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The Rural Voice, 1991-05, Page 24BRUCE TILE For top quality design, material and reliable service buy Bruce tile... BRUCE TILE RR 3 WALKERTON, ONT. NOG 2V0 519-392-6929 1-800-265-3080 And put the great white waterway to work for you! Turn unproductive wet land into high yielding profitable acres while increasing land values. Install Bruce Tile! It's simply the best. - Evening 357-1490 or 357-1819 MILTON J. DIETZ LIMITED Providing you with reliable and quality products for over 30 years • Crop Care and Pesticide Programs suited to your specific needs • FREE soil testing and tissue analysis with Nutrite fertilizer purchase • Sprayers, accessories and parts, Nardi, Spraying Systems and Vicon • Pesticide handling safety equipment • Corn, soybeans, cereals, and forage seeds Custom Application of 28% Liquid Nitrogen, Pesticides and Fertilizers by: • Truck -mounted sprayer • Terra -Gator • Airflow Unit • Aircraft • Hi -Boy Sprayer For Fast Efficient Service Contact Us Today! MILTON J. DIETZ LIMITED R. R. 4, SEAFORTH, NOK 1 WO ir-E\ Hyland 519-522-0608 \°'/ 20 THE RURAL VOICE Despite the changes in climate, the animals soon settled into a Simcoe County winter. And, just as quickly, word began to spread in agricultural circles that they had arrived at Rege- link's Big Curve Acres Farm near Orillia. Hemsted set Tyrone to work on his own place, and Regelink put a jennet in with his sheep on a second farm. Then, the phone began to ring. By mid-February, the partners in "Don- keys Unlimited" had sold about 10 of the animals to sheep producers from Glen Huron, near Collingwood, to Muskoka, and inquiries keep coming. A second shipment of about 40 donkeys was expected to arrive from Texas in early March. Those who have bought the animals to date report good results, Hemsted said. One pro- ducer with about 1,200 sheep took two jennets on a trial basis, and now plans to use about 10 in total by year's end. The beauty of the species is that while donkeys are aggressive towards canines, they're gentle with humans and their animal charges. "The one I'm using with my sheep is extremely good with them," says Regelink. "If the sheep get too close and bother her, she puts her ears back and will lift her leg and move it in circles, but she won't kick them. She'll give the sheep plenty of signals that she's an- noyed. They'll pay attention." Regelink also pointed to a variety of other uses for donkeys aside from predator control. They make good pet stock, especially for young children, because they are not as aggressive as ponies and small horses, he said. (Guard donkeys, however, should not be made into pets, or they'll be less reliable as predator controllers.) Donkeys have long been used in the thoroughbred horse industry as companions for horses. They can also be used to halter -break young horses, or to teach them to drive. In the future, Regelink predicts the formation of local clubs for owners of trained donkeys to show off their ani- mals' conformation and skills. "Down at the Royal last year, as a demonstration, they had a fellow driv- ing four-in-hand, a team of donkeys pulling him on a cart. It did look kind of funny, but there it was."0