By Dr Aynal Haque
RAJSHAHI, July 12, 2020 (BSS) – With house-to-house cattle and goat farming everywhere, the district has become home of around 1.5 lakh surplus sacrificial animals as compared to the demand.
Dr Asim Kumar Sarker, District Livestock Officer (in-charge), told BSS that the district needs around two lakh animals to meet up the demand of sacrificial but it has around three and a half lakh animals eligible for the purpose.
Local animal husbandry sector has marked a revolutionary boost in recent years following massive steps taken by the government and different development organizations.
Both rural and urban areas, the poor and marginalized people including women have achieved tremendous successes in the sector getting various assistance from the government and development partners. Artificial insemination of cows is gaining popularity in the region following significant achievement in improving the breeding system.
Due to the cross breeding the cows are giving milk ten times more than the previous record, said Arafat Hossain, a successful dairy farmer in the city.
He said the producers have adopted new and improved practices and technologies in bull rearing and fattening contributing to enhanced production and productivity.
The size of the market has expanded due to the growing active role of large and small-scale private companies.
Line Agencies have become proactive towards supporting market actors especially Local Service Providers by dint of their complementary roles in extension services.
In practice, the LSPs provide training, advice and input to the producers and earn on an average Taka 4,500 per month. Routinely, they extend different modern technology to the producers through setting demonstration plot in the locality.
Besides, they organize community meetings with the help of private companies for building awareness about quality inputs.
Service contracts were established to provide regular necessary services and inputs to the farmers.
Prof Jalal Uddin Sarder from the Department of Veterinary and Animal Sciences in Rajshahi University said that the venture promotes various value-addition activities of bull fattening which reflect a sustainable economic change of the poorest people particularly women.
Many of the rural families have been rearing and fattening bulls commercially and earning huge profits every year. In the wake of expansion of modern technology, the animal husbandry sector is flourishing in the areas boosting the local economy that reduces import of sacrificial animals from India, he added.
Meanwhile, necessary preparations for selling and buying of sacrificial animals are being progressed in full-swing at present in the local cattle markets.
Importance has been given on selling and buying of animals through following social distancing and other safety guidelines on behalf of the local administration and the department of livestock.
This time, the government has a restriction on import of animals from the neighbouring country, Dr Jalal Sarder added.
On the other hand, Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB) has intensified vigilance against cattle smuggling along the Rajshahi frontiers to avert any sort of intrusion of cattle heads from the neighbouring country.
“We have already held 12 view-sharing meetings on the issue with all concerned including public representatives, leaders of influence, religious leaders and cattle traders in the district,” said Lt Col Ferdous Ziauddin Mahmud, Commanding Officer of 1 BGB Battalion.
BGB has increased patrolling in the bordering area to prevent smuggling of cattle, he added.