Discovering
the Donkey
The Different Functions of the Donkey
The donkey has always been very useful to humans — not only for the help it provides but also for what we can derive from it in terms of food, fertilizer, and more.
The Donkey as a Means of Transport
Donkeys have long been used to transport people, especially in Mediterranean and African countries. In Europe, they were quickly replaced by horses for this purpose. Anyone who has ridden a donkey understands why...!
An Exceptional Pack Animal
Thanks to its particular build — notably having one fewer lumbar vertebra than the horse — the donkey is very sturdy. It is appreciated in mountainous areas for its surefootedness on steep paths.
An Ally in Agricultural Work
In France, donkeys were used for plowing until the early 20th century and still help with logging in mountain areas. They are also valued by Mediterranean winegrowers for their robustness and climbing ability.
Companion to Shepherds and Defender of the Flock
Once indispensable to shepherds for transhumance, donkeys carried equipment and salt for sheep. They could even protect the flock from predators — for example, in Texas, about 1,800 shepherd donkeys are still in service.
The Donkey and Pilgrimages
The donkey is the faithful companion of pilgrims, notably on the Way of St. James (Camino de Santiago), where it still accompanies walkers today.
The Donkey at the Service of Boatmen and Salt Workers
Donkeys were used to haul barges along the canals of Berry and to transport salt loads for salt workers, whether official or smugglers.
The Donkey in the Military
The army often used donkeys and mules for their surefootedness in mountainous terrain and their ability to carry heavy loads. During World War I, donkeys paid a heavy price.
The Donkey, Companion for Leisure
Today, donkeys accompany tourists on hikes. Gentle, sturdy, small, and sure-footed, they are an ideal mount for children and a faithful leisure companion.
Donkey Products
In some parts of the world, donkey milk is used to feed infants because its composition is close to that of human milk.
A jenny produces about 3 to 6 liters of milk per day. Donkey milk is very nutritious because it contains more lactose and less fat than cow’s milk.
Donkey milk was also reputed in beauty treatments. Ancient texts tell us that Cleopatra bathed in it for her skincare. It took no less than two hundred lactating jennies to provide the milk for her baths.
Today, this milk is still used to produce soaps and cosmetic products.
Donkey manure is used as fertilizer for cultivated soils. This manure is “hot” compared to the “cold” manure of cattle and pigs. It is especially valued in cold, wet lands.
HideThe donkey’s hide is very thin, strong, tough, and elastic. Once tanned, it was used to make drums, sieves, shoes, and thick parchments.
MeatTraditionally, donkey meat was used in charcuterie… but don’t expect to eat it among donkey breeders of FNAR...
An Ideal Hiking Companion
The Donkey, a Historic Work Companion
The donkey has always been a favored work companion of humans. Its population peak was at the end of the 19th century (1862), with a large agricultural census listing 400,000 head (and almost as many mules), concentrated mainly in central and southern France. At that time, France had more than two million farms under 5 hectares.
Decline Due to Modernization
Rural exodus, mechanization, and the Common Agricultural Policy of the EEC made the donkey useless. Its numbers fell throughout France (except Corsica, a mountainous region). The post-war “Trente Glorieuses” (Thirty Glorious Years) almost spelled disaster for the species, as happened in northern Europe. In 1946, there were still 110,000 donkeys in France; by 1980, only 20,000 remained.
The Baudet du Poitou on the Brink of Extinction
In 1977, the alarm was raised for the Baudet du Poitou — the oldest and most prestigious French breed, recognized by the National Studs since 1884 — which had dwindled to just 44 purebred animals.
A Last-Minute Rescue
The rescue was thanks to determined breeders and passionate veterinarians. The Baudet du Poitou, recognizable by its long reddish-brown coat reaching down to its hooves, is a large, strong donkey. Its fame comes from its ability to “cover” strong mares, which would later give birth to sure-footed mules capable of carrying 40% more than horses of the same weight, but like all hybrids, they cannot reproduce. With the French army, the main consumer of mules, deciding to stop using them in the 1950s, the Baudet du Poitou nearly became a victim of its redundancy.
The Donkey’s Comeback
It is often when a species is threatened with extinction that its qualities are rediscovered. Once despised, the donkey is developing again in France: today there are about 35,000, thanks to some enthusiasts and its use in tourism activities.
Since the 1990s, the donkey has experienced a resurgence despite its lowly status through the centuries. Much of this renewed popularity is due to hiking enthusiasts.
- Peak of the donkey: At the end of the 19th century, 400,000 donkeys in France, mainly in central and southern regions.
- Decline: Rural exodus and mechanization drastically reduced numbers to 20,000 by 1980.
- Decline: Rural exodus and mechanization drastically reduced numbers to 20,000 by 1980.
- Rescue: Saved thanks to passionate breeders and veterinarians.
- End of military use: The army stopped using mules in the 1950s.
- Renaissance: Since the 1990s, donkeys have been developing thanks to tourism and hiking enthusiasts, now numbering 35,000 in France.