With Eid-ul-Azha just around the corner, sacrificial animals are in surplus in Magura district, thanks to local cattle fatteners' organic farming.
Meanwhile, cattle farmers in Shahzadpur upazila of Sirajganj district are worried about the sudden outbreak of lumpy skin disease affecting the livestock ahead of Eid-ul-Azha.
Our Magura Correspondent reports, this year, a total of 31,950 sacrificial animals have been prepared against the demand for 29,405, according to the Department of Livestock Services (DLS) in Magura.
The animals have been reared following organic methods, said Chandu Miah, a cattle fattener from Sadar upazila's Nanduali village.
"I have prepared five cattle this year for around nine months without using any kind of steroids. Buyers are showing high interest for my animals as they have been readied in organic way," he added.
"Traders from Dhaka, Chattogram and other parts of the country are now visiting my village for buying cattle. And I'm expecting Tk 0.15 million (1.5 lakhs) profit," he said.
Baten Biswas, another farmer from Bashkutha village, said, "I purchased three cattle six months ago at the cost of Tk 0.14 million (1.40 lakhs). Traders are already offering more than Tk 0.2 million (2 lakhs) for my three cattle. But I am waiting for the best price."
Another farmer Golam Reza from Parla village, however, said that they had failed to get fair price in past two years due to the Covid-19 pandemic. "But this year, we are hopeful of recovering our previous losses," he added.
Contacted, district livestock officer Dr Hadiuzzaman said, "Magura is now holding surplus cattle compared to the demand for Eid-ul-Azha."
He further added, "Our staff are working hard to check whether anyone is using steroid for cattle fattening or not. Besides, our teams will work in every cattle market to ensure sale of steroid-free cattle."
UNB from Sirajganj says, already 200 cattle in the Shahzadpur upazila of the district have been infected with the disease within one week.
Sources said nearly 0.3 million (three lakh) cattle have been reared in the upazila and there are 7,000 cattle farms.
The cattle farmers of the upazila reared 0.1 million (one lakh) cattle for the upcoming Eid-ul-Azha which will be taken to different cattle markets including Dhaka.
But due to the sudden outbreak of lumpy skin disease, the cattle farmers in the upazila are passing their days in worry of spreading the disease to every corner of the upazila.
Though the upazila veterinary office injected vaccines to the infected cattle, they did not find any positive output in this regard.
Talking to some cattle farmers including Yeasin Mollah and Farhad Hossain, they said they are busy rearing cattle aiming to meet the demand of sacrificial animals during Eid-ul-Azha. They are preparing to sell their cattle in the local haat before Eid and after getting money they will meet their domestic expenses in the whole year.
"If the skin disease spreads they will have to face losses", said the farmers.
Many cattle in Potazia, Reshambari, Choto chamtara, Angaru and Barabil in Shahzadpur upazila have been reported to be infected with lumpy skin disease.
Saidul Islam, a veterinary physician, said, "The farmers in the upazila were found frustrated with the spread of lumpy skin disease and a number of cattle were found to be infected in Ullapara and Raiganj upazila of the district too".
Dr Mizanur Rahman, Upazila Livestock Officer, said, "The cattle farmers might have been affected by the spread of the disease and 200 cattle have been diagnosed with the disease within one week".
"Already directives have been given to bring the cattle under vaccination", he said.
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