THE FERME DE L'ÂNE DU SAINT-LAURENT : AN ASINERIE IN CHARLEVOIX

Our asinerie (place where we keep donkeys !) is made with ancient constructions nestled between the mountains and the Saint-Laurent river, lashed by the Nordet.

The air and the meadows are salted… Fields are covered by a thick snow pack for many months !

We rear about 20 donkeys.

OUR PHILOSOPHY

All our animals do benefit from optimal conditions of living. They share sheltered stalls and outdoor spaces, even if it is difficult with the continuing snow and cold in our region for most of the year.

We look after the breeding of our donkeys naturally thanks to both of our stallions of different origins : Cesar and Garou.

We made the choice to control the reproduction in order :

- to avoid any consanguinity,
- to limit births so our donkeys are not too numerous in each stall ; otherwise this could affect the harmony of the herd and cause the development of epidemics.
- to choose the births’ period.

On average our female donkeys are mated every two years.

We focus on taking time to sell our donkeys in order to find serious buyers who are informed about the commitment they take in acquiring a donkey.

 

THE PRODUCTION OF FEMALE DONKEY MILK

We have had so far 14 baby donkeys born at the farm.

Gestation can vary from 11 to 13 months. We have often had births at about 12 months and 1 week…

Birth is being watched over (days and nights) in a very clean individual stall in order to preserve the female donkey from any stress. It is preferable to be present because we have frequently to intervene ; sometimes just a little help can save a baby donkey.

The female donkey usually gives birth to only one baby at once, less frequently to twins.

The milk production starts from the baby birth with the colostrum secretion, necessary for the good health of the baby and the entire quantity of the milk produced by the female donkey during the first ten weeks will be reserved for the baby.

Then, little by little we will be able to separate them a few hours during the day in order to collect until 1 litre of milk by female donkey.

This process will stop at the winning of the little donkey that we start when it is about 10 months old.

 

Particularities and difficulties :

 - The female donkey possess a mammary gland  but no udder and two small teats.
-  The hand-milking requires patience and sensitivity.
-  It sometimes takes time for the female donkey to be ready to be milked.
-  We can isolate the female donkey from its baby a few hours but a longer separation would cause a stoppage of the milk production. The lactation is being maintained by the essential presence of a baby by its mother and the suckling.
-  The quantity of milk that we collect everyday is then very limited and varies from the female donkey and from the day.
-  Fresh milk is fragile ; it can be stored for 48 hours at most, and then it can be frozen. Its taste is sweet and it is low-fat which makes it very white and translucent.

THE BREEDER CLOSING WORDS

Female donkey is very maternal and the strong link between the mother and the baby can be unlimited, especially with a female baby.