# Keeping goats with a mule



## Dover Farms (Oct 16, 2007)

Hello all! It's been quite a while since I posted here, so many of your probably don't know me.

Someone just offered me a mini mule today. I've got some time to think about it as she/he was just born on Thursday.

Here are my questions: I feed my girls straight alfalfa. Can a mule have straight alfalfa? How about mineral-wise? I generally keep Sweetlix Magnum Milk(or whatever the dairy one is) minerals out free choice. I would get mini right at weaning....do you think there would be problems with them getting along? I don't want the mule injuring my does or vice versa. I've always wanted an equine and she's an steal. EVEN my boyfriend wants me to get her! Haha! But I, obviously, don't HAVE to get her.

Any thoughts/tips would be greatly appreciated.


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## goathiker (Apr 14, 2011)

Mini-mules and donkeys founder really easily. I would think a diet of alfalfa would be a set up for founder and colic. Plus non-working equines need a calcium phosphorus ratio closer to 1:1 to prevent joint mice and arthritis in later life. Even too much fresh green grass can be a problem in these little guys.


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## LuvmyGoaties (Mar 9, 2010)

Some people keep mules and donkeys as guardian animals but I have also heard of many mules that would stomp a goat to death, especially babies. The people that previously owned my mule said that they pulled many dead coyotes out of her pasture. Now that I have her she chases my goats if they wander into her area (they quickly learned NOT to do that)- she also chases raddits, squirrels and birds if they have the nerve to come into her territory - she is a full sized mule though, not a mini and she was not raised with goats. If you got the mule young enough and she/he was raised with the goats you would probably be ok behavior wise. I would not however, feed a mule straigh alfalfa - they tend to be VERY easy keepers, especially the minis.


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## Maggie (Nov 5, 2010)

We have our mule Sarah with the goats, however I would NOT put our new mule with the goats, she has already gone to the fence and pinned her ears at them. They are both full sized mules and I have never seen Sarah go any faster than a walk (she has brain damage). When I introduced Sarah to the goats, we did so with her haltered to see how she was with them first. I would be a little bit nervous putting a weanling with smaller goats, they might be a bit too playful being a baby and wanting to play. 
I would think a mini mule would be similar to have a mini guard donkey if raised right with goats though. I agree with what the others have already said about the alfalfa, far too rich for a mini animals and mules being easy keepers. How large are the goats you will be keeping the mule with? If they are smaller, you could always make a creep area that only the goats can get into to get the alfalfa and minerals.


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## Dover Farms (Oct 16, 2007)

Thank you all for the information.

Looks like I won't be getting the baby. =( She would have been penned with my milkers, so creep feeding isn't an option and neither is switching the hay. Oh well, I suppose that'll be just that much more money to put towards my goats.

Someday, I shall have an equine!


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