Baudet de Poitou
Encyclopedia
The Baudet de Poitou (also known as the Poitou Ass, the Poitou Donkey, the Poitevin Donkey, and the Mammoth Donkey) is a breed of donkey originating in the Poitou
region of France. One of the most distinctive donkey breeds, it is also among the rarest and least-known. The "friendly, affectionate and docile" Poitou Donkey is "the oldest breed approved in France".
Poitou in existence.
The American Livestock Breeds Conservancy
lists the Poitou on its Conservation Priority List.
The Poitou's coat is always dark brown or black. While lacking the stripes and cross-like markings on the coats of some other breeds of donkey, the Poitou should have a white underbelly, nose and rings around its eyes.
A purebred Poitou has a more massive bone structure and a larger foot than a part-bred animal, but the shaggy coat is such a dominant trait that even a 1/8 Poitou Donkey may resemble a pure-bred. In modern times, the Poitou's coat is still considered important but less so than size and measurements. Today, many Poitou Donkeys are shorn for the purpose of hygiene
, but some Poitou are allowed to grow their coats out so as to be, in the French-borrowed
parlance of their husbandry
, "bourailloux".
The Poitou is also noted for its large body; the Andalucian donkey is the only other European breed of donkey of comparable size. Breeders selected animals with large ears, heads, and leg joints with the intention of breeding larger and stronger mule
s. Today the ears of some Poitou Donkeys are so large as to lie horizontal. A standard Poitou should stand between 1.35 m and 1.50 m at the withers
and have a large, long head on a strong neck. Its withers should be unobtrusive and the back flat and long. The croup of the Poitou should be short and it should have rounded haunches. Its feet are bigger than those of other donkeys and are covered with the same long hair as its legs.
is said to have introduced the donkey and the practice of mule breeding to the Poitou
region of France from which the Baudet de Poitou takes its name. Two breeds – the Poitou Donkey and a now very rare horse known as the "Mulassière
" (mule breeder) – may have been developed side-by-side for the purpose of producing mules of superior quality. According to one source:
In the Middle Ages
, owning a Poitou Donkey may have been a status symbol
among the local French nobility
. It is not known when the Poitou Donkey's distinctive characteristics were gained but they seem to have been well-developed by 1717 when an advisor to King Louis XV
described:
Up until shortly after World War II, the Poitou and the Mulassière were important in supplying mules to France and elsewhere in Europe as the offspring they produced were reputed to be the "finest working mule in the world" and fetched a higher price. At the height of their popularity, the Poitou region produced up to 30,000 mules yearly. As mules and other draft animals were replaced with motor vehicles, there was less reason to breed Poitou Donkeys and their numbers swiftly declined.
In 2001, scientists in Australia successfully implanted a Poitou Donkey embryo
created by artificial insemination
in the womb of a standard mare
. The procedure was done because the biological mother had joint problems and veterinarian
s were concerned that she might not be able to complete a pregnancy. A female foal was born strong and healthy and joined her parents as one of only three purebred Poitou in Australia.
La Maison du Baudet du Poitou at Tillauderie in Dampierre-sur-Boutonne
, Charente-Maritime
carries on the work of preserving and increasing the numbers of these unusual donkeys in France. In Vermont
, another breeder pioneers the use of frozen semen
. The success of breeding programs in France and the United States has allowed Poitou Donkeys to be sold to private owners.
Poitou
Poitou was a province of west-central France whose capital city was Poitiers.The region of Poitou was called Thifalia in the sixth century....
region of France. One of the most distinctive donkey breeds, it is also among the rarest and least-known. The "friendly, affectionate and docile" Poitou Donkey is "the oldest breed approved in France".
Rarity
Although a 1977 inventory revealed only 44 Baudet de Poitou worldwide, today there are an estimated 400 Poitou, including part-bred animals. There may be 180 or fewer purebredPurebred
Purebreds, also called purebreeds, are cultivated varieties or cultivars of an animal species, achieved through the process of selective breeding...
Poitou in existence.
The American Livestock Breeds Conservancy
American Livestock Breeds Conservancy
The American Livestock Breeds Conservancy is a nonprofit organization focused on preserving and promoting genetic diversity among rare breeds of livestock...
lists the Poitou on its Conservation Priority List.
Description
The Baudet de Poitou is "instantly recognizable" for a number of unusual characteristics that distinguish it from other asses. Its shaggy coat, called a "cadanette", hangs in "long cords or shaggy hanks" when ungroomed because the hair is longer and softer than that of other breeds of donkey. Animals with great cadanettes of matted and tangled hair were most highly valued. Breeders prized the Baudet du Poitou's traditional coat so highly that a champion jack who had lost his cadenette was excluded from placement in a class at later shows.The Poitou's coat is always dark brown or black. While lacking the stripes and cross-like markings on the coats of some other breeds of donkey, the Poitou should have a white underbelly, nose and rings around its eyes.
A purebred Poitou has a more massive bone structure and a larger foot than a part-bred animal, but the shaggy coat is such a dominant trait that even a 1/8 Poitou Donkey may resemble a pure-bred. In modern times, the Poitou's coat is still considered important but less so than size and measurements. Today, many Poitou Donkeys are shorn for the purpose of hygiene
Hygiene
Hygiene refers to the set of practices perceived by a community to be associated with the preservation of health and healthy living. While in modern medical sciences there is a set of standards of hygiene recommended for different situations, what is considered hygienic or not can vary between...
, but some Poitou are allowed to grow their coats out so as to be, in the French-borrowed
Loanword
A loanword is a word borrowed from a donor language and incorporated into a recipient language. By contrast, a calque or loan translation is a related concept where the meaning or idiom is borrowed rather than the lexical item itself. The word loanword is itself a calque of the German Lehnwort,...
parlance of their husbandry
Animal husbandry
Animal husbandry is the agricultural practice of breeding and raising livestock.- History :Animal husbandry has been practiced for thousands of years, since the first domestication of animals....
, "bourailloux".
The Poitou is also noted for its large body; the Andalucian donkey is the only other European breed of donkey of comparable size. Breeders selected animals with large ears, heads, and leg joints with the intention of breeding larger and stronger mule
Mule
A mule is the offspring of a male donkey and a female horse. Horses and donkeys are different species, with different numbers of chromosomes. Of the two F1 hybrids between these two species, a mule is easier to obtain than a hinny...
s. Today the ears of some Poitou Donkeys are so large as to lie horizontal. A standard Poitou should stand between 1.35 m and 1.50 m at the withers
Withers
The withers is the ridge between the shoulder blades of a four-legged animal. In many species it is the tallest point of the body, and in horses and dogs it is the standard place to measure the animal's height .-Horses:The withers in horses are formed by the dorsal spinal processes of roughly the...
and have a large, long head on a strong neck. Its withers should be unobtrusive and the back flat and long. The croup of the Poitou should be short and it should have rounded haunches. Its feet are bigger than those of other donkeys and are covered with the same long hair as its legs.
History
As with many ancient breeds, the origins of the Baudet de Poitou are somewhat obscure. The Roman EmpireRoman Empire
The Roman Empire was the post-Republican period of the ancient Roman civilization, characterised by an autocratic form of government and large territorial holdings in Europe and around the Mediterranean....
is said to have introduced the donkey and the practice of mule breeding to the Poitou
Poitou
Poitou was a province of west-central France whose capital city was Poitiers.The region of Poitou was called Thifalia in the sixth century....
region of France from which the Baudet de Poitou takes its name. Two breeds – the Poitou Donkey and a now very rare horse known as the "Mulassière
Poitevin (horse)
The Poitevin, also called Mulassier, , Poitevin mulassier or Trait mulassier is a draft horse from the Poitou area of France...
" (mule breeder) – may have been developed side-by-side for the purpose of producing mules of superior quality. According to one source:
Baudet were kept purely for blood stock, not being good riding animals and great care was taken to ensure that the donkeys were not crossed or sold out of the region. As a result, the breed was kept pure for hundreds of years.
In the Middle Ages
Middle Ages
The Middle Ages is a periodization of European history from the 5th century to the 15th century. The Middle Ages follows the fall of the Western Roman Empire in 476 and precedes the Early Modern Era. It is the middle period of a three-period division of Western history: Classic, Medieval and Modern...
, owning a Poitou Donkey may have been a status symbol
Status symbol
A status symbol is a perceived visible, external denotation of one's social position and perceived indicator of economic or social status. Many luxury goods are often considered status symbols...
among the local French nobility
French nobility
The French nobility was the privileged order of France in the Middle Ages and the Early Modern periods.In the political system of the Estates General, the nobility made up the Second Estate...
. It is not known when the Poitou Donkey's distinctive characteristics were gained but they seem to have been well-developed by 1717 when an advisor to King Louis XV
Louis XV of France
Louis XV was a Bourbon monarch who ruled as King of France and of Navarre from 1 September 1715 until his death. He succeeded his great-grandfather at the age of five, his first cousin Philippe II, Duke of Orléans, served as Regent of the kingdom until Louis's majority in 1723...
described:
There is found, in northern Poitou, donkeys which are as tall as large mules. They are almost completely covered in hair a half-foot long with legs and joints as large as a those of a carriageCarriageA carriage is a wheeled vehicle for people, usually horse-drawn; litters and sedan chairs are excluded, since they are wheelless vehicles. The carriage is especially designed for private passenger use and for comfort or elegance, though some are also used to transport goods. It may be light,...
horse.
Up until shortly after World War II, the Poitou and the Mulassière were important in supplying mules to France and elsewhere in Europe as the offspring they produced were reputed to be the "finest working mule in the world" and fetched a higher price. At the height of their popularity, the Poitou region produced up to 30,000 mules yearly. As mules and other draft animals were replaced with motor vehicles, there was less reason to breed Poitou Donkeys and their numbers swiftly declined.
In 2001, scientists in Australia successfully implanted a Poitou Donkey embryo
Embryo
An embryo is a multicellular diploid eukaryote in its earliest stage of development, from the time of first cell division until birth, hatching, or germination...
created by artificial insemination
Artificial insemination
Artificial insemination, or AI, is the process by which sperm is placed into the reproductive tract of a female for the purpose of impregnating the female by using means other than sexual intercourse or natural insemination...
in the womb of a standard mare
Mare
Female horses are called mares.Mare is the Latin word for "sea".The word may also refer to:-People:* Ahmed Marzooq, also known as Mare, a footballer and Secretary General of Maldives Olympic Committee* Mare Winningham, American actress and singer...
. The procedure was done because the biological mother had joint problems and veterinarian
Veterinarian
A veterinary physician, colloquially called a vet, shortened from veterinarian or veterinary surgeon , is a professional who treats disease, disorder and injury in animals....
s were concerned that she might not be able to complete a pregnancy. A female foal was born strong and healthy and joined her parents as one of only three purebred Poitou in Australia.
La Maison du Baudet du Poitou at Tillauderie in Dampierre-sur-Boutonne
Dampierre-sur-Boutonne
Dampierre-sur-Boutonne is a commune in the Charente-Maritime department in southwestern France.-Geography:The village lies in the southwestern part of the commune, on the left bank of the Boutonne, which forms most of the commune's western border....
, Charente-Maritime
Charente-Maritime
Charente-Maritime is a department on the west coast of France named after the Charente River.- History :Previously a part of Saintonge, Charente-Inférieure was one of the 83 original departments created during the French Revolution on 4 March 1790...
carries on the work of preserving and increasing the numbers of these unusual donkeys in France. In Vermont
Vermont
Vermont is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States of America. The state ranks 43rd in land area, , and 45th in total area. Its population according to the 2010 census, 630,337, is the second smallest in the country, larger only than Wyoming. It is the only New England...
, another breeder pioneers the use of frozen semen
Frozen bovine semen
Frozen bovine semen is a method of preserving semen for future artificial insemination, even after the death of the donor.-History:The early artificial insemination organizations were largely farmer-owned cooperatives. The first such cooperative in America was organized at Clinton, New Jersey,...
. The success of breeding programs in France and the United States has allowed Poitou Donkeys to be sold to private owners.