Healthy cow fattening good for livestock and consumers

In the days before Eid-ul-Azha those in the know will make a special trip to an unlikely destination: Ramergaon village in Munshiganj. There, people will seek out three brothers: Binu Matbor, Abul Hossain and Monir Hossain, who have established quite a reputation. The brothers are renowned for selling quality cows.

During the Eid season demand for cows reaches its annual peak, with approximately 30 lakh cows expected to be sold nationally. In this season farmers are keen to have stock looking their healthy best for market.

In recognition of cow fattening practices used by farmers hoping for optimal profits, the Department of Livestock Services has developed legal fattening methods and trained nearly 600,000 farmers in healthy cow-fattening procedures this year.

Nonetheless, in recent years there have been increasing instances of unscrupulous cattle traders harnessing illegal fattening methods to the detriment of livestock and public health. The purchasing public has become cautious, the reason the three brothers are so sought after.

"People trust us," says Binu proudly. "Our family farms cows responsibly."

"We only sell medicine-free cows," says Abul. "I've never administered cow-fattening medicines. I never will."

To fatten cows in a healthy manner, the brothers feed them oil cake, green grass and various crop materials including wheat chaff, lentil powder, corn, rice husks and grass pea, a legume locally called khesari.

Like many of their neighbours, the brothers concentrate their cow rearing on Eid demand, while also running a dairy throughout the year. They believe the Qurbani sacrifice that drives their livelihoods to be a blessing to them also, which brings encouragement for them not to pollute the sacrifice with dishonest cow-fattening techniques.

Fortunately, other Munshiganj cattle raisers are also choosing to pursue healthy fattening, which is good news on the back of last year when many consumers were deceived into buying toxic, sickly cattle; with many cows dying on Eid day and needing to be buried rather than consumed. 

Yet with hormone and steroid sellers still active, the relevant motto remains: 'Let the buyer beware.' For people scouring cattle markets in search of the right animal to meet budget and need, the brothers are able to offer some basic advice.

"Cows that are overly fat are not healthy," says Binu, "Feeding them only natural foods will make them medium in size. These cows are strong, while medicated cows can barely walk: such cows only look fat due to excessive water retention."

"A sick or medicated cow will dribble saliva and always be panting," advises Monir. "It can't be said what's in it but some farmers even mix wood powder in the feed." Ingesting wood powder can lead to swollen and damaged livers.

Dear readers, may your sacrificial animals this Eid-ul-Azha be healthy, and bring great blessings to you and your families.