Donkey protein diet

Question
Hello, I read the article on the WLD and your recommendation to help with the fresh produce.  Please tell me if I need to peel the orange?  Do I give this once a day?  I had heard that potatoes are not good for donkeys, is the sweet potato ok?

Answer

Salad   Oh, I love easy questions!  Thank you!  :) :) :)  

No, no need to peel any fruit. In fact, the most nutrients of the orange is in the white pith part of it - part of the rind. So nope -- just cut it up and throw it in the bowl. :) And while white potatoes are not a good food for the critters YAMS are ... or the orange sweet potatoes. Those are a base 'ingredient' in the 'base salad'.  

You didn't mention what size donkey -- std? Mini?  The 'base diet' on my website (http://www.thepenzancehorse.com > ARTICLES > EQUINE NUTRITION > Feeding Horses  will have the very simple base diet for a standard sized horse or donkey. For smaller ones you can 1/2 the 'recipe'.

This is given just once a day or even just couple times a week to supplement free choice hay offering.  The main thing is to try to get animals off any processed foods and supplements. Processed, commercial grains. If grain is needed (which is not usually the case with most and especially not necessarily the case with donkeys) then WHOLE OATS is the best to go with ... they are simply, whole oats. Not crimped, not steamed, not processed in any way. WHOLE.  And they can be mixed right in with the 'salad'. just once a day. :)

Hope this helps. Keep me posted!

:) -- Gwen