A mule is an animal that has been bred by man. The origin of mules. Mules are ...

There is a very famous saying: "Sons for their fathers do not answer when those ... asses." Exactly, these are mules ...

Guess the riddle: has long ears, and not a donkey, with a pony tail, and not a horse at all, lives 60 years, does not suffer from illness and does work for two. Who is it? True, this mule is a hybrid of a horse and an ass. Count mules around the world is almost impossible. Mules are not tribal animals, they are only used for their intended purpose. Tribal books on them do not start. Only in China have bothered to count all "workaholics" with long ears. The figure was eleven million. The age of the mule can not end until the time when there are horses and donkeys on the planet.

Motherland of mules

Many believe that the mule (animal) is an interesting exotic, which we learn only from books. However, countries such as North Africa, China, Asia, and southern Europe have well-developed mullets. Animals-hybrids in these territories are larger than horses, and they are valued for their tremendous diligence and simplicity in their content. These artiodactyls are endowed with the strength of an ass and the growth of a horse.

Mules are the most common practical hybrids of agricultural purpose, the fruit of an ass and a horse. About them 2,000 years ago before our era first mentioned the history of Mesopotamia. In Asia, Iran and Transcaucasia, exotic animals were even earlier.

The mule quickly gained wide popularity in Egypt, Rome, Greece. The price of the animal in ancient Hetty was 65 shekels, and for the best horse was paid only 25 shekels.

The origin of mules was random, but people noticed that hybrids far surpass their parents, and began to breed them. The center where these wonderful creatures are engaged is Catalonia and Andalusia, which are located on the Iberian Peninsula.

Mule - a hybrid of a horse and a donkey

When hybridized, animals of different species mate. As a result, we get descendants, which have the name - interspecies hybrids. This method is becoming more widespread. The most successful in the history of mankind was the crossing of an ass with a horse, resulting in a mule. The mule is a hybrid of an ass and a horse, which was first received by people in the distant past. In terms of its longevity, it is far ahead of donkeys and horses, at the moment is a remarkable working animal, distinguished by its unpretentiousness. Mule - the most famous for its viability of an interspecific animal hybrid. It was obtained by crossing two, very different biological species.

In the wild, this kind of crossing does not happen. People themselves have deliberately produced a mule for their needs, and were not mistaken, having received such an interesting valuable assistant.

External signs of parental pairs

In general, mules have a similarity with both parents. Growth depends on the growth of the horse and ranges from 125 to 165 cm at the withers, animals often overtake their parents in growth. There are miniature mules up to one meter at the withers. Head and neck are similar to donkeys. The ears of mules are long, like "daddies". A large head, a convex forehead, a mane with a hedgehog, a rather short, straight neck are the characteristic signs of a mule. Torso it is like a horse. Straight back, withers above the donkey, but short and low. The croup is slightly wider and longer, shorter than the horse. The mule's tail resembles the tail of Przewalski's horse. Its length is small, the base is covered with a shorter hair than the rest.

The mule is an animal that inherited all the horse color, adding some colorings characteristic of donkeys. Sometimes there are unique variations. Only pure horse color "pinto" has never been found in mules.

The voice of the mule also has its own characteristics, at first there is a neigh, like a horse, at the end - a donkey "ya-ya". Hatching is also "hybrid": the period of bearing of the foal is 11 months, the colt is 12 months, and the mulenka is an average 11.5 months.

Why do mules have no offspring?

Mules are infertile animals, they are not endowed with the ability to produce their children. Why does a man want to have such an inferior hybrid? The reason is one: the mule is endowed with many other important virtues. The expression "when a mule gives birth" is very similar in meaning to "when the cancer whistles." There are only a few births known when the mule has given birth. The last time it was recorded in 2002 in Morocco.

All interspecies hybrids from the horse family, including mules, are fruitless. The cause of infertility is the chromosome set. The horse has 32 pairs, the donkey has 31 pairs of chromosomes. As a result, the mule gets 63 chromosomes, an odd number that can not be divided into pairs. This is the main cause of infertility of the mule, since it can not form mature sex cells.

Scientists have learned to clone mules. In 2003, the light first saw a mule clone, whose name was Idaho Jim.

Using mules

Mules are loaded with feasible labor, starting from the age of three. Involve in heavy work is acceptable from four years. In this case, you need to feed the full-value feed.

Mules of a pack type, carrying a 130-kilogram pack, pass in one hour about five kilometers. Under the rider can go 7-8 km per hour. Such transport is indispensable when it becomes necessary to move along mountain paths in any weather. The advantage is that the mule does not require forging.

The most indispensable animal workers were mules in the cotton belt farm. They were used to transport military equipment, with their help they took the wounded from the battlefield.

In one mule, the value of which is undeniable, can not compete with the horse, it is overcoming the height.

In hybrid origin the whole secret of vital forces is concluded. When different breeds are taken for crossing, the output of vital energy is clearly manifested outside. And the farther the father's couples will be, the stronger this effect will be. A striking example is a mule, so unusual and sweet.

Behavior of the mule

The mule's stubbornness is no different. At first glance, he seems to be lazy, which is not true. So his concern for his safety manifests itself. The horse is working until I drop, this mule never happens. If he is stubborn, then something does not suit him.

Mules will never be allowed to be mistreated. They show patience to their masters. The orders they receive are always executed, if this is within their power. When learning a mule you will need a lot of patience, gentle treatment. If he offends something, he will remember his offender for a very long time and at the right time will take revenge.

Mul: value in the modern world

In the modern world, representatives of this species lost their popularity. Despite the fact that mules are valuable hybrids, bred by people, today their numbers begin to decline strongly, there is almost no economic need for them.