Classification of donkey systems in Ethiopia

Area of Science:

• Animal Science
• Agricultural Economics
• One Health

Background:

• Working donkeys are vital for livelihoods in low- and middle-income countries, yet lack systematic population classifications.
• Existing classifications for production animals like cattle do not apply to working donkeys.
• Understanding donkey systems is crucial for targeted interventions and improved welfare.

Purpose of the Study:

• To classify and characterize donkey systems in Ethiopia.
• To identify distinct groups of donkey ownership based on various factors.
• To provide a framework for analyzing donkey health and welfare data.

Main Methods:

• Utilized household-level questionnaire data from 241 donkey-owning households in Ethiopia.
• Employed multiple factor and hierarchical cluster analysis.
• Included data on donkey ownership, husbandry, use, and local environment.

Main Results:

• Identified three distinct donkey ownership clusters: 'Domestic-Pastoral', 'Domestic-Agricultural', and 'Commercial'.
• Differences between systems were influenced by donkey purpose, agro-ecological factors, and husbandry.
• Identified specific constraints for each cluster: welfare concerns (Commercial), drought/feed shortage (Pastoral), and infectious diseases (Domestic-Agricultural).

Conclusions:

• The new classification provides a framework for context-specific needs assessments for working donkeys.
• Facilitates the design of targeted interventions to improve equid health and household livelihoods.
• Highlights the varied challenges faced by donkeys across different systems, informing tailored support.