Welfare concerns for mounted load carrying by working donkeys in Pakistan

Abstract

Working donkeys (Equus asinus) are vital to peoples livelihoods. They are essential for carrying goods, however globally, overloading is one of the primary welfare concerns of working donkeys. We studied mounted load carrying by donkeys and associated factors in Pakistan. A cross-sectional study of donkey owners (n = 332) was conducted, and interviews were undertaken based on a questionnaire. Owners estimated that the median weight of their donkeys was 110kg (interquartile range (IQR) 100-120kg), and that they carried a median mounted load of 81.5kg (IQR 63-99kg). We found that 87.4% of donkeys carried a load above 50% of their bodyweight ratio (BWR), the median BWR carried was 77.1% (IQR 54.5-90.7%), and 25.3% of donkeys carried above 90% BWR. Donkeys that were loaded at more than 50% BWR were more likely to sit, compared to donkeys loaded with less weight (p=0.01). Donkeys working in peri-urban and urban areas were more likely to carry a greater BWR than donkeys working in rural areas (P<0.001), as were those carrying construction materials or bricks, compared to agricultural materials (p=0.004). Age (p=0.03) and breed (p=0.01) were also associated with carrying a higher weight. Overloading based on current recommendations (50% BWR) was common, with the majority (87.4%) of donkeys reported to carry more than the recommended 50% limit. This survey provides evidence of on-the-ground working practices and factors associated with mounted load carrying, which is critical for developing evidence-based recommendations for loading, in order to improve the welfare of working donkeys.

Cross-Sectional Questionnaire of Donkey Owners and Farriers Regarding Farriery Practices in the Faisalabad Region of Pakistan

“…However, increasing the cost of farriery services to provide a better living may be challenging, as farrier income is linked with the income made by owners through their donkeys. While the daily earnings of donkeys in Pakistan were between USD $2.50 and $5.00 per day [34], it is unlikely farriers will see the significant financial benefit until the utility of donkeys is financially recognized.…”

Assessing the impact of draught load pulling on welfare in equids

“…For example, it is important to note that there is a difference between walking patterns of donkeys and horses, with some evidence that they walk with a lateralized stride pattern nearing a pace (50) rather than a true four-time walk which is usually observed in horses (51). The donkeys had a shorter stride time (0.87 s), stance time and swing time (forelimbs only) in comparison to previous studies in ponies walking with same speed (1.25 ms −1 ), but have similar swing phases in the hindlimbs (50,51). This could indicate that the biomechanical consequences of loading investigated in horses cannot be simply translated to donkeys.…”