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Usually, whenever the name of donkey comes, the image of a simple and cheap animal that only carries the burden emerges in people’s mind. Common donkeys are easily available in Indian animal fairs for just Rs 15 to 25 thousand. But there is also such a rare species present in the animal world, whose price stuns even the most intelligent people. We are talking about the world’s most expensive donkey, whose price in the international market and special breeding sector reaches ₹ 7 lakh to ₹ 10 lakh. At this price, a top selling family car like Maruti Suzuki’s new gleaming Swift can be purchased in the Indian market today.
The name of this most expensive and unique donkey breed in the world is bodet du poitou (Baudet du Poitou). This is an extremely ancient and rare species of donkey found mainly in the Poitou region of western France. Historically this breed was used by royal families and large landowners in medieval Europe to create powerful mules. With the advent of industrialization and modern machines in the second half of the 20th century, their numbers declined rapidly and at one time this species was on the verge of extinction. Today, due to strict global conservation policies and selective breeding farms, it is among the most protected and prized animals in the world.
The physical appearance of the Poitou donkey is completely different from that of ordinary donkeys:
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Long and curly woolly hair: The biggest identity of this donkey is its ‘Cadenette’ coat. Thick, long and curly hair hangs on its body like a rock star or a llama, which gives it a very attractive and heavy look.
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Giant stature: While ordinary donkeys stand 3 to 4 feet tall, a fully grown male Poitou stands 14 to 15 hands (about 5 feet or more) tall. Its weight reaches 350 to 450 kg.
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Strong legs and big ears: Its ears are much larger, wider than normal donkeys and covered with white hair from inside. Its legs are very strong and with wide hooves.
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Extremely rare globally: The number of pure Poitou breed donkeys in the whole world is limited to a few hundreds. Due to their rarity, their demand is very high in European and American farms.
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Uses in Premium Breeding: ‘Poitevin Mule’, which is prepared from the cross of good breed horse and Poitou donkey, is considered to be the most powerful, calm natured and able to work for a long time without getting tired in the world. Due to the high quality breeding semen, the commercial value of male donkeys of this breed is estimated in lakhs of rupees.
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Maintenance and dosage: Keeping these donkeys is not within everyone’s reach. Their long hair requires regular grooming, a special diet (high quality hay, grains, minerals) and constant monitoring by veterinarians to protect their skin from fungal infections and dirt.
In India too, from time to time, donkeys of special stature have been in the news for fetching huge prices. For example, at the Sonipat fair in Haryana and Pushkar fair in Rajasthan, a giant donkey named ‘Tippu’ was valued at ₹10 lakh by the owner, with bids ranging from ₹5 to 8 lakh. Several inches taller than ordinary donkeys and used for pure mule breeding, such donkeys not only become a source of earning millions for farmers and cattle herders, but also remain popular on social media due to their royal lifestyle and huge prices.