Although donkey meat is expensive in the market, it still attracts many consumers, which also makes donkey breeding a relatively profitable agricultural project. However, in rural areas, there are very few donkey farmers, mainly due to the following reasons:
First of all, donkeys have a relatively long feeding cycle. In today's fast-paced society, people often expect to see a return on investment in a short period of time. It usually takes three years to see significant benefits in donkey farming, which is obviously a challenge for many farmers looking for quick returns. Unless the farmer has other side businesses or adopts the method of raising and selling at the same time, it is difficult to see the benefits of raising donkeys in a short period of time.
Secondly, the immaturity of breeding technology is also an important factor restricting rural donkey breeding. Although donkeys are less sick than other domestic animals, it doesn't mean they won't get sick. Many farmers have given up the idea of raising donkeys because they lack knowledge of farming technology and disease prevention and are worried about the risks of breeding.
In addition, the relatively limited availability of donkey meat is also one of the reasons why donkey breeding is not common in rural areas. Compared to common meats such as chicken and pork, donkey meat has a smaller share of the market. Under the limited consumer demand, donkey meat farming may face difficulties in marketing, thus increasing the risk of breeding.
In addition, the investment cost of raising a donkey is relatively high. Compared with other breeding projects, although the income of donkeys is considerable, the initial investment is not small. Donkeys require a larger site and activity space, which increases land rent and site construction costs. In addition, donkey farming in rural areas often does not have the same policy subsidies as cattle and sheep raising, which further increases the economic pressure on rural households.
Finally, the uneven quality of donkey meat in the market is also a concern for consumers and farmers. In pursuit of profits, some unscrupulous merchants may sell horse meat or pork as donkey meat. This behavior not only disrupts the market order and harms the interests of consumers, but also affects the healthy development of the donkey meat market. After the news**, consumers' desire to buy may be affected, which further affects the normal consumption of donkey meat and the enthusiasm of farmers.