(Equus ferus caballus)

Mike and Molly are miniature Shetland ponies and arrived on the farm from Cork in May 2012. Molly is the boss and Mike gives her a wide birth.

Origin- The Shetland pony is a breed of pony originating in the Shetland Isles off Scotland

Family– Equus

Lifespan- Many ponies are long-lived; it is not unusual for a Shetland pony to live more than 30 years

Diet– Mainly consists of grass in summer months. In winter they are supplemented with hay and meal.

Description– Shetlands can be almost every colour, including skewbald and piebald (called pinto in the United States), but are mainly black, chestnut, bay, grey, palomino, dun, roan, cremello, and silver dapple. Shetland ponies are the strongest breed in relation to their size but are generally gentle, good-tempered, and very intelligent by nature. They make good children’s ponies, and are sometimes noted for having a “brave” character, but can be very opinionated or “cheeky”, and can be impatient, snappy, and sometimes become uncooperative. Due in part to their intelligence and size, they are easily spoiled and can be very headstrong if not well-trained.

Gestation– Average gestation of 11 months, giving birth to one single foal.

(Sus scrofa domesticus)

Origin– The domestic pig originates from the Eurasian wild boar

Family– Suidae

Lifespan– 10-15 years

Diet– Pigs are omnivores, primarily eating leaves, grass, fruit, flowers and insect such as grubs and worms in the wild. In captivity they can be fed vegetables and supplemented with pig meal

Description– The domestic pig is a large even- toed ungulate weighing between 350-450kg.  There are hundreds of breeds of pigs around the world with a wide variety of colours. Pigs do not sweat, so they wallow in mud to cool their bodies. The mud also protects a pig from insect bites. Pigs are very clean animals and will keep their toilet well away from where they eat. Pigs have a great sense of smell and their snout is an important foraging tool.

Gestation-3months, 3weeks and 3 days (114 days) producing up to 15 piglets

Origin- Pygmy goats originated in the Cameroon Valley of West Africa. They were imported into the United States from European zoos in the 1950s for use in zoos as well as research animals.

Family– Bovidae

Diet– Goats are herbivores. Their main diet consists of grass and they are supplemented hay and meal in winter.

Description-Females, called does, weigh 24 to 34 kg (53 to 75 lb) and males, called bucks, weigh 27 to 39 kg (60 to 86 lb).  The colour and pattern of their coats vary significantly, and can be categorized into caramel patterned, agouti patterned and black patterned. Within these categories, there are caramel with black markings, caramel with brown markings, brown agouti, grey agouti, black agouti, black with white markings, and solid black.

Gestation– Pygmy goats can have one to four young every nine to 12 months after a five-month gestation period. Newborn kids will nurse almost immediately, begin eating grain and roughage within a week, and are weaned by ten weeks of age.

Origin- Llamas were domesticated from guanacos in the Andean highlands of Peru 4000-5000 years ago, and are among the oldest domestic animals in the world. Llamas are known to in habitat elevations up to 4000 meters above sea level

Family– Camelid, other members of this family include alpacas, guanacos and vicunas

Lifespan– 15- 20 years

Diet– Llamas are a modified ruminant with a three- compartment stomach. They chew their cud like cattle and sheep. Due to their low protein requirements and efficient digestive system, Llamas are economical to keep. They are mainly fed on grass and are supplemented with meal and hay in winter.

Description- Their fiber (hair) ranges from white to black, with shades of beige, brown, red and is solid, spotted or marked in many patterns. They are social animals need the companionship of their species. Independent yet shy Llamas are gentle and curious. Llama vocalizations include high pitched trills, snorting and shrieking, shrieking is usually used to alert the rest of the group of danger. Another form of communication is spitting.

Gestation– 350 days producing 1 single cria and can be bred at any time of the year.

(Equide africanus asinus)

Our donkey family consists of dad Rasher, mam Pudding and their two offspring Beans and Waffles. They are a playful bunch and do everything together.

Origin- The Donkey is a domesticate member of the horse family. The wild ancestor of the donkey is the African wild Ass. Donkeys around the world are used for riding, as pack animals or for pulling carts for the last 5000 years

Family– Equide

Lifespan– 35-45 years

Diet– Herbivore. They feed mostly on grass and are supplemented with hay and meals in the winter.

Description- A variety of colours, including brown, black and white. Donkeys are herd animals and very socialable, they do not like to be kept on their own. There are 189 breeds recorded. A female donkey is called a Jenny and a male a Jack. A male donkey crossed with a female horse is called a Mule. A male horse crossed with a female donkey is called a Hinny. Donkeys were domesticated around 3000 BC.

Gestation- 11-14 months producing normally one foal

(Capra aegagrus hircus)

Origin- Goats were first domesticated about 10,000 years ago in Iran, goat remains have been found at archaeological sites in western Asia also

Family- Bovidae

Lifespan- 15 -18 years

Diet- Herbivores, eating grasses, and weeds as their main diet supplemented with meals and hay in winter

Description- There are many different breeds of goats around the world varying in weight and height.  Males are usually larger than females, have a beard, horns and a rank odour. Females can also have horns and a beard but no smell. Their hair is usually straight varying in colour from black, brown to white or red. Coat patterns include solid colour, spotted, striped, blended shades and facial stripes. The nose can be straight or convex. European breeds have erect ears and Indian breeds do not. The tail is short and curved upwards

Gestation-Between 145 and 150 days giving birth to mainly twins but singles and triplets common

A male goat is called a buck or a billy, a female is called a nanny or a doe. Male goats under a year old are called buckling and females are called doelings and a baby goat is called a kid. Goat meat is called chevon or mutton from older animals and cabrito from younger animals; it is lower in fat and cholesterol than beef, pork and even chicken. Throughout the world it is estimated that more people eat goat meat and drink more goat milk than any other animal.  Mohair comes from the Angora goat and cashmere comes from the Cashmere goat.

The wild goat is a separate distinct species to the domestic goat and is listed as vulnerable on the IUCN Red list of endangered animals. Ibexes, Turs and Markhor other species of wild goat are also listed on the IUCN Red list as vulnerable to endangered.

Alpaca (Lama pacos)

There are two types of Alpaca- Huacaya and Suri defined by coat type.

Alpaca’s do not have hooved feet, they have two toes covered by a nail. They have been domesticated for over 5000 years. They are mainly used for their fine fiber coats, but are also kept as pets for showing and protecting other herd animals. Alpacas do not usually spit at humans but will spit at another if in an argument. They are a flock animal and need to be kept in a group or in pairs and get stressed if on their own.

 Origin– Prairie dogs are a type of ground squirrel found in the United States, Canada and Mexico

Family– Sciuridae

Lifespan– 3-4 years in the wild.

Diet– Seventy to ninety-five percent of a black-tailed prairie dog’s diet is composed of the grasses of the short grass prairie. They also eat seeds, insects, roots and forbs.

Description-They are 12 to 15 inches in length, weight 2-4 pounds. Its tail measures 3- 4 inches long with a black tip. They have short muscular front legs and long claws for digging. They live in large groups called towns. These towns are made up of small family units called coteries consisting of a male, a female and their offspring under two years.

Conservation-Sadly as Prairie dogs have been exterminated by humans they have declined in numbers from 500 billion to only 100 million today in the American Midwest. The Black Tailed Prairie Dog is currently listed as least concern

Origin- The Corsac Fox in habitats the steppes and semi-deserts across central Asia including, Afghanistan, Mongolia and Tibet

Family- Canidae

Lifespan- 13 years in the wild

Diet- Foxes are carnivourous and eat rodents, insects and birds. However thet will eat plant material if food is scarce

Description- The Corsac Fox is a small fox mostly great or reddish grey in colour with silver under tones. Their fur is thick and soft all over. Its large pointy ears are broad at the base. They are slow runners but excellent climbers. They are a social fox and are sometimes called the Steppe Fox.

Conservation- Corsac Foxes are listed as least concern on the IUCN Red List