Rural Heritage June/July 2026

Truly American Donkeys: American Mammoth Jackstock

was instrumental in the development of the breed, and, as a farmer, he understood the role of donkeys, especially when it came to producing mules. “Donkeys are extremely important to agriculture, not just for the production of mules,” explains Leah Patton of the American Donkey and Mule Society. “During the Revolutionary War, during the Civil War and all the way up until about the 1920s or 1930s, donkeys were absolutely needed to produce the

by Les O’Dell F or a nation on the verge of celebrating its 250th birthday, perhaps no creature is as deserving of recognition as the American Mammoth Jackstock donkey. This massive equine has been an integral part of American agricultural history since the 18th century. Our nation’s first president, George Washington,

A solid breeding American Mammoth Jackstock jack.

Photos by Jeannette Beranger/The Livestock Conservancy.

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