New pathways put donkeys first

More than 100 donkeys at Town Barton Farm now have complete access to pathways opened up between three barns.

The barns were previously managed individually, but now benefit from an all-access approach, giving the donkeys choice around their movements.

Faith Burden, The Donkey Sanctuary’s Executive Director of Equine Operations, explains: “This new approach at Town Barton is just one of many changes that we have put in place through our ‘Putting Donkeys First’ project.

“This project has used cutting-edge science to help us understand how our donkeys experience their lives. In particular we have looked at their environment, nutrition, behaviour and health.

“The findings of our welfare assessments gave us insights in to how much donkeys value freedom to choose and a varied environment while appreciating opportunities for quiet space and stable companions.

“This is one of many exciting changes that we have been making to make sure our donkeys always come first!”

Providing a varied environment

Before the new system was implemented, the farm’s Bottom Barn, Middle Barn and Shower Barn all housed separate groups of donkeys.

When the donkeys were turned out, they shared a single track to access three separate grazing paddocks that were assigned to each barn.

Kim Green, Town Barton Manager, says: “Often the paddocks were overgrazed and they weren’t growing back as well as we had liked.

“Due to their small size, the paddocks often failed to recover from periods of heavy grazing, so we took some of the fencing down and opened them up to make a larger field.

“We then split this new, larger paddock into three subgroups, allowing the donkeys to graze one at a time while resting the remaining two thirds.

“As a result, the paddocks now offer more diverse grass species and are creating habitats for wildlife, as well as providing fibrous vegetation for our donkeys.”

Freedom to roam

While reducing the pressure on Town Barton’s grazing pastures, the new system also provides the donkeys with more space to socialise and relax.

Whereas before they were restricted to their barns, the donkeys now traverse the paths between the three shelters. This not only helps them exercise but adds adventure into their day-to-day lives.

Kim explains: “By opening these pathways at Town Barton, we have given our donkeys complete freedom to choose where they want to go, where they want to eat and sleep and where they want to socialise with other members of the herd.

“Also, before this system was rolled out, the donkeys at Bottom Barn were the only ones who could see the grooms arrive in the morning.

“Now, thanks to sharing the pathways, all the donkeys from the three barns have the opportunity to interact with grooms when they arrive at work. 

“It’s really nice to see the grooms stop by and say hello to them in the morning!”

A collaborative effort

The success of the new system wasn’t achieved overnight. Weeks of collaboration took place between Kim and her team of dedicated grooms, our Equine Behaviour Lead Kayna Prescott and Ecology Apprentice Pascal Bisson.

Kayna says: “The changes that Kim proposed were a real opportunity for us to create an environment for the donkeys that gave them real choice over how they spend their time 24 hours a day. 

“However, we had a lot to consider about how the donkeys would cope with all becoming part of the same herd.

“We introduced all the donkeys together gradually, giving them time to get to know their new herd members, and the integration of the groups was peaceful. 

“The barn and field environment is more complex for them, socially and habitat wise.

“The social environment of the group is more variable; the donkeys can stay with many others if they wish, or move away into smaller and less busy areas, depending on their character and preferences. 

“There are more options for them to choose where they eat from, so they can find feeders either outside or inside under cover, either with other donkeys or with more space. 

“The improvement in the grazing offers a more varied diet, offering different tastes. With more fibre in the grazing, they can have more access to it.”

Prioritising health and wellbeing

It’s not just the donkeys’ social wellbeing that is positively impacted by the new system; their health has also been prioritised, especially in the colder months.

Veterinary Surgeon Hannah Boocock says: “Increased movement, especially in winter, will help our arthritic donkeys.

“It also makes it much easier to provide individualised care to a donkey or small group. For instance, if a donkey needs a feed for medications, they can be easily settled somewhere to eat in peace and quiet.

“In the winter, the system will make it easier to only provide haylage to those who need it, which helps maintain a healthy body condition score across the herd, helping with health and arthritis management among other things.”

Ongoing improvements

Despite the scheme’s initial success, the team at Town Barton have no plans to rest on their laurels. Instead, they remain hard at work to ensure the very best care is provided to the farm’s resident donkeys.

In the coming months, the woodchip track that leads to all three barns will be replaced with sand, providing better drainage in the winter and preserving the donkeys’ hoof health.

September will also be a busy month. The willow that adorns the walkways one side of the track will be coppiced, providing vital browsing enrichment to the donkeys during the winter months when the grazing paddocks are unused.

Kim adds: “We are always evolving, not only as an organisation but as a farm.

“As a team, we are always looking at better ways of working so our fabulous grooms can do what they do best; providing our donkeys with expert care and helping them lead the most relaxed and enjoyable lives possible.”