Cattle markets across the country are starting to come alive ahead of Eid-ul-Azha, with village markets echoing to the calls of buyers and sellers. Meanwhile, a huge bull in Chakradhakanai village of Kushmail union in Phulbaria upazila, Mymensingh, has become the centre of attention. Curious people crowd in every day to see the bull, named "Sada Moyna".

The huge black-and-white Friesian bull has become an unofficial celebrity across the area. Its owner is Md Nurul Kaium Swapan, a homeopathic doctor and farmer. Out of a love of animal rearing alongside his medical profession, he has raised Sada Moyna with care over five long years.

Swapan said the bull had been raised like a member of the family, growing up in the courtyard of the house. Family members affectionately gave it the name because of its black-and-white colouring.

The bull now weighs about 35 maunds. It is about nine and a half feet long and five and a half feet tall, with a girth of more than eight feet. Because of its huge size, people come from far and wide every day to see it. Some take photos, while others spread videos and pictures on social media.

"I have raised the bull entirely naturally from birth. No fattening drugs or injections of any kind have been used. Sada Moyna has reached where it is today through regular care and nutritious food," Swapan said.

The bull is bathed twice a day, he said. Its feed is about 10 kg of ground bran, 5 kg of straw and 5 kg of fresh grass. Feed alone costs about Tk 20,000 a month. In hot weather a ceiling fan is kept running 24 hours a day in the cowshed for its comfort.

Swapan's son Imam Mehedi said: "The bull is like a member of our family. We have raised it with great care since it was small. Besides feeding, walking and bathing it at fixed times every day, we pay special attention to cleanliness."

He added that with Eid approaching, the crowds coming to see the bull had grown further, and Sada Moyna had become very popular with local children and teenagers.

The owner said Sada Moyna had also been ready for sale at last year's Eid. Its price then reached about Tk 7.5 lakh, but because he was unwilling to sell for less than Tk 10 lakh, the bull was not sold in the end.

He wants to take Sada Moyna to the Eid market this year with the same expectation.

"This is not just a cow; it is the fruit of my long labour, love and faith. I hope someone will give it its proper value this time," Swapan said. He will also arrange to deliver the bull at his own expense to the buyer, wherever in the country they live.

Locals say Sada Moyna has created a festive mood across the area ahead of Eid. From morning to evening people keep coming to catch a glimpse of it, and the huge bull has stirred wide curiosity and discussion throughout the area.

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