BEIJING (Feb 4): Some poultry farmers in the province at the heart of China's coronavirus outbreak are having to euthanise young birds, as new rules to contain the disease have paralysed the transport of feed supply and live animals to slaughterhouses. The ban on the movement of live poultry, believed to be a potential disease risk, has stopped farmers in Hubei from getting chickens and eggs to market. "So many young birds were safely disposed of," said the official, who did not say as to how many had been killed or how. Hatcheries that sell day-old chicks or ducklings to farmers to raise before being sent to slaughterhouses are especially hard hit. Top Chinese broiler breeder Shandong Yisheng Livestock and Poultry Co Ltd said on Tuesday that its operations had not been impacted, "as of now".

Source: The Edge Markets February 04, 2020 09:33 UTC