This is the heartbreaking moment a farmhand was caught on camera mercilessly dragging and beating a donkey.

Shocking footage shows the labourer riding a tricycle with two donkeys, one on board, and another already on the road, reportedly having jumped off earlier.

As the worker drives toward a slaughterhouse, the distressed animal appears to sense its fate and refuses to get back in the vehicle.

Visibly annoyed, the young man disembarks and begins kicking the donkey.

He then drives forward a few metres before stopping again to beat the struggling creature, which continues to resist, in Hebei, China, on May 19.

Onlooker Mr Wei said he recorded the video to show the bad behaviour of the owner.

Donkeys, domesticated members of the horse family, are commonly used in many parts of the world as work animals.

In China, donkey meat and skin are used for food and traditional medicine. Their hides, in particular, are processed to make ejiao, a gelatin believed to have health benefits, leading to a demand that has raised concerns about animal welfare in recent years.