<div style="text-align: justify; "><b style="font-size: 1rem;">A record number of locally-reared sacrificial animals has flooded local markets in Rangpur division as sale has already got momentum when only three days are left before the Eid-ul-Azha festivity.</b><br></div><div style="text-align: justify;">&nbsp;</div><div style="text-align: justify;">Talking to BSS at different cattle markets, cattle farm owners and farmers said they reared local animals despite an increase of fodder price with a hope of getting better prices of sacrificial animals.&nbsp;</div><div style="text-align: justify;">&nbsp;</div><div style="text-align: justify;">Cattle traders said sale of sacrificial animals might increase further during the next three days ahead of the Eid-ul-Azha festivity when buyers would start purchasing&nbsp; animal en-masse.</div><div style="text-align: justify;">&nbsp;</div><div style="text-align: justify;">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.&nbsp; &nbsp;</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Divisional deputy director of the Department of Livestock Md. Abdul Hye Sarker said cattle farms and farmers have produced over 15.62-lakh sacrificial animals this time against demand of around 11.88-lakh in all eight districts of Rangpur division.</div><div style="text-align: justify;">&nbsp;</div><div style="text-align: justify;">As a result of various pragmatic steps taken by the government over the last 14 years, a revolution has taken place in the livestock and dairy sectors enhancing production of cattle heads and milk and cutting rural poverty in Rangpur division.&nbsp;</div><div style="text-align: justify;">&nbsp;</div><div style="text-align: justify;">“We have over 3.74-lakh surplus sacrificial animals in Rangpur division. It proves that we do not need to import animals any more to meet local demand for ensuring fair price of locally reared cattle-heads,” Sarker added.&nbsp;</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Cattle farm owners and farmers have produced bullocks, cows, oxen, calves, buffaloes, goats and sheep as sacrificial animals in addition to those reared by marginal farmers at homes and char people.&nbsp;</div><div style="text-align: justify;">&nbsp;</div><div style="text-align: justify;">District Livestock Officer for Rangpur Dr. Md. Sirajul Haque said cattle farms and farmers have produced 2.83-lakh sacrificial animals, including cows, against demand of 2.16-lakh with a surplus of 67,000 animals in Rangpur district alone this season.</div><div style="text-align: justify;">&nbsp;</div><div style="text-align: justify;">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.&nbsp;</div><div style="text-align: justify;">&nbsp;</div><div style="text-align: justify;">Cattle traders expressed satisfaction over installing currency screening machines, taking sufficient security measures and patrols round the clock to ensure smooth trading and carrying of cattle heads on the roads and highways.</div><div style="text-align: justify;">&nbsp;</div><div style="text-align: justify;">Cattle traders Murshed Alim Kalim Uddin, Amirul Haque and Abdul Mazid at Lalbag Cattle Market in Rangpur city today said price of sacrificial animals is relatively higher due to high fodder price despite record supply of locally-reared healthier cattle-heads.</div><div style="text-align: justify;">&nbsp; &nbsp;</div><div style="text-align: justify;">“Popular sized bullocks, calves and cows are selling at rates higher by Taka 40,000 to 80,000 on an average depending on size and quality than last year,” said cattle trader Nurul Amin at the same market.</div><div style="text-align: justify;">&nbsp;</div><div style="text-align: justify;">Cattle trader Arman 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.</div><div style="text-align: justify;">&nbsp;</div><div style="text-align: justify;">“Middle and medium-sized bullocks are being sold at rates between Taka 85,000 and Taka two-lakh while large-sized between Taka 2.10-lakh and Taka four-lakh and extra large-sized bullocks at rates between Taka five-lakh and Taka 10-lakh,” he said.&nbsp;</div><div style="text-align: justify;">&nbsp;</div><div style="text-align: justify;">Cattle trader Ramjan Mian at Taraganj Cattle Market in Rangpur said current market price of sacrificial animals might be even higher, but huge boost in the local animal husbandry sector with record supply has kept the price at this level.</div><div style="text-align: justify;">&nbsp;</div><div style="text-align: justify;">Cattle farmer Mohsin Ali of village Kathihara under Rangpur Sadar upazila said he expected to sell his reared large-sized bullock weighing 350 kilogram at Taka three- lakh.</div><div style="text-align: justify;">&nbsp;</div><div style="text-align: justify;">“But none of the buyers is ready to purchase my bullock at over Taka two-lakh so far in the local market,” he said.</div><div style="text-align: justify;">&nbsp;&nbsp;</div><div style="text-align: justify;">Meanwhile, prices of goats are higher this year and goats are being sold at rates between Taka 10,000 and Taka 50,000 depending on sizes and varieties at different markets across the division. BSS</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br></div><div style="text-align: justify; ">bnbd24/kh</div>