Fake vaccines blamed for killing 800 rabbits on farm in China
Farmer bought heavily discounted drugs for 300 yuan, causing him 100 times more than that amount in economic losses
More than 800 rabbits have died on a farm in central China after they received vaccines bought from an illegal vendor, local media reports.
The farmer, surnamed Li, bought 10 boxes of vaccine for 300 yuan (HK$360) in Luoyang, Henan province on December 22 from a salesman who claimed to work for a local animal vaccine producer, the Dahe Daily reported on Friday.
The salesman offered to sell Li the vaccines for 30 yuan (HK$36) per box – 20 yuan cheaper than similar vaccines from other brands.
However, his rabbits started dying in January. By the end of February, more that 800 of this 1,000 animals died within 21/2 months of being vaccinated, causing him 30,000 yuan in economic losses.
Zoologists at a local veterinary society confirmed to Li that the rabbits died of viral haemorrhagic disease caused by the expired vaccine.