Donkeys are domesticated members of the horse family, Equidae (Equus asinus). They have been companions to humans for thousands of years, primarily serving as working animals for transportation and labor. Like most mammals, the donkey population is composed of both males and females. These animals, recognized for their large ears and distinctive braying, exhibit specific terminology and reproductive roles that distinguish the sexes.
Donkey Terminology: Names for Each Sex and Age
Specific terms are used to identify donkeys based on their sex and age, a common practice in livestock management. An adult female donkey is referred to as a jenny, or sometimes a jennet, while an adult male is known as a jack or jackass. The male name is the origin of the term “jack-of-all-trades.”
A male donkey that has been castrated is called a gelding, a term shared with castrated horses. The young of the species, regardless of sex, are called foals. A young male donkey is a colt, and a young female donkey is a filly. These names help distinguish reproductive status.
Distinguishing Characteristics of Female Donkeys
While both sexes share physical traits like great endurance, female donkeys often differ in size and temperament. Male donkeys (jacks) tend to be physically larger than jennies. However, overall size varies significantly based on breed, ranging from miniature to mammoth varieties. Jennies are noted for a temperament that is less aggressive than jacks.
The jenny’s reproductive cycle involves a long gestation period, typically lasting between 11 and 14 months. Jennies are highly protective and exhibit strong maternal instincts toward their young. A jenny often does not re-enter her estrus cycle while nursing a foal, which contributes to donkeys having fewer foals over their lifetime compared to horses.
Breeding and Hybrid Offspring
The female donkey plays a specific role in the creation of hybrid equids, animals resulting from the cross between a donkey and a horse. When a jenny is bred with a male horse (stallion), the resulting offspring is called a hinny. The hinny is the less common of the two donkey-horse hybrids.
The reciprocal cross, which is more common, involves a male donkey (jack) breeding with a female horse (mare) to produce a mule. Hinnies are generally smaller than mules and tend to resemble their donkey mother more closely in head and tail structure. The rarity of hinnies is attributed to the difficulty jennies have in conceiving when bred with a stallion.