Cattle farmers of Bera Upazila in Pabna are passing busy time rearing the sacrificial animals as Eid-ul-Adha is nearing. Many people of the Upazila, including char areas, have changed their fate with small or large cow farms.
Although the profit was good in the previous years, farmers are now afraid of making good profit this year as the price of cattle feeds went up. Moreover, the cultivation of natural grass on vast lands of char areas and grass of other farm lands was hampered due to excessive heat. So, the farmers think that there might not be enough profit this year.
However, the farmers are more enthusiastic in raising cows in this area as they don’t need to invest huge capital, the daily cost is low and the vast pastureland is available in the char areas. Moreover, they can get a good amount of money at the end of the year. Eid-Ul-Adha is only a few weeks away. So, the cattle farmers are spending busy time taking care of their bulls ahead of the Eid.
Sources said there are some four thousand large and small cow farms in the Upazila. When this correspondent visited Char Nakalia and Char Sharashiya village under Haturiya-Nakaliya Union of the Upazila, it was seen that one or more local breed of cow, buffalo, goat and sheep were prepared for Eid-ul-Adha.
Many cattle farmers of Char Sharashiya village, including Abdul Ajij Molla, Alamin Molla, Humayun, Bablu Molla, Sattar Byapari and Thantu Byapari, said the price of all types of cattle feeds have increased. Besides, the natural born grass in the vast lands of Char areas and grass of other farmlands were spoiled due to excessive heat. The farmers became dependent on husks and other dry feeds available in the market.
They said that each sack of husk is being sold at Tk 1,700 to Tk 2,000. The price of per maund straw is Tk 500 to Tk 600. A packet of 25kg feed costs Tk 800 to 1,400 taka. A sack of 40-kg rice bran is Tk 800 and a sack of 40-kg corn is Tk 1,150.
They also said that the growth of the bulls is comparatively low during the scorching heat of summer.
Besides, the farmers expressed their fear over getting a good price for the sacrificial animals as the cost went high due to the price hike of the feed.
Bera Upazila Livestock Officer Dr Mizanur Rahman said a total of 3,350 farmers have prepared 88,765 cows, buffalos, goats and sheep for Eid-ul-Adha in the Upazila. He also said there is a demand of 65,380 sacrificial animals this year in Bera Upazila. Although there are more sacrificial animals reared in the Upazila, the cattle farmers will make profit, he added.
