Are Apples Bad For Donkeys? Pros and Cons

Donkey Sanctuary says that apples are not bad for donkeys. In fact, apples are very popular with donkeys. However, it should be fed as a treat rather than a whole meal. 

The Donkey Sanctuary experts say that the best diet for donkeys is a combination of barley straw and restricted grass grazing. During winter, you can feed hay in place of grazing. Additionally, you must always consider apples as a treat. 

Just like we give our dogs treats as a special gift or in the evening, the same way you need to give apples to donkeys. Apple does have its nutritious facts but overfeeding anything to the donkey can have an adverse effect on its health. 

Apple Nutrition Facts

Each apple varies a bit in nutrient content. This depends on the species, size, and other natural factors. Here is a list of nutrients that a standard apple contains –

• Calories: 95
• Calcium: 1%
• Carbohydrates: 25 g
• Fibre: 4 g
• Iron: 1%
• Potassium: 195 mg
• Protein: 5 g
• Sodium: 2 mg
• Sugar: 19 g
• Vitamin B6: 5%
• Vitamin C: 14%

Apples are very healthy fruits that are mostly seen in the fall. They are a storeroom of many good nutrients and have different nutritious qualities for different animals. If the donkeys eat apples every day, the apples can strengthen their overall health.

How Many Apples Can A Donkey Eat A Day?

You can give a donkey 10 apples each day however it is better to give only 1 apple and the donkey will love it. They love treats and love to eat various foods like watermelons, carrots, biscuits, bananas, peppermints, pears, etc. 

However, feeding a donkey too many treats can cause colic in them and in the worst case they can become aggressive and ill-tempered when you do not provide the treats to them. In other words, donkeys can become spoiled. 

Giving 1 apple a day will improve the donkey’s appetite. Many farmers feed 1 apple every other day as they think 1 apple a day is too much for the donkey. In fact, some farmers just feed 1 apple a week. 

The frequency of feeding apples must totally depend on the weight of the donkey, age, temperament, and other general conditions. An ill-tempered donkey can get stubborn when you do not give him his favourite treat. 

Types of Apples You Can Feed to Donkeys

Donkeys are tough animals that would not prioritise the apples you feed them. They can eat any type of apple. You can feed them fallen apples, red apples, cooked apples, green apples, etc. Moreover, they also like to eat stems and seeds. 

Just make sure not to feed your donkey applesauce. It is ok if you make applesauce at home, however, the applesauce you find in the market has a lot of addle sugar. Therefore, if you see applesauce in the store, try to take organic ones with no added sugar. 

Additionally, donkeys must not eat apple tree leaves as they can be toxic to them. 

Apple Health Benefits for Donkeys

Apples have various health benefits donkeys. Additionally, they love its taste. However, here are a few true health benefits of apples on donkeys.

• Improves their fur – Since apples comprise biotin and vitamin B12, they beef up coat texture and appearance.
• Reduces most cancers’ chance- Because apples have nutritional fibre and polyphenol elements, they work collectively with intestine microbes to probably lessen most cancers’ chance.
• Helps to better the bowel movements- Apples are excessive in fibre, so they can notably affect your donkey’s ordinary bowel health. They inspire suitable bowel movements, keeping the body regular.
• It Boosts immunity- Apples comprise an excessive quantity of vitamin C, which can work for your donkey’s system to assist in enhancing its ordinary immunity.
• Manages blood pressure- As apples are filled with potassium and polyphenols, they definitely overcome excessive blood pressure.
• Prevents diabetes– It’s quite not likely that the donkey could ever get diabetes, however consuming apples reduces this chance even more. Therefore,  despite the fact that that’s probably not the figuring-out factor, it is only a bonus.

How to Feed Donkeys Apples?

If the donkeys have access to the apple trees they can go to the apple tree and get one for themselves. However, if they do not have that option, they will be relied on by their keepers. While feeding an apple to the donkey, it is important to wash it first. 

Market-bought apples can have chemicals that can upset or irritate the donkey’s system. You need to wash them, slice them in fours and take out the cores. 

You can feed these sections individually or use them while you are training them.

Can Donkeys Eat Too Many Apples?

Although donkeys need apples, they can easily gain weight when they eat a lot of treats and apples. 

When they get overweight, they are exposed to more serious health issues like metabolic problems, liver disease, joint issues, etc. Moreover, they can easily gain weight if they are in cooler areas with no grass for them to consume. 

Giving the animal too many apples will cause it to establish aggressive behaviour when it does not get them. Because of this, you need to keep an eye on the number of apples you give them.

Don’t Feed Donkeys Rotten Apples

Make sure that you do not feed rotten apples to the donkey. Bruising is fine because they are not picky eaters, however, do not risk their overall health by feeding them rotten apples. These rotten apples can make the donkeys sick and you will have to bear the expenses of the vet. 

Rotten apples are the prime reasons why donkey keepers keep their donkeys away from apple trees. However, fallen apples are ok to consume. Still, the fallen apples can attract bugs and other worms. If the donkey consumes those apples, they can contain parasites and the donkey can suffer from various health diseases. 

How To Prepare Apples For Donkeys?

Apart from frequently slicing up apples into cubes or chunks for easy intake and digestion, there are different methods you could use to prepare the apples for the donkey.

Mixing distinct vegetables that are beneficial to the apples can also be considered as a treat. carrots, apples, and other vegetables can be sliced into the food pot and served.

Apple treats which would additionally consist of molasses, cinnamon, or applesauce is likewise a terrific way to feed your donkey.

These additions could additionally sweeten up the treat for the donkey.

Applesauce or apple puree additionally helps the donkey develop a healthful appetite. It may be served alone or added to the food, they’ll consume it anyway.

Final Thoughts

In conclusion, I would say that it possibly makes your donkey pretty happy to recognise that they could safely consume apples. Apples can be a terrific training tool if they’re all natural and ideally organic. 

If you have apple trees in your vicinity, you may freely feed them to the donkey in moderation. If you provide store-bought apples, simply make sure you wash them very well first to remove any chemical compounds or residue.

I hope you enjoyed the article. I will be back soon with more informative and interesting pieces of writing. Till then stay connected. Thank you. 

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