Edinburgh Napier University

  The purpose of the project was to improve the livelihoods of peri-urban donkey users by identifying
appropriate interventions and dissemination pathways that would increase donkey ownership and
work performance.
A multidisciplinary group of scientists worked with donkey users and development agents in peri-urban
areas of Ethiopia. They investigated means of tackling the husbandry problems (identified by donkey users in phase I of the project) that limit the earning capacity of donkey owners. Longitudinal monitoring of seasonal changes in earning capacity, parasite burden, sores, body condition, and reproductive wastage were carried out. This helped identify the need for, and timing of, interventions
to reduce the incidence of the major problems (thin animals, sores and poor reproductive capacity) in
different areas. Quantitative effects of interventions including strategic use of local feed supplements,
anthelmintic treatment and modified harness designs were tested, and extension messages developed.