Caracterização, inserção e comercialização de muares em território nacional

Abstract

Mules and donkeys are hybrid animals from the cross between the equine female (Equus caballus) and the male asinine (Equus asinus). They are rustic and resistant animals, and very used in traction works. The mules and donkeys had great importance in Brazil in the colonial time in the transportation of foodstuffs and other goods, mainly in the interior of the country. There is an empirical sense that mules are more resistant than equines and are best suited for low intensity and long duration resistance tests. Due to this fact there is a growing tendency of breeders to breed mules to the detriment of equines, and the advancement of this sector in relation to genetic selection has made mule breeding a very profitable business niche. The mules currently participate in the so-called "agribusiness of the horse", which moves great economic value in the country and generates many direct and indirect jobs. In this way it becomes relevant for the equideoculture to carry out studies to collect data on the growth of this sector and its economic potential. For this, interviews were conducted in the study through questionnaires and data collection of commercial mules and horses at animal buying and selling sites. Due to the above the present work aimed to characterize the mules and to discuss their particularities in relation to the progenitor species (Equus caballus and Equus asinus); to report their insertion and importance in the country; evaluate the popularity of these animals and the profitability of their creation.