The Mules - Part 7

What types (species) of Donkeys are there?

Mammoth Donkeys

The American Mammoth Donkey was first bred from Poitou, Maltese, Catalonian and Andalusia breeds and developed in the United States of America . Conceived and crossed breed primarily for producing donkeys for heavy work and long riding. The male donkey is known as jack, and Mammoth jacks should stand at least 58 inches (147 centimeters) high, while female mammoth donkeys are called jennies or jennets and measures at 56 inches upwards. Today this type of donkey is still rare as classified by the American Livestock Breeds Conservancy, only with less than a thousand new registrations annually.

Poitou Donkey

Poitou Donkeys is a rare breed that has a dark brown hairy fur, a strong build, and long ears. The exact origins of the Poitou donkey are not generally known. It’s the largest type of all donkeys, and measures about 59 inches at the highest point on its back and sometimes more. It has an irregular and long matted bay-brown fur, without dorsal stripes. Its shaggy appearance is considered normal. Their weight varies in between about 350 to 450 kg.

With its unbalanced temperament and its lacking of grace in posture, this donkey is hardly ever used for work. Its value lies solely in its role as a sire for mules. The numbers of these donkeys, both male and female, have fallen very low.

Standard Donkey

Most donkeys all over the world are under this size range. Often called burros, they stand between 36.01″ and 48″ at the withers and are further divided into three categories:

Small Standard—36.01 inches to 40 inches

Standard—40.01inches to 48 inches

Large Standard—48.01 inches to 54 inches (females) and 48.01 inches to 56 inches (males)

Cypriot Donkey

Also known as the “Mercedes of Donkeys”; its distinguishably characterized by its exemplary long ears and a very friendly personality trait. Due to its almost professional and highly developed work trait and energetic health this Cypriot donkey are highly regarded and valued in different places like in Ottoman Syria and Palestine . It is not clear when the Cypriot donkey exactly emerged as a different and separate breed. It is clear, however, that it is markedly different from the common and more ordinary donkey of the Levant .

American Spotted Ass

A special breed that was in America. While all asses can come in the spotted pattern (”pinto”), the term American Spotted Ass is a trade name for donkeys registered with ACOSA or the American Council of Spotted Asses, which is trying to establish foundation stock for spotted asses.

Other Hybrids of a Donkey

Mule – a product of a cross breed between a male donkey (jack) and a female horse.
Hinny – a product of a cross breed between a female donkey (jenny) and a male horse.
Zonkey, Zebroid, Zebrass, or Zedonk – are names used to describe donkeys that were a product from the offspring of a Zebra-Donkey cross breeding.

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What is a Donkey?

Donkeys are relatives to horses and zebras. These three animals are all members of the Equidae family. The donkey is widely believed to be a descendant of the Nubian subspecies of African Wild Ass which is now rare and found in only a few remote parts the African continent.

Donkeys are different from horses mainly in its physical appearance. Donkey’s ears are very much noticeably larger than that of a horse in terms of proportion to its over all size. Donkeys have a much straighter neck, its crump and romp sizes differs from the horse, lacking in withers make up a straighter back of the donkeys and the tail and mane of donkeys are coarse leaving the tail to be covered with short body hair for its entirety.

Donkeys need shelter during times when rains pour heavily because as another difference with horses, donkey’s fur does not have waterproof capability.

Unlike Horses who adapts in a close knit herd and stables type of living condition, Donkeys are very much at ease in occupying and living in wide open marginal desert lands where there are almost a scarcity of food sources. For this reasons Donkeys have developed a distinguished loud voices that produces raspy and brassy sounds that can be heard for at least three kilometers away. This ability allows them to interact and communicate with one another.

Donkeys digestive system is something that stands out, it can easily break down the most inedible vegetation food and at the same time save and extract as many moisture as possible.

When push comes to shove in the wild, Donkey are also capable of defending themselves properly by using their hind legs for a forceful kick.

Most domestic Donkey stands between 35 to 55 inches tall. Unlike horses Donkeys needs a much smaller amount of food, they are prone to a disease called laminitis if they are overfed.

Domestic Donkeys are also classified by their sizes rather than their breed as a result of cross generational breeding there weren’t enough pure breeds left.

The size categories are:

Miniature - 35 inches (91 cm)
Small Standard – 39 inches (101 cm)
Standard – 48 inches (122 cm)
Large Standard – 55 inches (142 cm)
Mammoth Jacks – Over 55 inches (over 142 cm)

Most Donkeys have a mouse gray color but there are donkeys that have different colors like black, white, all shades of gray, brown and even albino white. There are also donkeys that were known as “strawberry roan” because of their pink color (a mixture of grey dun and light red).
The average lifespan of Donkeys ranges from 25 years to its considered elderly age of 40 years. Some lucky Donkeys have been recorded to live through the ripe old age of 60.
Facts regarding the difference between Donkeys and Horses:

Donkeys have a much higher form of intelligence; they are patient and make up for better pack animals, but they are much less powerful and slower than Horses.
Donkeys are more properly adaptable to desert marginal lands as compared to Horses which thrives in lush grass field regions.
During times of panic and danger, Donkeys will simply stay put in one place as compared to Horses whose tendency is to run away.
Donkeys are considered to be more laid back than Horses.

Donkeys are a wonderful animal although very much different from Horses, donkeys can also have their fair share of uses like protecting fellow herd animals such as sheep and cattle goats from predators, a reliable stable companion of horses and even be used as a ride for the disabled people because Donkeys are considered kind, patient and affectionate animal.

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What is a Zebrony?

Zebroid is a term given to any animal that is a cross between a zebra and any other Equidae (animals belonging to a family of horse sharing similar characteristics, traits and behavior).

Zebrony belongs to this family. It is the result of the copulation between a zebra and a pony. Another term given to it is zony. When a male zebra (stallion) and a female pony (mare) mate, their offspring is referred to as a zony. People also call it by different names such as ponibra and zeny. Obviously the names are derived from the names of their parents combined together (zebra/pony).

The physical attributes of a zebrony follow the characteristics like that of a pony only with distinguishable stripes like that of a zebra. However, the stripping is concentrated mostly on the rear and leg part depending on the zebra specie. Some zebronies may have the stripping scattered on different parts of the body particularly.

Typically, the height of a zebrony will not reach 5 feet just like the common pony, which has proportionately short legs but are considerable strong. The mane and tail are significantly thick and the neck is wide. Naturally, these characteristics will depend on the pony breed. Its color, too, will vary depending on breed type.

Zebronies are among the hybrids that are most commonly preferred for practical uses. This is because they are, like many horse breeds, clever and very trainable. However, they are considered to be, at times, stubborn, aloof, temperamental and can be difficult to manipulate. These characteristics are associated to their zebroid quality.

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What is a Zebrule?

Cross breeding among animals is not uncommon. Like mules. Mule is the name given to animals of a donkey and a horse combination; a cross breed of a female horse (mare) and a male donkey (ass), to be specific. It is important to take note the gender of the animals for it determines what the offspring will turn out to be. On the other hand, when a female donkey and a male horse copulate, the offspring will not anymore be called a mule but a hinny. They are modernly referred to as hybrids.

One type of mule or hybrid that has not yet gained so much popularity, and is in fact still unheard of, is the zebrule. The name could have been a combination of the names zebra and mule. However, the animal of this breed is more commonly known or called zenkey (zebra plus donkey).

Zebrule is the offspring of a male zebra (a stallion) and a female donkey (a jenny or jennet). Zebrules have not grown in number yet. The small percentage of this breed can be found in South Africa. One zebrule was reported to have been born in Barbados, Venezuela, christened Alex. Typically, zebrules can be spotted in areas where donkeys and zebras live at a close distance to each other, which proved to be true, since Alex’s inception was because of a zebra and a donkey’s sharing of one common area for a span of time.

Zebrules are rare. The reason why their population has not increased is the fact that zebrules are (mostly) barren. This is ascribable to their discordant chromosome count, which is only 63. The chromosome result is due to the incompatibility of chromosome counts of the parent stallion and jenny. A zebra has 44 chromosomes while a donkey has 62.

Zebrule is also known by the names zonkey, zeedonk, zenkey and zebronkey. Its physical characteristics and traits are equally taken after both parents. Commonly, the stripes of a zebrule can only be seen on the lower part of the body, typically on the hind part and on the legs. Some zebrules, however, have stripping on their belly part. Some, with almost the entire body covered with stripes.

The prominence of its stripes depends on the zebrule’s color. Naturally, when a zebrule has a dark color, the striping will not profoundly show compared with a light brown colored zebrule. A zebrule’s color takes the color or the regnant color gene of the female donkey or jenny.

Zebrules move faster than a common mule or donkey. They are prey animals, too, like the animals of their same specie. However, zebrules are quick to defend themselves when a predator corners them. Their senses are much stronger and they will scurry for safety when they recognize peril. Just like mules and donkeys, zebrules are clever and can be easily trained.

Zebras, horses and donkeys are all part of the Equidae family (animals belonging to the family of horses). Because of this, these three animals can inter-breed, hence the probability for creation of more breeds and new strange names such as zebrule.

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What is Zorse?

In the 19th century of South Africa zorses are initially procreated. It is a government- sponsored program, which aimed zorses to be the beast of gist, together with zonkeys and zebras. On the other hand, horses are commonly used in other countries. South African governments use of zorse were immediately ended when vehicles were innovated in early 1900’s.

A zorse is an animal that is muscular and heavily built. Driven from horse and zebras and base on which species of zebra it is bred, its hybrid can be like a pony or a horse. But it is more likely two to three folds stiffer than a horse. But its animalism, features and temperament are more comparable to zebras. Its mane does not grow long, it stands-up same as a zebra or, more often, drops down same as the horse. With its average height of 13 to 16 hands, zorse is well proportioned. Its resemblance in horse includes its color. May it be black or darker base for its bodily stripes. Zorse stripes are not equally formed than of the zebras. More of its hybrid output is single or double colored face with white legs. With its well-toned muscles, its strength and straight legs, zorse looks brave and hefty.Zorse are also trained like other animals. They can excel in jumping and trailing. Their trainer can be their best friend. They are good followers and are intelligent. Compared to horses, zorse attitude are way better in terms of personality and braveness.

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What types (species) of Donkeys are there?

What is a Donkey?

What is a Zebrony?

What is a Zebrule?

What is Zorse?

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