40d Talk:Mule

In-game functions

Given that the in-game function of animals is

1. food
2. breeding to become food

and that Mules are sterile... I take it they are a "snack on the hoof" as soon as you feel inclined to eat them? There is no child-related info in the stats section and they are sterile in RL, just want to make sure before I start snacking down... GarrieIrons 07:20, 13 February 2008 (EST)

I'm now in my third year with a trio of Mules (1 male, 2 female) tethered idly in my breeding paddock, and so far they haven't seemed particularly interested in, or capable of, breeding. I've gone ahead and removed the apparently incorrect information from the article. That was 202 embarkation points I could've put toward more... frisky livestock! --Raumkraut 21:41, 20 June 2008 (EDT)

Is this another example of DF evolution favoring creatures that shouldn't be allowed to live? Milskidasith 23:00, 12 November 2008 (EST)

Don't forget bonecarving, fat rendering, leather, and cannon fodder. But since all the available animals can be used these ways and require no upkeep, I'd argue that breeding stands head and shoulders above all other animal functions, since it increases production down the line. Even if a mule gives you more bang for your embark-buck on say bones or meat than X creature, its inability to breed makes it a less effective choice automatically. That could of course change if a future version requires that animals be fed or allows them to do work, but as it is currently I see no reason to buy a mule that isn't aesthetic (if you like mules for some reason). I've thus changed "little reason" to "no practical reason" for wanting them. Kirig Stonebeard 02:31, 4 March 2009 (EST)

Breeding horses and donkeys

Could someone specifically verify that horses and donkeys won't mate in DF (as yet, at least)? I believe it, but it would be nice to have the kind of positive testimony Raumkraut offered above about mules breeding themselves. Anyone tried an experiment? I've got a mated horse/donkey pair from immigrants, I'll lock 'em up together and see what happens, but it might be a while before I'm confident about my data, so if you have experience, please post a note. Since there's no better place to put this really, I just want to mention that I swapped the parental sexes. Apparently a horse father and donkey mother is pretty rare, and their offspring is called a "hinny". Thanks Wikipedia! Kirig Stonebeard 02:31, 4 March 2009 (EST)

Getting real data is hard for this, because sex doesn't happen via contact. Animals can get impregnated if sealed in an inescapable crypt by another animal also sealed in a different inescapable crypt on the other side of the map. Basically, the game just checks to see if there is a male anywhere on the map when it determines if the female gets pregnant. And merchant pack animals are perfectly capable of getting your animals pregnant, so horses and donkeys are hard to keep 'isolated' in the game. --Squirrelloid 11:56, 4 March 2009 (EST)

I've had lots of forts with a ton of horses and donkeys together at the same time, and have never, ever seen a mule born. Not one. So I'd say it's pretty well verified. --LegacyCWAL 12:58, 4 March 2009 (EST)