Self-sufficiency in cattle thanks to fattening ops
Farming sacrificial cattle possesses turned so lucrative that lots of small- and large-level fattening businesses have been set up in the last year or two, drawing enormous investments and eventually meeting the require during Eid-ul-Azha, the next largest religious event of Muslims.
This past year, 1.06 crore family pets were sacrificed against a supply of 1.16 crore, in line with the Department of Livestock Providers (DLS).
This year, 1.19 crore can be found, which 45.38 lakh are cattle, 73.55 lakh goats and sheep and 4,500 other livestock.
This self-sufficiency came into being through the establishment of fattening units for bulls mostly in dairy farms.
Many investors are dealing with a three to 6 months' operation where cattle of some age and health are bought from around the country and put on specialized diets tuned for weight gain.
Running in conjunction with dairy systems helps meet daily costs through the sale of milk.
The viability of the business has even drawn corporate residences and educated young entrepreneurs into commercial livestock farming.
"We have been self-enough of sacrificial family pets for the past three years and no animal has been permitted to be earned from India, Nepal and Myanmar," explained Abdul Jabbar Sikder, director-basic of the DLS.
All of the ministries concerned and the Border Safeguard of Bangladesh were working on protecting against the entry of animals in the lead-up to Eid.
He's confident there would be no shortage of cattle this season considering that 12 lakh pets were surplus this past year.
All credit for self-sufficiency would go to entrepreneurs and the DLS, said AKM Ataur Rahman, a former livestock economist at the section, adding that at least Tk 10,000 crore has been committed to the sector in the past decade.
"A revolution has occurred in cattle farming within the last few years," said Khorshed Alom Khokon, managing director of Sirajganj Dairy Farm.
Many educated unemployed youths started farming for dairy and meat to be self-reliant, he added.
However, this Eid, sales would be significantly less than in previous years offered the pandemic and its monetary repercussions and the ongoing floods in several places, Rahman said.
"My assumption may be the amount will come down to less than one crore this season," he added.
Demand has dropped for the pandemic and this has subsequently affected the prices, Khokon said.
Were it not really for the web markets, the situation might be worse. For example, one Pabna-based farmer explained he has already sold 54 of his bovines at a profitable margin through the web.
