With Eid-ul-Azha only days away, cattle farmers in Rupganj, Narayanganj, have begun their preparations, and big cattle with fancy names are appearing. Among them this year is Badsha, a 25-maund Holstein Friesian bull with an asking price of Tk 10 lakh. Although no formal cattle market has yet been set up in Rupganj apart from the weekly haats, Badsha is already the talk of the area.

To attract buyers, owners and farmers are giving their animals names, and the huge Badsha is one of the best known. Despite his size he is very calm by nature, and after long care he is now ready for sale.

About 15,887 animals have been prepared on some 1,554 small and large farms in the upazila - about 400 more than demand. But despite the surplus, few cattle are big enough to cause a stir at the Eid market, and Badsha is one of them. He was raised by Gausia Dairy Farm in the upazila's Bhulta area, and buyers and onlookers are crowding in to see him.

People are coming from surrounding areas to see the huge bull. Many take photos and videos with him, and some post them on Facebook.

At Gausia Dairy, Badsha was seen standing in a regal pose. The deep white bull has both a fine build and good health, but is quiet and gentle. Three and a half years old, he is about 8 feet long and 5 feet tall, and his asking price is Tk 10 lakh.

His daily diet includes wheat bran, paddy straw, crushed gram, crushed maize, soybean cake and green grass, and he eats Tk 700 worth of feed a day. Buyers and traders have already offered between Tk 6.5 lakh and Tk 7 lakh.

Gausia Dairy manager Sohel Rana told Jago News that about Tk 5 lakh 80 thousand had been spent on Badsha's feed over three and a half years, plus about Tk 2 lakh 60 thousand on labour - in all about Tk 8 lakh 40 thousand to get him ready for the Eid market.

He said 60 cattle had been prepared for sacrifice this Eid, and Badsha is the most attractive. Many people are looking at him and making offers. "If someone buys directly from the farm we will sell; otherwise we will take him to the upazila cattle market. We want to sell him for between Tk 9 and 10 lakh, because it cost us a lot to raise him," he said.

Asked about the name, Sohel Rana said the bull had carried himself like a badsha (emperor) since he was young. Dipu Bhuiya, owner of Gausia Corporation, which runs the farm, named him Badsha out of affection.

Upazila Livestock Officer Dr Md Rigan Molla told Jago News that farms in the upazila have more animals ready than are needed. Most people are not interested in raising Holstein Friesian cattle, but Gausia Dairy has succeeded with the breed. The livestock office has supported farmers in various ways throughout the year.

Source: Jagonews24. First published in Bengali on The Agro News.