Rural Heritage June/July 2026

being bred today are being used for exactly what the breed was developed for, and that’s mule production, not donkey production,” Doxey stresses. American Mammoth Jackstock numbers now are a fraction of what they were a century ago. The population peaked in the 1920s with about 5 million AMJs, but the industrial revolution and farm mechanization severely impacted their appeal and the number of the donkeys decreased significantly. Today, The Livestock Conservancy, a national nonprofit that works to conserve endangered breeds of agricultural livestock, lists American Mammoth Jackstocks as critically endangered. Patton, Doxey and The Livestock Conservancy all urge farmers and homesteaders to consider American Mammoth Jackstock donkeys as an option for their pastures. In addition to serving as breeding stock, the animals are docile and can be used for driving and riding, and some have been trained as livestock guardians. The breed has a good temperament and is docile, easy to handle and make good pets. They are intelligent and easy to train. They are steady riding animals and do not spook easily. American Mammoth Jackstock donkeys like to be around humans (with whom they bond) and are very sociable. However, intact male donkeys generally do not make good pets and should not be kept by anyone who does not have experience with intact male equines and/or does not plan to breed. If you want to have a pet donkey, the best choice is a female or gentle gelding. Les O’Dell is communications manager for The Livestock Conservancy.

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