Commercial cow farming in Bangladesh gearing up for Muslim Eid festival

DHAKA, Aug. 16 (Xinhua) — Commercial beef cattle farming targeting the Muslim Eid festival has gained prominence in Bangladesh.

The country’s cattle ranching went through a boom apparently after the supply of cows, which are sacred to the Hindu faith, from India, dried up following stringent moves led by the Indian government in recent years.

This has created an ample opportunity for cattle farmers in Myanmar, Nepal and Bhutan from where Bangladeshis bring cows through formal and informal channels to meet the demand for Eid of about six million sacrificial animals.

With the largest Eid-ul-Adha, the festival of animal sacrifice just around the corner, local beef cattle farmers are now extremely busy.

Mohammad Sohel Rana is a manager of Meghdubi Agro Dairy Farm in Dhaka.

His farm had procured hundreds of cows from different parts of the country a couple of months earlier.

“Animals were brought here in poor health. We’ve fed them huge carrots, jack-fruits, pumpkin, sweet potatoes. Such foods made the cows healthy,” he said.

On the occasion of Eid, he said they have a target of selling around 800 cows.

“Already we’ve sold 60 percent of our cattle heads.”

Mohammed Sajib, who is in charge of the cowherds in the farm, said they take best possible care of the cows.

“These cows are given baths with shampoo regularly and we always keep them clean so that they are not affected by diseases.”

Farmers say cattle that have all been raised or handled on the farms are now in huge demand from customers who like to pay extra money for beautiful animals that are meant to be sacrificed.

Many buyers recently have been flocking to the cow sheds to choose the local variety.

One such buyer Mohammad Ali told Xinhua that he wants to buy an attractive animal.

“I’ve come to see whether I can find a cow I like here to sacrifice during Eid.”

Ali said the cows here are really very beautiful and attractive.

“If they offer reasonable prices, I’ll buy a cow here,” said Ali.

Every Muslim who has the financial means sacrifices animals and distributes the meat to family and the poor during Eid.

Muslims in Bangladesh this year will celebrate Eid-ul-Adha on Aug. 22.

Some 6 million animals, mostly cows and goats, will likely be sacrificed during this year’s Eid occasion, helping the country’s tanners to procure more than 40 percent of their annual raw and hides collections.