Sylhet Bureau :
Cattle farmers are now busy nurturing cattle in 800 cattle farms in thirteen upazilas of the Sylhet district ahead of Eid-ul-Azha, the second largest festival of Muslims when over one crore cattle are sacrificed across the country.
Visiting Sadar, Kazir Bazar, Shiberbazar areas the correspondent found the farmers and their family members taking care of their cattle from dawn to dusk. They were seen preparing grass, straw, mustard oil cake and fortified molasses for their cattle.
Officials at Sylhet district Livestock Department said more than 95,000 sacrificial animals are ready in the district for the Eid-ul-Azha.
They are expecting to supply those to other districts after fulfilling the local demand, they said. They claimed that farm owners received training from the department and were rearing their cattle without using harmful steroid and injection.
Charag Ali of Dakshin Surma area said, “We’ve worked round the year to prepare cattle for this festival with the hope of earning a good profit.” “We’ll get the expected profit only if the Indian cattle are not smuggled into the country,” he added. He further said they did not use any harmful chemical for fattening their cattle this year.
“We urge the authorities concerned to take steps to halt smuggling of cattle from India to ensure fair prices for local farmers,” he said.
Sylhet District Livestock officer Dr. Atiar Rahman said cattle are being reared in 8,10 farms this year which was 750 in the previous year.
He further said the department has been assisting farmers from the beginning and will supervise till the cattle are sold. “We suggested the farmers not to use harmful chemicals and steroid for fattening cattle.” The farmers cultivate sufficient Napier grass which is suggested to be used as main cattle feed instead of harmful ingredients, he added.
According to the Animal Feed Act 2010, the use of antibiotics, growth hormones, steroids or other harmful chemicals in animal feed are strictly prohibited. For violating this law, a person might face up to one year’s imprisonment or up to Tk 50,000 in fine or both.
Narsingdi Correspondentadds: Cow-fattening, a practice developed for fetching high price by increasing the weight and size of a cow has been gaining popularity in this district for the last two decades.
According to District Livestock Department sources, there are 231 cow fattening projects in the district of them 28 in sadar upazila, 32 in Monahardi upazila, 52 in polash upazila, 66 in Raipura upazila, 35 in Shibpur upazila and 18 project in Belabo upazila of them Onunnah Dairy farm of Belabo upazial, Diganta Dair farm of Raipura upazila, Akata Dairy farm of polash upazila, Suman Dairy Farm of Monohardi Upazila, Sreekrishina Dairy farm of Shibpur upazila and Pakija Dairy Farm and Baki Dairy farm at Narsindi Sadar upazila are the main Each of these farm have started with 40 to 50 cows for fattening recently for setting enough money in the Eid-ul-Azha market.
Tracing the background of fattening cow, it is found that this practice was introduced in different ‘char’ areas particularly in river erosion threatened areas by Association for social advancement (ASH) aided by Production Employment Project (PEP) of BRDB.
The PEP with a view to create employment for the poor village women to be self reliant extended loan for rice husking, cattle rearing, duck and poultry rearing along with cow fattening.
According to a BRDB source these projects created enormous employment opportunities for poor women. However, the PEP suspended the loan programme with the stopping of financing by ASH.
But the cow fattening project is still very popular in this district. District Livestock Officer (DLO), Narsingdi Dr Mohammad Abdus Samad Mia that about one thousand cows in six Upazillas of this district are now under intense care and nourishment of fattening programme.
Cattle farmers are now busy nurturing cattle in 800 cattle farms in thirteen upazilas of the Sylhet district ahead of Eid-ul-Azha, the second largest festival of Muslims when over one crore cattle are sacrificed across the country.
Visiting Sadar, Kazir Bazar, Shiberbazar areas the correspondent found the farmers and their family members taking care of their cattle from dawn to dusk. They were seen preparing grass, straw, mustard oil cake and fortified molasses for their cattle.
Officials at Sylhet district Livestock Department said more than 95,000 sacrificial animals are ready in the district for the Eid-ul-Azha.
They are expecting to supply those to other districts after fulfilling the local demand, they said. They claimed that farm owners received training from the department and were rearing their cattle without using harmful steroid and injection.
Charag Ali of Dakshin Surma area said, “We’ve worked round the year to prepare cattle for this festival with the hope of earning a good profit.” “We’ll get the expected profit only if the Indian cattle are not smuggled into the country,” he added. He further said they did not use any harmful chemical for fattening their cattle this year.
“We urge the authorities concerned to take steps to halt smuggling of cattle from India to ensure fair prices for local farmers,” he said.
Sylhet District Livestock officer Dr. Atiar Rahman said cattle are being reared in 8,10 farms this year which was 750 in the previous year.
He further said the department has been assisting farmers from the beginning and will supervise till the cattle are sold. “We suggested the farmers not to use harmful chemicals and steroid for fattening cattle.” The farmers cultivate sufficient Napier grass which is suggested to be used as main cattle feed instead of harmful ingredients, he added.
According to the Animal Feed Act 2010, the use of antibiotics, growth hormones, steroids or other harmful chemicals in animal feed are strictly prohibited. For violating this law, a person might face up to one year’s imprisonment or up to Tk 50,000 in fine or both.
Narsingdi Correspondentadds: Cow-fattening, a practice developed for fetching high price by increasing the weight and size of a cow has been gaining popularity in this district for the last two decades.
According to District Livestock Department sources, there are 231 cow fattening projects in the district of them 28 in sadar upazila, 32 in Monahardi upazila, 52 in polash upazila, 66 in Raipura upazila, 35 in Shibpur upazila and 18 project in Belabo upazila of them Onunnah Dairy farm of Belabo upazial, Diganta Dair farm of Raipura upazila, Akata Dairy farm of polash upazila, Suman Dairy Farm of Monohardi Upazila, Sreekrishina Dairy farm of Shibpur upazila and Pakija Dairy Farm and Baki Dairy farm at Narsindi Sadar upazila are the main Each of these farm have started with 40 to 50 cows for fattening recently for setting enough money in the Eid-ul-Azha market.
Tracing the background of fattening cow, it is found that this practice was introduced in different ‘char’ areas particularly in river erosion threatened areas by Association for social advancement (ASH) aided by Production Employment Project (PEP) of BRDB.
The PEP with a view to create employment for the poor village women to be self reliant extended loan for rice husking, cattle rearing, duck and poultry rearing along with cow fattening.
According to a BRDB source these projects created enormous employment opportunities for poor women. However, the PEP suspended the loan programme with the stopping of financing by ASH.
But the cow fattening project is still very popular in this district. District Livestock Officer (DLO), Narsingdi Dr Mohammad Abdus Samad Mia that about one thousand cows in six Upazillas of this district are now under intense care and nourishment of fattening programme.
