UK Varsity Study Reveals Costs Far Exceed Profits When Breeding Donkeys For Hides

A new report from The Donkey Sanctuary, citing research from the University of Reading, reveals farming donkeys for their hides is not a viable business model as intensive farming puts the health and wellbeing of the animal and humans at significant risk by increasing zoonotic disease spread threat in both species

ISLAMABAD, (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 25th Jan, 2023 ) :A new report from The Donkey Sanctuary, citing research from the University of Reading, reveals farming donkeys for their hides is not a viable business model as intensive farming puts the health and wellbeing of the animal and humans at significant risk by increasing zoonotic disease spread threat in both species.

In recent years, there has been a significant increase in demand for the collagen from donkey skins, used to make the Traditional Medicine (TCM) ejiao. The ejiao industry has been sourcing donkeys from across the world, threatening their existence in some African nations, the study by The Donkey Sanctuary said.

Director of Advocacy and Campaigns at The Donkey Sanctuary, Ian Cawsey said: "This report serves as a dire warning to anyone who thinks donkey farming is a get-rich-quick solution. It is anything but - inputs and costs are high, and outputs and returns are slow and low.

"Despite all the technology, resources and billions of Dollars of investment that has been poured into vast donkey farms there, the industry is still unable to meet the demand for skins." For thousands of years, donkeys have played a crucial role in sustaining communities globally, most often as working animals with low monetary value. However, farmers in Africa risk locking themselves into a false economy, with the costs of breeding and raising donkeys for skins far exceeding any potential profit. And these countries themselves risk destroying their population of working equids, damaging their reputation on the global stage, and contributing to the spread of infectious disease.

Modelling of the economic viability of donkey farming, published by the University of Reading in the UK, reveals viable production and profit levels are not realistic without unacceptable compromise to donkey welfare needs. Even under unrealistically favourable conditions, a farmed herd of 200,000 female donkeys would take at least 15 years or more to supply 1.2 million skins � just a fraction of the amount currently trafficked each year to meet demand for ejiao.

The report also highlights a business plan for a Tanzanian slaughterhouse which calculated it would require $3.7 million and four years to increase the number of viable donkeys from 296 to 683. This increase would only satisfy seven days of abattoir demand and revenue would not come close to covering the costs. The Tanzanian government has since placed a ban on the slaughter and export of donkeys, recognising the fast decline in donkey population in the country.

Regional Campaigns and Advocacy manager for Africa, Otieno Mtula said: "Much like the recent ban in Tanzania, decisive action must be taken across the continent to protect the future of donkeys, and to educate anyone interested in donkey farming about the clear risks." Donkey breeding and production on a small scale is not new, but donkeys as a species are not at all suited to the intensive farming model.

Chief Veterinary Adviser at The Donkey Sanctuary, Dr Joe Collins said: "The unique needs of donkeys simply cannot be addressed in intensive farming systems. Donkeys have evolved to live in small groups and typically become bonded to specific other donkeys as companions. Donkeys are also highly prone to stress, which can manifest as a dangerous metabolic condition known as hyperlipaemia. Stress can also negatively affect fertility and reproduction rates, which in turn affects production and profitability.

"Without vaccination against equine diseases such as equine influenza and herpes virus, a high risk of infectious disease exists in an intensive farm environment. As a result, the health and welfare of farmed donkeys will deteriorate to unacceptably low levels. Plus, it is often difficult in comparison to horses to identify when a donkey is suffering from an equine infectious disease, meaning by the time it is recognised it could have spread between groups to the point where it is out of control. Losses could be huge."The Donkey Sanctuary is warning potential investors against farming donkeys for their skin, not only because of the welfare of the animals involved, but also the potential for substantial financial losses.