Guest guest Posted November 23, 2005 Report Share Posted November 23, 2005 Wednesday November 23, 2005 - The Star Housing birds for a lucrative trade BY MARSHA TAN PHOTOS BY ABDUL RAHMAN EMBONG It has been a long-held Chinese belief that regular consumption of swiftlet nests can help maintain a youthful, radiant, as well as wrinkle-free complexion. As a result of this, a lucrative trade in the birds' nests has developed. Many premises around the country from old cinema halls to multi-storey buildings have been turned into " breeding grounds " for swiftlets. The nests are actually made by the swiftlets with their sticky saliva, which after drying up, forms a saucer-like cup, which sticks to the wall to form a nest to hold, most of the time, one egg. Drinking a bird's saliva may sound disgusting, but it has been done for more than 1,000 years in traditional Chinese concoctions and considered a delicacy for the maintenance of good health among royalty in China. Swiftlet breeder Wong Tao Onn from Johor Baru said that many people were interested in birds' nests after learning about its health benefits. " In Johor alone, there are more than 600 swiftlet breeders, " said Wong, who uses a shoplot in Susur Tiga, Jalan Tun Abdul Razak, to rear swiftlets to produce the nests. Wong, who imports and exports bird's nests and other traditional Chinese herbs, said that most breeders bred the swiftlets in empty multi-storey shoplots transformed to replicate the birds' natural habitat. " The temperature must be between 26 to 28 degrees Celsius and the level of dampness must also be suitable. " Usually, the shoplots are of a few storeys, and for a successful breeder, each storey will have more than 1,000 birds, equivalent to more than 2,000 nests, " said the 50-year-old Wong. Wong said, to attract swiftlets to renovated shoplots, breeders played " music " of the birds – the chirping sounds unique only to swiflets – and soon the birds would come and make the shoplots their new home. Wong ventured into the swiftlet breeding business more than 30 years ago after gaining interest in bird's nests following rising demand for the delicacy. " Everyday, at around 6.45am, the swiftlets fly out and return 12 hours later with food for their young. " Usually after laying eggs, it takes 16 days for the eggs to hatch, and for the next three weeks, the young birds learn how to fly inside the shoplot, " said Wong. When the swiftlets reach adulthood and abandon the nests, which usually takes three weeks, the nests are harvested and cleaned of feathers before being sold to consumers. " There are different grades of bird's nests. A good grade A nest should be as big as three fingers, white in colour, have very few feathers stuck in it, and have a saucer-like shape. " Some birds build their nests in corners and crevices and the shape will not be good, thus the grade will be lower, " said Wong. To clean the nest, water is sprayed on it and a sharp, tweezer-like instrument is used to carefully remove the feathers one by one. After this, the nests are ready for packing. Guang Zhou University medical graduate Dr Wong Ching Yun said that bird's nests could help stimulate appetite and aid digestion. " It is ideal for the elderly and children, " she said, adding that both men and women could benefit from its medicinal properties. " In Chinese medical practice, bird's nests are thought to help three organs in the body, namely the lungs, kidneys and stomach, " said Dr Wong when met at her medical centre in Century Garden, Johor Baru. Dr Wong said that bird's nests could also help replenish blood loss and strengthen the body's immune system after recovery from chronic illnesses. " Bird's nests are rich in protein, calcium and other essential minerals. " Although it can be expensive, especially those of top grades, we consider it an investment to help maintain a healthy body, " said Dr Wong. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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