Reproductive Management of Donkeys in Milk Production Programs

Domestic donkeys have been related to ancient human civilizations for thousands of years as pack and transportation animals, and indeed still are, particularly in the driest and poorest countries of the world. Nonetheless, the beneficial effects for human health of donkey milk have been known and documented for over 2000 years and have been the basis for the current growth of commercial production systems, primarily aimed at producing natural but industrialized milk for children allergic to cow milk proteins (CMPA) and elderly adults. Additionally, it is used in the human cosmetic industry. Donkey milk production systems require organized and controlled programs where reproduction is one of the main axes, given that without foals, there is no milk production. These systems are mostly semi-extensive and based on pasture natural breeding. These conditions are more suitable for donkeys’ behavioral patterns, reducing intensive human handling and, therefore, reducing stress, with positive, low-cost outcomes and negative impacts on the animals. However, considering future genetic improvement programs and the preservation of lines and breeds, assisted reproduction techniques such as embryo transfer, embryo cryopreservation, semen cryopreservation, and in vitro embryo production are being developed, although still in experimental phases.