The development of guidelines to improve dairy donkey management and welfare

Donkey milk is a valuable product for babies suffering from multiple-allergies and cosmetic production; therefore, new dairy donkey farms are opening around Europe. Little information is available for farmers on sustainable production of donkey milk, including animal welfare, milk production, and processing. Targeted dissemination of information on appropriate animal management would assist dairy donkey farmers in preventing welfare problems. This research project aims to develop guidelines on good practice principles for sustainable donkey milk production. Different steps were followed to develop the guidelines: identification of key issues for dairy donkey welfare, analysing the results of previous project and the available scientific literature; systematic review research to select promising solutions for each issue included in the guidelines; stakeholder consultation, in order to increase scientific soundness and to enhance their acceptability throughout the sector; guidelines drafting and revisions by stakeholders;5. guidelines launch.The guidelines ‘Dairy donkeys: good practice principles for sustainable donkey milk production’ were launched in December 2017. They include suggestions derived from scientific literature and/or reported by internationally recognised experts. The guidelines provide clear and helpful advice on good animal management practices for anyone interested in donkey milk production. They comprise the following chapters: ‘Responsibilities’, ‘Feed and water’, ‘Housing and Management’, ‘Donkey health care’, ‘Humane killing’, ‘Appropriate behaviour’, and ‘Milking procedures’. The guidelines, translated in different languages (Italian, Spanish, Portuguese, French, Greek and Chinese Mandarin) are freely available online.Highlights The guidelines “Dairy donkeys: good practice principles for sustainable donkey milk production” are freely available online in six languages The guidelines provide clear and helpful advice on good animal management practices for anyone interested in donkey milk production The guidelines include suggestions derived from scientific literature and/or reported by internationally recognised experts.