In a celebration of modern equine reproductive technology, a Standardbred mare has given birth to a Poitou donkey at the Goulburn Valley Equine Hospital in the state of Victoria, Australia. The fact that a horse has given birth to a donkey as a consequence of embryo transfer is remarkable enough in itself but the fact that it is a Poitou, a unique species of donkey, is a wonderful bonus.

The Poitou (pronounced 'pwa-too') is undoubtedly the most distinctive donkey in the world, likely the least known, and unfortunately the most rare. The breed (Baudet du Poitou) is centuries old and originated in the historic Poitou region of western France. Their coat (prized as the cadanette) is solid dark brown or black and it hangs in long cords or twisting, shaggy hanks, sort of like a Rastafarian's dreadlocks. They are tall, have huge heads, big bone and large feet. They may be donkeys, but dainty and little they are not!

Curiously the French developed the breed not for work but for breeding world class harness mules. Poitou jacks were bred to the massive Mulassier draft horses, also a dying breed. The horses were originally introduced to France from Norway, Denmark and Holland. These plain-Jane equines with massive feet, big (often Roman-nosed) heads and coarsely feathered legs were put to work to clear the swamps and marshlands for agriculture. The offspring of the Poitou/Mulassier parentage -- the draft mule -- was held in worldwide acclaim for centuries. But as motorised transport and farming equipment replaced the sturdy mules, the Poitou and Mulassier breeds fell into decline and both breeds are currently considered endangered species with only a few hundred purebred animals in existence. In recent years, dedicated owners have been reviving them through careful breeding -- which is where the Australian accomplishment comes in.

The story of the newborn jenny began when Ron and Dianne Condon, the owners of the only two Poitou donkeys in Australia (a breeding pair), approached Dr. Angus McKinnon, a partner in the Goulburn Valley Equine Hospital. He also holds a Senior Research Fellow position at Monash Universityıs Institute of Reproduction and Development, and he has built a worldwide reputation in the field of equine reproduction techniques.

"We chose the mare because of her temperament and the correct stage of her reproductive cycle to accept the egg," Dr. McKinnon explained.

The first stage was for Nuray (the stallion) to breed Fi Fi. Initial problems led to his semen being collected and Fi Fi being artificially inseminated. Once an embryo had been flushed from her uterus, it was transferred to the mare. This was the tricky part. The mare had to be convinced that she was pregnant. Although all species in the genus Equus will interbreed, they are very reluctant to accept transplanted embryos from each other. In 70% of cases, donkey embryos transplanted into horses will abort because of immunological differences. Horses (E. caballus) have a different number of chromosomes (32 pairs) compared to donkeys (E. assinus) which have 31 pairs. To ensure success, Dr. McKinnon sought advice from Prof. Twink Allen in England who pioneered the donkey implantation technique.

"In any mammal -- humans included -- the embryo must send a signal to the mother to tell her she is pregnant. Otherwise she will cycle again," Prof. Allen told BBC News Online. Immunosuppressive drugs were given to the mare so that her body would recognize its pregnancy. The embryo grew; the pregnancy progressed normally and on Monday January 14, 2002, after 364 days of pregnancy, a curly-haired donkey with ears as big as its head was born.

The techniques of artificial insemination and embryo transfer using related species as surrogates for the offspring of endangered species is relatively new science but it is opening up huge opportunities worldwide for saving species at risk. The little jenny in Australia may not know how special she is but everyone at the Equine Hospital knows they have upped the odds a notch for saving the Poitou donkey.