Date: Sun, 9 Sep 2012
From: Anton van Engelen
Avian influenza (51): Viet Nam, H5N1 virus evolution
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Further to your moderator's query ["The term 'China's disqualified chickens' is in need of clarification"]:
"Disqualified chickens" are spent hens/culled layers, which come in large numbers across the border, because they fetch higher prices in Vietnam than in China: Vietnam is still largely a live bird market, whereas the Chinese have gone much further in the processing, where it is harder to get rid of spent hens. When I was in Vietnam in June there was an estimate of about 50 000 live birds coming into the country per day illegally.
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Communicated by:
Anton van Engelen,
Freelance livestock consultant
