 The American Livestock Breeds Conservancy lists the Poitou as "Critical" on its Conservation Priority List, a category for breeds with less than 2,000 animals worldwide and less than 200 registrations annually in the US.In 2001, scientists in Australia successfully implanted a Poitou donkey embryo created by artificial insemination in the womb of a Standardbred mare.Worries that joint problems might prevent a healthy pregnancy in the foal's biological mother led to the initiative.