Lakshmipur has more big cattle than usual for this Eid-ul-Azha. Farmers in the district have about 800 cattle weighing roughly 12 to 25 maunds, and buyers are going to farms looking for big animals. This year a bull of about 2,000 kg has also been seen in Lakshmipur.

Cattle markets opened on Thursday (22 June) in various parts of the district, including the Lakshmipur municipal cattle market, Kalibazar in Sadar and Torabganj in Kamalnagar.

According to the district livestock department, farmers have 800 cattle weighing 500 to 1,000 kg for the Eid, and a few farms have animals of 1,000 to 2,200 kg. This has benefited the district: farmers have succeeded in meat production and the district's economy is growing. Farmers and livestock officials say the unusual news on livestock production is due to commercial farms and more artificial insemination.

Farmer Saiful Islam of Char Jangalia village in Hajirhat union of Kamalnagar upazila bought a cow some years ago for milk. Soon afterwards it gave birth to a calf, which he raised with great care and named Bahadur. Now 45 months old, Bahadur weighs 1,100 kg, or 27.5 maunds, and Saiful has asked Tk 15 lakh for him at the market. He never imagined his bull would grow so big.

In Raipur, a 57-maund bull named 'King' has become a talking point. Mohammad Ullah, owner of Bismillah Dairy farm near the Steel Bridge in North Char Bangshi union, is preparing to take it to the Gabtoli market in Dhaka. He is asking Tk 40 lakh, and says there is no buyer in Lakshmipur at such a price.

Mohammad Ullah said he has raised only six cattle on his farm, and King weighs about 2,200 kg.

Mahbubur Rahman of North Char Bangshi is asking Tk 15 lakh for his 30-maund 'Rustom' and has taken it to the local market. Mahbub Rabbani's 'Chowdhury Dairy' in Ramganj municipal town has three cattle of 7 maunds, each priced at Tk 11 to 12 lakh.

Buyer Jamal Hossain at the Lakshmipur municipal market said the cattle are much bigger this year and prices are higher. If such big cattle keep coming to market, people will have to raise their sacrifice budget in future, which most cannot afford. There is demand for big cattle, he said, but many cannot buy because of economic hardship.

Abdus Salam, another buyer at the same market, said the cattle are very big; even if they do not sell at the Eid market, they will fetch a good price in the meat market and ease the meat shortage.

Farmer Belal Hossain of Bangakha village in Sadar upazila said the district's farmers have focused on raising cattle for meat for four years, and most now grow their cattle big. Big cattle will increase further, he said, but there are few buyers for them in the district.

According to the local government department, 66 cattle markets are being held this year in the district Sadar, Lakshmipur municipality, Raipur, Ramganj, Ramgati and Kamalnagar: 11 permanent and 55 temporary.

Dr AKSM Musharraf Hossain, Lakshmipur district livestock officer (additional charge), said farmers have about 42,000 animals ready for sacrifice, including about 40,000 cattle and 1,500 buffaloes. In recent years farmers have become keen on artificial insemination and on raising improved foreign breeds, which is why big cattle are coming to market this year. Even bigger cattle will be seen in future, he said.

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