While donkeys are less social than llamas, over several weeks they will generally come to associate with your other animals. Successful guard donkey users advise that you create a small corral for the donkey in the sheep pen where they can all become acquainted with each other over time before placing them together in a pasture situation. Donkeys do tend to become territorial although they do not patrol their area. They are an especially alert grazing animal with very good hearing and a wider field of vision than horses. They also tend to be less spooky or flighty and more likely to stand their ground than horses. If the donkey brays loudly at threats, this may discourage predators as well.
Donkeys are naturally aggressive to canines and this behavior will extend itself to their pasture mates. Donkeys are not purposefully protective of stock but are either reacting to a threat in their territory or behaving as a maternal jenny. Donkeys make acceptable guardians of sheep, goats and calves. Often the sheep or goats come to see the larger donkey as protective and will gather near it if they perceive a threat. Donkeys can protect against a single fox, coyote, roaming dog and possibly a bobcat.
Donkeys who do attack a predator will be very aggressive, using their teeth and hooves. They may bray loudly. They will charge the threat and attempt to chase it away. If they confront the predator, they will attempt to bite at the neck, back, chest or buttocks. They may slash out with their hooves or turn and kick the predator. Experienced owners strongly suggest you do not attempt to stop a donkey that is charging or attacking and that afterwards, you allow the donkey to calm down before approaching it.
Unlike a livestock guard dog, donkey will have similar maintenance and feeding requirements with its pasture mates, although they may need a taller shelter. Donkeys are natives of desert areas and lack the protective undercoat of horses. They definitely need shelter from rain and snow. Do not give donkeys access to Rumensin, urea or other feeds and supplements only intended for ruminants. Donkeys also need trace mineral salt, not the white salt eaten by sheep or goat. Donkeys will also drink more water than sheep or goats.
Read more:
http://www.motherearthnews.com/homesteading-and-livestock/guard-donkey-zbcz1310.aspx#ixzz3KU6TC7CF
ETA - in wild grazing herds of animals, often different species will graze close to each other and take advantage of the various abilities of the other species. Taller animals can see farther, others may have better hearing, etc. I've seen discussion on some wildlife show about this in Africa and in the American West but it's been a long time and I don't remember which shows those mentions were on.
= new reply since forum marked as read
