Enriching pastures for our donkeys in Spain

The re-seeding project took place in paddocks at our sanctuary in Dona Rosa, about 500 km south west from the capital, Madrid.

Elena Barrio, Country Manager at El Refugio del Burrito, said: “We decided to start planting mixed seeds in some of our paddocks, especially those with trees, to improve the quality of life of our donkeys and mules. Allowing the donkeys to graze while enjoying the shade of our olive and oak trees and at the same time improving the quality of the land is a win-win situation.

“It can get very hot at our Dona Rosa sanctuary, so it was lovely to see our animals grazing in the shade during the soaring temperatures of last spring and early summer.”

The farm team started sowing oat seeds last year but wanted to look into the benefits of mixing seeds to improve the pasture. Farming experts were called in to assess the land before the new planting programme began.

The full benefits of the re-seeding will be felt in summer 2023 when enrichment is always more challenging due to reduced rainfall and higher temperatures.

The project is another way of helping us to protect and restore ecosystems under our stewardship; it will also help reduce Dona Rosa’s running costs by cutting down on the amount of straw and hay purchased.

We are always exploring ways to enrich our donkeys’ lives, and safeguarding the longevity and quality of our habitats plays a crucial role in achieving this.

We are very fortunate to have access to beautiful land in Europe and the UK to help us provide donkeys with excellent care and welfare and help them to enjoy safe and fulfilled lives.