Foreign breeds draw attention

Though a huge number of sacrificial animals are gathered at different cattle markets in the capital ahead of Eid-ul-Azha, foreign breeds are drawing extra attention of customers and visitors.

The bulls of Haryana, Rajasthan, Bhutan, Australia, Nepal and Brazil are the main attractions at the markets set up at Gabtoli, Nayabazar, and Sadeque Hossain Khoka playground.

A lone camel in Gabtoli, three dumbas (fat-tailed sheep), and some Pakistani sheep are also attracting the customers and visitors.

“I have collected semen of Brahma, a Brazilian bull from Savar, and bred two bulls at our farm, using the semen twice,” said Tanvir Azim Rajib, owner of New Nation Agro Farm at Gazipur, who brought 60 bulls at Sadeque Hossain Khoka market.

He said the bulls grew big within a short time.

“Though the age of a Brazilian bull is 17 to 18 months, it already gained a weight of around 12 maunds (or 444kg),” said Tanvir, who is asking Tk 6 lakh for the pair.

Tanvir also brought two bulls from Rajasthan around two years back and raised them at their farm.

The head of the Rajasthan bull is small but its horns are big, and in most cases, its colour is white, he said.

A handful of Rajasthan cattle are found in the market, and they attract visitors for their horns, he said.

Shawkat Ali Rony, who also brought five Haryana bullocks at Gabtoli, said these cattle were rare in Bangladesh. “We are the only traders in the cattle markets of Dhaka who brought the bullocks of Haryana,” he claimed.

The bullocks are white and have long, thin horns.

“We are demanding Tk 12 lakh for a pair,” he said.

At Nayabazar, Shaheb Rana brought a Friesian bull of Australia. It is not the biggest bull in the market, but its colour and look is attractive.

Shaheb named the bull “Shuvo”. He raised it at his home for three years after breeding it.

"My family took great care of it," he said.

“We looked after the bull like a child, and if I don't get a satisfactory price I will take it back home,” said Shaheb, who is demanding Tk 8 lakh for the bull.

Khokon Bepari, a trader of Gabtoli, usually raises Nepali bulls at his home, purchasing those at their young age, because the bulls are calm.

“We like to raise the Nepali bull as female members of our family can easily handle the big size bulls because of its calm nature,” he said.

Khokon brought the bulls from Kushtia.

The meat of the bull is tastier than local bulls'; that's why people like them, he said.

There are some traders who like to fatten "Butti" oxen, a breed from Bhutan. The bull looks like a big calf but its weight is much higher than that of a same size calf.

"Its meat tastes very good," he said.

“A section of people like to have this bull due to the taste of its meat,” said Imran Hossain, a cattle trader of Gabtoli, who brought 20 such oxen.

In Bangladesh, the oxen got the name "Butti" (dwarf) because of its small size.

Imran also brought a camel and two dumbas at the market from Rajasthan.

“I am asking Tk 18 lakh for the camel and Tk 3 lakh each for the dumbas,” he said.