Five of the weirdest things you can buy on Alibaba

In the market for a pregnant cow or an anti-riot water cannon vehicle? How about a donut-shaped barbecue boat or a tonne of chicken claws ? Maybe some virgin hair extensions, then?

Bizarrely, these items are available to buy on Chinese e-commerce giant Alibaba. Bloomberg has made a video montage of the some of the stranger items being flogged through the site.

Despite its high-profile debut on the New York Stock Exchange, many people on this side of the globe are unfamiliar with its wares.

The online retailer, set up in 1999 by technology entrepreneur Jack Ma, is said to be responsible for 80 per cent of all online sales in China.

Unlike Amazon, it does not sell and ship items but simply connects buyers and sellers.

It does not charge listing fees, making its money through advertising instead. Last year, it generated a turnover of $6.73 billion.

It sells everything from flip flops to origami decorations.

However, some of the stuff is downright weird.

Here are a few of the more unusual items for sale on the site:

An anti-riot water cannon vehicle with a capacity of up to 4,000 gallons and featuring a tear gas projector can be picked up for €154,000.

Also available, albeit with a minimum order of 500 are pregnant Holstein heifers. The price is only available on request but it guarantees the cows will arrive four to seven months pregnant.

A donut-shaped BBQ boat, which allows you to float about the place while grilling choice meats, will set you back about €5,800.

Alternatively, you can pick a ton of chicken paws with the yellow skin removed for just $600.

Virgin hair extensions from Brazil are also being sold from $15.99 a piece. Virgin in this case means untreatedbut the advert insists the extensions are “original young girl’s hair.”