Conclusions
The review emphasises the mainly temperate origins, scarcity and relatively poor quality of the available literature on the reproductive characterists of the jenny and points to the need for more objective recording and investigation of this animal particularly in the tropics and sub-tropics where, in fact, most donkeys are to be found. In most respects the reproductive characteristics of the jenny have similar values to those of the horse. The two exceptions appear to be the length of the oestrous cycle and the length of gestation. The oestrous cycle in the jenny appears to be longer than in the mare by one to two days and the gestation period to be longer by some 37 to 38 days. Given the degree of natural variation that appears to exist the longer length of the oestrous cycle is of marginal significance. An awareness of the longer length of gestation in the donkey is of some importance as regards the preparation for and management of parturition.
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Fielding, D. Reproductive characteristics of the jenny donkey—Equus asinus: A review. Trop Anim Health Prod 20, 161–166 (1988). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02240085
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02240085