RANGPUR: A record number of locally-reared sacrificial animals have flooded markets across the district where the sale got full momentum from on Thursday as only three days have left for the Eid-ul-Azha festivity.

Talking to different cattle markets, farm owners and farmers said they reared more local animals despite increase in fodder price with a hope of getting better profit this year if sacrificial animals were not imported from neighbouring countries, reports BSS.

Buyers at bigger cattle markets said they preferred the hygienically reared healthier and middle-sized local cattle-heads as sacrificial animals than artificially fattened and huge-sized ones. 

Talking to the agency, Training Officer of the Department of Livestock, Rangpur Md. Babul Hossain said cattle farms and farmers have produced three lakh 53 thousand and 700 bullocks, cows, oxen, claves, buffalos, goats and sheep as sacrificial animals in the district.

“We have one lakh 32 thousand and 400 surplus sacrificial animals as there is a demand of two lakh 21 thousand and 300 animals this time in the district,” he said.

Adequate numbers of livestock physicians’ teams are working in the sacrificial animal markets at the upazila and district levels to check health conditions of sacrificial animals.

Cattle trader Khalilur Rahman at Lalbag Cattle Market in Rangpur city said price of sacrificial animals is comparatively higher due to high fodder price despite record supply of locally-reared healthier cattle-heads this year.

Cattle trader Mozahar Hossain at the same market said the price of bullocks and cows marked a rise this time due to increase in fodder price in comparison with last year’s price.

“Medium-sized bullocks are being sold at rates between Taka 75,000 and Taka 1.50 lakh while large-sized between Taka 1.60 lakh and Taka 2.50 lakh and extra large-sized bullocks at rates between Taka four-lakh and Taka six-lakh,” he said.

Cattle trader Liyakat Ali at Badarganj Cattle Market in Rangpur said present market price of sacrificial animals might be even higher, but huge boost in the local animal husbandry sector with record supply kept the price tolerable level.

Cattle farmer Echhahaq Ali of village Kathihara under Rangpur Sadar upazila said he expected to sell his reared medium-sized bullock weighing 250 kilogram at Taka 1.50 lakh.

“But none of the buyers is ready to purchase my bullock at over Taka one-lakh so far despite demand for medium-sized cows is high,” he said.

Cattle farmer Mahbubar Rahman at Taraganj Cattle Market expressed his happiness after selling his medium-sized bullock at Taka 95,000 saying that the price of medium-sized cows is satisfactory this year.

Farmer Kochhim Uddin sold his middle-sized bull at Taka 80,000 against his expectation of Taka 90,000 and Arman Hossain sold his middle-sized bull at Taka 75,000 against his expectation of Taka 90,000 at Lalbag Cattle Market in Rangpur city.

Prices of goats are higher this year with big goats being sold at rates between Taka 25,000 and 45,000, medium-sized goats between Taka 20,000 and 24,000 while small-sized goats are being sold at rates between Taka 12,000 and 18,000 at different markets in the district.

Meanwhile, cattle traders expressed satisfaction over installing currency screening machines, sufficient security measures and patrols round the clock to ensure smooth trading and carrying of cattle heads on the roads and highways.