Cross-Sectional Questionnaire of Donkey Owners and Farriers Regarding Farriery Practices in the Faisalabad Region of Pakistan.
Authors: Khan Raja Zabeeh Ullah, Rosanowski Sarah Margaret, Saleem Waqar, Parkes Rebecca Sarah Victoria
Journal: Animals : an open access journal from MDPI
Summary
# Editorial Summary Donkeys in Pakistan's Faisalabad region face significant welfare challenges due to fragmented farriery practices, according to a cross-sectional survey of 10 farriers and 55 donkey owners. The research revealed that farriers operate without formal training, receive minimal compensation (approximately £0.27 per hoof), and complete each shoeing in just five minutes whilst shoeing between three and 30 animals daily—factors that inevitably compromise service quality and animal welfare. Donkey owners reported highly variable shoeing intervals (20–90 days) influenced by seasonal conditions rather than consistent hoof-care protocols, and notably, 87% of owners reported lameness in their animals, suggesting a direct link between inadequate farriery standards and musculoskeletal disease. Interestingly, owners prioritised their relationship with farriers over cost when selecting a provider, indicating that community trust and education initiatives could be leveraged effectively in intervention programmes. These findings highlight critical gaps in professional standards, training infrastructure, and economic viability that must be addressed through coordinated stakeholder engagement if farriery quality—and consequently donkey welfare—is to improve in low-middle income regions reliant on working equines.
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Practical Takeaways
- •Intervention programs in LMICs must address systemic barriers including farrier training accessibility, fair compensation structures, and access to modern tools to improve farriery quality and donkey welfare outcomes
- •Shoeing under stress conditions (animals harnessed to carts) and extremely rapid work rates (5 min/hoof) likely compromise hoof care quality; training should emphasize proper restraint and adequate time allocation
- •High prevalence of lameness (87%) suggests current farriery practices are inadequate; owner education programs should focus on evidence-based shoeing intervals and farrier selection criteria beyond personal relationships
Key Findings
- •Farriers in Faisalabad receive no formal training, earn extremely low wages (PKR 65/USD 0.36 per hoof), and rely on traditional tools
- •Average shoeing time is 5 minutes per hoof with farriers shoeing 3-30 donkeys daily, typically while animals are harnessed to carts
- •Donkey owners report highly variable shoeing intervals (20-90 days) influenced by seasonal and weather changes, with 87% reporting lameness in their animals
- •Owner selection of farriers is primarily based on relationship quality rather than cost or farrier qualifications