Mary (Maryiskaya, Merv)

Donkey

Mary and Ashkhabad regions of Turkmenia breed the Mary breed of large donkeys. Their origin and economic features are similar to the Iranian Hamadan whose descendants can also be encountered in Azerbaijan. Practical mule breeding showed that the pack mule should not be vary large, as in the mountains balance and efficient movement are of the utmost importance. A short pace reduces the swinging of the pack and provides for a steady movement on poor paths. In the Nagorny Karabakh autonomous regions of the Azerbaijan, mules with a live weight of nearly 300 kg carry packs of 70-125 kg.
Many thanks to OK State