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Livestock rearers busy fattening, nurturing cattle ahead of Eid

August 16, 2018 00:00:00


Livestock farmers across the country are now busy fattening cattle as just one week is left for Eid-ul-Azha, the second largest festival of Muslims when over 10 million (1 crore) cattle are sacrificed across the country, reports UNB.

Although the use of steroids and harmful drugs for fattening cattle was prohibited by the Fisheries and Livestock Act 2010, dishonest livestock farmers are still using those to make their animals attractive to customers and thus make quick buck.

Farmers in Panchagarh were seen busy fattening their cows by adopting natural method, but an opposite scenario was prevailing in Sirajganj as a section of unscrupulous traders were involved in fattening their cattle by using harmful drugs.

Some 46,346 animals are expected to be put on sale in Panchagarh ahead of the Eid, according to sources at local Department of Livestock Services.

Of those, 26,846 are cows while 13,210 are goats, they said.

As per the advice of the Livestock Department, the farmers fed their cattle with oil cake, husk, and grass, avoiding harmful steroid and injection.

During a recent visit to different livestock farms, the news agency correspondent observed that four to five people are involved in taking care of cattle in each of the farms and they also maintain a chart for feeding cattle.

Ahmed Shafi, a livestock farm owner of Hafizabad in Sadar upazila, said, "I've prepared 40 cattle for selling them in our local cattle haat and invested around Tk 22,00,500 in the farm.

I'm hopeful of making a good profit by selling those if the government takes effective measures to stop smuggling of Indian cattle."

Shafiur Rahman, another farmer of Chaklahat of the upazila, said, "This year, I brought up 10 cattle in my farm for selling those ahead of Eid.

Like the previous years, my cattle will be sold early as I don't use any harmful chemical for fattening cows."

Abdul Latif, a farmer of Bodaupazila, said this year's fodder cost is higher than the previous year's and that's why he had to spend Tk 10,000 to 15,000 extra on each of his cows.

"I bought two cows at Tk 50,000 and those will be sold at Tk 75000-80000," said another farmer, Abul Hossain, at Borobari in Sadar Upazila.

Debashish Das, an officer at local Livestock Department, said there will be no crisis of sacrificial animal in local markets this time.

"We had closely monitor the farms of the district and asked them to refrain from using harmful chemicals."

Meanwhile, a section of unscrupulous farmers in Sirajganj were involved in fattening the sacrificial animal by using harmful drugs ahead of the Eid to make more money.

Locals alleged that the livestock farmers have been feeding harmful drugs locally known as 'pam tablet' for making those animals healthier as well as looking attractive.


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