BOGURA, May 16: With only two weeks left before Eid-ul-Azha, cattle markets across Bogura have already started witnessing trading activities, particularly among wholesale traders dealing in sacrificial animals.
According to the District Livestock office, a total of 740,537 animals have been prepared for sacrifice this year at around 5,200 farms and household-based rearing facilities across the district. Although the number is slightly lower than last year's figure of 746,842 animals, officials expect a surplus of nearly 292,000 animals after meeting local demand.
District Livestock officials said the prepared animals include 298,784 cattle, 385,569 goats, 54,029 sheep, and 2,155 buffaloes.
Additional District Livestock officials said the number of sacrificial animals has decreased by around 6,305 compared to last year.
They attributed the decline mainly to farmers' growing focus on raising larger cattle instead of medium-sized ones.
"Although fewer cattle may reach the markets this year, the total amount of meat supply is expected to increase because farmers are concentrating on producing larger animals," an official said.
Farmers, however, expressed concern over whether they would receive fair prices for their animals due to the sharp rise in cattle feed costs.
They said prices of bran, rice husk, oilcake, straw, and grass have continued to increase every year, pushing up the cost of raising cattle by 25 to 30 per cent compared to previous years.
Buyers said cattle prices appear slightly higher than last year, though market activity remains relatively slow at the moment.
"As Eid approaches, trading activities will increase further," said a buyer at a local cattle market, adding that demand exists for both small and large cattle.
According to sources at the District Livestock Department, monitoring activities are underway at farms ahead of Eid. Medical teams have also been kept ready at cattle markets to ensure healthy and safe sacrificial animals for buyers.
