácico, de antebraço, canela e joelho; largura de cabeça, peito e anca) foram realizadas mensalmente com os animais posicionados em estação forçada em piso de concreto sem irregularidades ou inclinações. Após as mensurações, índices morfométricos foram calculados: índice dáctilo-torácico (IDT), de carga de canela (ICC), de conformação (ICF) e peso vivo verdadeiro (PVV). Para os jumentos em crescimento, equações lineares e não lineares descritas na literatura foram utilizadas para verificar sua aplicabilidade na fase de vida e espécie e desenvolveu-se uma equação para predição de peso com base na medida do perímetro torácico. Foi observado efeito do tempo de avaliação (P&lt;0,001) e não houve efeito de sexo (P&gt;0,05) para as medidas e índices morfométricos dos jumentos em crescimento. Os jumentos nascem com cerca de 14,86% do peso e 67,77% da altura das mães e aos seis meses atingem cerca de 40,37% do peso e 84,45% da altura. De acordo com a avaliação dos índices morfométricos, os jumentos adultos e em crescimento da raça Pêga são classificados como adaptados tanto à atividade de sela como tração, e que possuem maior capacidade de carga em relação aos equinos. Ao se comparar os métodos de pesagem, observou-se diferença (P&lt;0,001) entre os pesos da balança eletrônica e fita de pesagem comercial para equinos, sendo que a fita subestima o peso dos animais em crescimento, sendo necessário correção deste em 1,76%. As equações não lineares e as lineares encontradas na literatura, elaboradas para equinos e outras raças de jumentos não se adequam aos animais da raça Pêga do nascimento aos seis meses de idade, portanto sugere-se a utilização da equação desenvolvida no presente estudo (PV(kg)= -156,43+2,5178*PT), que apresenta coeficiente de determinação (R2) de 0,9638 com o peso vivo dos animais em crescimento. A partir da equação desenvolvida no presente estudo pode ser possível a elaboração de uma fita métrica para pesagem dos jumentos da raça Pêga em crescimento, o que tornaria o acompanhamento do crescimento dos animais mais prático e confiável. / The Pêga donkey is a national breed created mainly for the mules production, and has economic value throughout the national territory. In order to evaluate the measures and morphometric indexes, efficacy of live weight estimation methods, as well as to develop a weighing tape for Pêga donkeys, 47 animals were used, 22 adult donkeys and 25 growing donkeys of both sexes. The morphometric measures (weight tape, withers heigh, croup height, ground-to-ground distance, body length, head length, neck length, shoulder bone length, back-loin length, croup length, forearm length, shin length, thoracic perimeter, forearm perimeter, cinnamon perimeter, knee perimeter, head width, chest width and hip width) were performed monthly with the animals positioned at a forced station on a concrete floor without irregularities or slopes. After the measurements, morphometric indexes were calculated: dactyl-thoracic index (DTI), weigh in cannon index (WCI), conformation index (CI) and true live weight (TLW). For growing donkeys, linear and non-linear equations described in the literature were used to verify their applicability in the life stage and species, and an equation for weight prediction was developed based on the measurement of the thoracic perimeter. The effect of the evaluation time (P&lt;0.001) was observed and there was no effect of sex (P&gt;0.05) on morphometric measures and indexes of growing donkeys. The donkeys are born with about 14.86% of the weight and 67.77% of the height of the mothers and at six months they reach about 40.37% of the weight and 84.45% of the height. According to the evaluation of the morphometric indexes, adult and growing Pêga donkeys are classified as adapted to both saddle and traction activities, and have a higher carrying capacity in relation to equines. When comparing the weighing methods, we observed a difference (P&lt;0.001) between the weights of the electronic scale and commercial weighing tape for equines, and the tape underestimates the weight of the growing animals, which needs to be corrected in 1, 76%. The nonlinear and linear equations found in the literature, elaborated for equines and other donkey races, are not suitable for the Pêga breed from birth to six months of age, so it is suggested to use the equation developed in the present study (PV Kg) = -156.43 + 2.5178 * PT), which presents coefficient of determination (R2) of 0.9638 with live weight of growing animals. From the equation developed in the present study it may be possible to create a measuring tape for weighing the growing Pêga donkeys, which would make monitoring the growth of the animals more practical and reliable.

The objective of these studies was to develop near-infrared reflectance spectroscopy calibration equations from diet-fecal pair datasets to predict the diet quality and intake of donkeys. One hundred-forty diet-fecal pair samples were generated from two independent in vivo feeding trials conducted in the United States (N = 100) and Africa (N = 40). At each site, ten female donkeys were fed mixed diets blended from 25 forage and crop residues. The modified partial least square model (MPLS) was used to develop calibration equations for crude protein (CP), digestible organic matter (DOM), dry matter digestibility (DDM) and organic matter digestibility (OMD), for the US, Africa and US/Africa combined datasets, and dry matter (DM) and organic matter (OM) intake calibrations from the US datasets. Crude protein (CP) equations were developed with standard error of calibration (SEC) < 1.0 and coefficient of determination (R2) > 0.90, (SEL = 0.5). The US, US/Africa and Africa CP equations had SEC value of 0.77, 0.97 and 0.88 with corresponding R2 of 0.97, 0.95 and 0.88, respectively. Validation of the US CP equation resulted in a standard error of prediction (SEP) of 1.79 with corresponding coefficient of correlation (r2) of 0.82 and slope of 0.84 indicating high accuracy of prediction. In vivo derived DOM equations were also developed for the US, Africa and US/Africa datasets with SEC values of 2.58, 4.91 and 3.52, and R2 of 0.60, 0.81 and 0.84, respectively. In addition, the SEC and R2 values were 3.25 and 0.72 for US OMD, 3.28 and 0.79 for US DDM, and 4.2 and 0.85 for US/Africa OMD, and 4.3 and 0.87 for US/Africa DDM equation, respectively. Calibration equations for predicting DMI and OMI have resulted in SEC values of 3.45 and 3.21 (g/kgw0.75) and R2 values of 0.89 and 0.84, respectively. The present study explored the relationship between DMI and diet quality attributes. Crude protein and digestible organic matter to crude protein ration (DOM/CP) with r2 values of 0.60 and 0.39, respectively, have shown good correlations with intake. The present studies have confirmed the potential for the fecal NIRS profiling for predicting CP, DOM, DDM, OMD, DMI and OMI of donkeys. Both calibration and validation results have indicated that the present donkey equations were comparable to previously developed equations for ruminants; they have the capability for accurate prediction of diet quality and intake, and can be a useful tool for monitoring the nutritional well-being of donkeys with acceptable accuracy. Research works to further expand the present calibration equations with additional diet-fecal samples particularly from Africa that did not meet the required accuracy level is recommended.