Here are the reasons we have Mammoth donkeys on our homestead. We’re not experts, so we always recommend asking the pros for the best advice. This post contains affiliate links, which may lead to a commission if purchased. This comes at no extra cost to you. Thanks!
Meet the newest member of the Oak Abode homestead! This is Hank. Hank is a baby Mammoth donkey gelding. We purchased him from a breeder in Nebraska as a weanling. He’s quite the character, and I’m excited to tell you more about him. First, let’s go over why we chose to add Mammoth donkeys to our homestead.
You can hear all about Hank here on our Podcast!
Mammoth Donkeys Serve Multiple Purposes
The main reason we chose to add donkeys to our homestead is to serve as livestock guardians. Donkeys have a natural tendency to protect their herd. Their bray alone can serve as a deterrent for canine predators, such as coyotes. Mammoth donkeys make especially solid livestock guardians due to their massive size. Mammoth donkeys mature to a size of over 14hh. Our little guy, Hank, has parents between 15hh and 16hh, so we’re hoping he’ll end up around 16hh tall. (That’s the size of a large horse!
Here are some great uses for Mammoth donkeys.
- Livestock guardians
- Riding
- Packing
- Driving
- Companionship
Mammoth Donkeys Can Be Ridden
Pound for pound, donkeys are stronger than horses. However, because they are usually smaller than horses, they typically can’t safely carry as much “total” weight. However, due to the massive size of Mammoth donkeys, they can make great riding animals. Even if Hank’s personality isn’t a perfect fit for livestock guardianship, he should still make a great riding buddy.
Driving & Packing
We’re less familiar with these uses for Mammoth donkeys, but we intend to learn nonetheless. These big equines are great for both driving and packing. Due to their great size, they can pull and carry more weight than standard and miniature donkeys.
Eventually, we would like to teach Hank to drive a cart, and we would love to learn to pack him for trail rides and backpacking trips. Most importantly, we could really use a strong buddy for carrying dead trees and tree limbs out of the woods. We could always use more firewood, and he may eventually be the man for the job.
Gentle Companions
From the beginning, we were drawn to the gentle and calming nature of donkeys. Sure, like any equine, they have their own personalities and possible issues. However, donkeys are known for having a calming presence. Supposedly, horse owners with an anxious horse may add a donkey to their herd to bring a sense of calm. Similarly, recently weaned foals in a herd of horses have been known to turn to donkeys for comfort.
Mammoth Donkeys Are Hardy
Another aspect that attracted us to Mammoth donkeys is the fact that they are generally hardier riding animals than horses. For example, donkeys are said to have better drought tolerance than any mammal other than camels. In addition, rather than grazing, they naturally “browse” for food. This means they can feed on shrubs, brush, and similar flora; they eat more like deer. In a survival situation, this makes donkeys much more dependable than horses.
Hank The Weanling
These are just a few of the reasons we decided to add a Mammoth donkey to our homestead. His name is officially Hank, and we’re loving working with him. He is starting to learn some equine manners around humans. Namely, he is learning not to push into us or move our feet. He’s taking the halter well, and even starting backing up with light touches today. We love him already!
Don’t forget to listen to our podcast all about Hank & Mammoth Donkeys on the homestead!
Check out Wikipedia for more great info on Mammoth donkeys!