Habitat: The production area of this breed is Khurasan, Suleiman mountainous region, Marri and Bugti hills. The nucleuses of the breed are Kakkal of Kibzai tribe, Meerkhani of Buzdar tribe, salatha and Hazargat of Maghdozai tribe, Zamari, Shighala of Mardanzai tribe, Sharan of Babakarkhail tribe, Kohai of Issot, Goshani area Baloch tribe and Masuri tribe of Bugti area. The nomads are the main traders and users of the breed.
Phenotypic characteristics: There are many colors in Shinghari breed of donkey, but the dominant and selective color is white. The breed is of larger size and well adapted for the ecology of the area. Famous drought animal use equally by the city draught carters, nomads and pastoral people locally. Now a day’s very famous and widely use by chromites mines diggers. Carry a weight of load on back up to 240 kg in plain areas and 160 kg in mountainous areas. Age at first mating is 2-4 years depending upon the feed availability and type of work.
Vegetation: Consume all types of grasses and bushes. Even consume woody vegetation of trees. Eat bark and wood in the time of feed scarcity.
Population: Population is about 1.2 million and the trend is increasing in breeding herds and decreasing sporadic use by ordinary people and carters in cities. The use is decreased in cities because of China’s made Rickshaw for work. This decreased use is replaced by mining industry.
Special traits:
v Very hardy and consume very fibrous feeding materials
v No leech infestation because drink water with closed jaws
v Highly resistant to diseases
v Very fit to work in mountainous ecology
v Can walk long, making it fit for nomadic system
Economic importance: The Shinghari donkey is very famous drought animal use equally by the city donkey carters, nomads and pastoral people locally. The demand is increasing in the mining industry, especially chromites mining. The main marketing place is Mangrota camel fair. The price of a vigorous healthy male may reach to 50,000 Rupees per head.
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