You’ve got a donkey and you feel like growing your farm further. Goats seem the next step up. They’re fun, excellent lawnmowers and produce some pretty tasty cheese.
But will they get on with your donkey?
Donkeys and goats get along well if they are raised together from birth or early development. Throwing an adult donkey in with a herd of goats can be problematic. Sometimes they’ll want to chase goats and knock them down.
But all this depends on lots of different factors. So in this article we’ll discuss the major ones.
We’ll cover:
- If goats make good companions for donkeys
- What problems can occur
- Why these problems happen
- What you can do about it as someone keen on raising both animals
Looking forward to learning more? Let’s dive in.
Are Goats Good Companions For Donkeys?
The answer to this question is very case (and personality) dependent. Some donkeys deal with goats well (and like to be around them), while others might not.
Where goats can make good companions for donkeys is when both animals have been raised together closely. Familiarity with one another usually brings ease and calm.
Why Doesn’t My Donkey Like Goats?
The main factors include:
- Ungelded male donkeys driven by hormones: sometimes these can be aggressive toward other animals
- Jennies in heat: might find goats an irritant and seek to drive them away
- Territorial donkeys: some animals just like their own space (especially away from animals they’re not used to)
- Lonely donkeys: acting out because they’re depressed or scared
What’s important to remember though is that there are always donkeys who get along just fine with goats. Despite fitting each of these categories.
Will A Donkey Kill A Goat?
Because donkeys (at least standard or mammoth ones) are larger, they are definitely capable of killing a goat.
Although it’s unusual, several farmers or ranch owners report having goats killed by overly aggressive donkeys.
Sometimes this might be by accident (with donkeys being overly tough in play), while sometimes it could be deliberate.
It’s a lot more likely to occur when a donkey is unfamiliar with a goat or feels it’s territory has been threatened.
For that reason it’s definitely not recommended to keep a donkey with a goat when you’re expecting kids (baby goats).
Do Donkeys Bite Goats?
Donkeys can get overly boisterious and bite goats. Especially young donkeys who are looking to engage in play.
The size of their mouths, and the relatively smaller height of a goat, make it easy enough to do.
But of course, not all donkeys will bite goats.
Do Donkeys Protect Goats?
Even though donkeys have a strong reputation as guardian animals who seek to protect their herd, they can’t always be counted on when it comes to goats.
Some just don’t like goats and will try to drive them away.
The best chance of having your donkey take care of your goats is by raising them close together from birth. That way your donkey is more likely to form a bond with them.
Can Mini Donkeys Protect Goats?
Mini donkeys have a similar reputation with goats as standard size ones. Sometimes they’ll chase goats away and try to jump on them. Other times they can live with peacefully with them on a pasture.
The best advice is not to mix the two species together suddenly if they’re unfamiliar with one another or have never shared the same patch of land.
How To Introduce Donkeys To Goats
So, after breaking down the question of how well donkeys get along with goats, what have we learned?
Donkeys and goats can get on. But not all of them. And not all the time.
As for how to introduce the two animals in the hope of the best possible outcome, here are some pointers:
- Keep both donkeys and goats separately to begin with: fence off your pasture and make sure neither can gain access to the other
- Introduce a donkey to a goat slowly: increase the time they spend together on the same land gradually
- Don’t force your donkey to take interest in your goats: just let their meetings happen naturally
- Closely observe both until you have enough trust: integration can take time. You don’t want either animal to attack the other.
And if you do see your donkey attempting to chase, bite or attack your goats then deal with it immediately. Separate them the first chance you get.
It is possible to have a donkey and goat utopia but you can never predict these things!
Rotational Grazing With Donkeys And Goats (The Advantages Of Keeping Both Species Together)
If both animals do get along with each other it’s definitely a good idea to have them graze together. Doing so will help the ground recover faster in other areas of your land where the animals aren’t present.
This is one good reason why it’s a good idea to try and see how your donkey gets along with goats!
But there are others too:
- Goats typically eat weeds and underbrush: improving the pasture grazing for donkeys
- Goats are susceptible to different parasites: meaning neither animal is likely to make the other sick
Final Thoughts: Do Donkeys And Goats Get Along?
Yes and no! Depending on each, things can get quite complicated…
But hopefully this article has helped educate on the types of things to watch out for and be wary about. As well as helping to show how either animal can help each other out.
If you’re interested in learning more about keeping donkeys; check out:
- 5 Important Tips On Keeping Donkeys (For The First Time Farmer)
- Can Donkeys Eat Goat Feed? (5 Important Questions)
Image Credit: @fabianbetto at Unsplash
