Dezhou Donkey

Dezhou Donkey

The Dezhou Donkey is a geographical indication certification trademark.

　　The Dezhou Donkey is a nationally renowned superior livestock breed, primarily found in central production areas such as Wudi, Yangxin, Qingyun, and Zhanhua in Shandong Province. The main characteristics of the Dezhou Donkey include: a tall and large build, well-developed muscles, a symmetrical and robust physique, an upright head and neck, large and spirited eyes, a straight back and waist, and a full abdomen. The Dezhou Donkey grows and develops quickly, with both its height and body length reaching over 85% of that of an adult donkey by the age of one. Adult donkeys have an average height of 140 cm, a body length of 138 cm, and a weight of around 260 kg. They have excellent working performance, with a maximum pulling strength of 136–176 kg, equivalent to over 75% of their body weight.

　　[Dezhou Donkey] A nationally renowned superior livestock breed. Its central production areas include Wudi, Yangxin, Qingyun, and Zhanhua, and it is also distributed across neighboring counties.

　　Historically, farmers in Wudi often used donkeys to transport salt to the Dezhou area for salt-livestock trade, making Dezhou a distribution hub for Wudi donkeys—hence the name “Dezhou Donkey.”

　　The main characteristics of the Dezhou Donkey include: a tall and large build, well-developed muscles, a symmetrical and robust physique, an upright head and neck, a straight face and aligned mouth, large and spirited eyes, a straight back and waist, rounded rib bones, a full abdomen, dry limbs, and distinct joints. Based on coat color, the Dezhou Donkey can be divided into two major types: “Sanfen” (Three Whites) and “Wutou” (Black Head). The “Sanfen Donkey” has pinkish-white hair on its nose, lips, eye rims, and underbelly, while the rest of its body is black. It has a symmetrical build and agile movements, and accounts for about three-quarters of all Dezhou Donkeys. The “Wutou Donkey” has a pure black coat without any mixed hairs, a stocky build, large and strong hooves, and slightly slower movements.

　　The Dezhou Donkey grows and develops rapidly. By the age of one, a donkey foal’s height and body length reach over 85% of those of an adult donkey; by the age of three, development is largely complete, with an average height of 140 cm and body length of 138 cm. The Dezhou Donkey typically weighs around 260 kg, which is 80 kg heavier than ordinary small donkeys. It also matures sexually early—both male and female donkeys can begin breeding at two and a half years old. The female donkey has an average annual conception rate of 84.11%, usually giving birth to around 10 foals in her lifetime. Male donkeys are vigorous, produce high-quality semen, and have a high fertility rate. When used as a sire and bred with mares from Inner Mongolia, Xinjiang, and other regions, the resulting mules are large and sturdy, considered top-grade among mules.

　　The Dezhou Donkey has excellent working performance and is suitable for pulling, carrying, and riding. It demonstrates good endurance and swift movement, with a maximum pulling strength of 136–176 kg, equivalent to over 75% of its body weight.

　　Wudi County has 780,000 mu of natural grassland and abundant feed resources. In particular, local people have a long-standing tradition of growing alfalfa, providing high-quality forage for livestock. Through long-term selective breeding and careful management by local farmers, the superior Dezhou Donkey breed was developed. In 1949, the county had 20,809 donkeys. In 1959, a male donkey from Liubao Township and a female donkey from Dongyueli in Wudi County were sent to the National Agricultural Exhibition Hall in Beijing for display. In 1962, the Shandong Provincial Department of Agriculture invested in establishing a stud farm in Hexiying, the central production area of the Dezhou Donkey in Wudi County, to carry out purebred breeding and improve the breed. Over the past 20-plus years, the farm has supplied 2,060 high-quality breeding animals to various parts of the country. This donkey breed has been introduced as breeding stock by 24 provinces, municipalities, and eight major military district horse farms, including Xinjiang, Guangdong, and Liaoning. It has also been exported to countries such as North Korea and Albania.