the trunk-form of the house-donkeys primarily was allowed to the atlas - and the Nubische game-donkey has been. As the game-form, so also most house-donkeys have a shoulder-cross. With East-African house-donkeys, a Ringelstreifung of the legs appears additionally. Here, Somali-Wildesel, that show the same Beinstreifung, were obviously one-crossed.
Approximately 6000 years ago, the game-donkey was domesticated in Egypt. On representations from the 1. Donkeys with a shoulder-cross are dynasty portrayed beside house-sheep and cows. Donkeys served already as load-animals at that time. they were used also for threshing of the grain. To the transportation of people, one fortified between two donkeys of a type Sänfte.
House-donkeys have a series schätzenswerter of qualities. they make low demands on the feed. Hay and grass suffice them. The lifespan of donkeys is in the comparison quite high to horses over 40 years as well. Donkeys are to be used for the work until into the high age. Since its attitude causes so low costs, also poor people can afford this pet. Because of its Kletterfähigkeit, the donkey is superior in the mountains for the horse. Donkeys are extraordinarily resistant against illnesses, especially then, if they live in a warm, dry climate.
In the bronze age, house-donkeys were introduced after Europe. In the antiquity, there were donkeys in the entire Mediterranean-area. In Asia, the donkey-breeding advanced as far as to China already early.
Because of its tenacity and patience, the house-donkey must put up himself a very rough treatment in many places. If donkeys are afraid, they stubbornly become and finally sit down to the weir through bites and hoof-hits. In warm countries, the good qualities of the house-donkeys get the validity the best. From its capability, one cannot make any right concept for oneself if one knows it from only Central Europe. To consider the donkey quintessence of the stupidity, testifies from defective observation. its mental qualities are quite equal those of the other horses.
Breeding-races The different breeding-races of the donkeys vary regarding its size and coloring. Especially big donkeys with a shoulder-height of over 150 cm are bred (Poitou-Esel) in South-France. These donkeys are especially well suitable for the mule-breeding. Similar giant-forms are the Puli-Esel from South-Italy, the Spanish giant-donkey and the Tuareg-Esel from the Sahara.
In East-Africa and South-Arabia, the white, big Maskat-Esel serves as excellent mount, who runs in the amble. The Turkmenen-Esel from means-Asia is used as mount in camel-caravans.
On islands like Sri Lanka, Sardinia and the Balearen, dwarf-donkeys are bred, who hardly reach a shoulder-height of 80 cm. Also on the Balkans, very small donkeys becomes use donkeys, who can offer only barely 100 cm of withers-height, like the somber Macedonian.
With many donkeys, who are hot and restrained zones over all countries of this widespread, it is not possible, it a certain breeding-race, to assign.
Mule One calls the descendants of a crossing of donkey-stallion and horse-mare mules. Mules are among each other and with one of its trunk-forms not fertile. These crossing-products unify good qualities of horse and donkeys in itself. they are enough, persevering, mountain-properly, little susceptible to illnesses and until into the age of more than 30 years to the work useful. they have the strength of a horse approximately on that occasion. As load, ride, and Zugtiere ("Muli") do it good services with modest feed-claims.
The mule-breeding of Poitou (South-France) stands in especially good reputation. The gigantic donkey-stallions with cold-blood-horse-mares (Z) become here. B. Percheron, cruised. The result is a magnificent and powerful mule.
Mules With the combination of horse-stallion and donkey-mare, the mule is created. The mule is smaller than a mule and essentially doesn't differ from the donkey in its usability. Also the mules are sterile. The breeding of the mule is little worthwhile and therefore never has the meaning of the mule-breeding acquired.
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