By Dr Aynal Haque
RAJSHAHI, Feb 4, 2021 (BSS) – Dairy farming along with beef fattening has
become boon for many marginalized and other grassroots people because they
got the scopes of overcoming the financial hardships caused by the Covid-19
pandemic.
Local animal husbandry sector has marked a revolutionary boost in recent
years following massive steps taken by the government and different
development organizations. Both rural and urban areas, the poor and
marginalized people including women have achieved tremendous successes in the
sector getting various assistance from the government and development
partners.
Abdul Awal, a dairy owner of Bargachhi, said many of the families have
adopted new and improved practices and technologies in dairy farming coupled
with bull rearing and fattening contributing to enhanced production and
productivity.
He said the Rajshahi region has started becoming enriched with animal
resources during the last couple of years as a result of house to house
cattle farming. The feature has brightened the prospects of mitigating any
disaster situation through exporting domestic animals to areas within the
country after meeting up the local demands.
Artificial insemination of cows is also gaining popularity in the region
following significant achievement in improving the breeding system.
Due to the cross breeding the cows are giving milk ten times more than the
previous record, said Dr Golam Rahid, a successful dairy farmer in the city.
Artificial insemination is a process of collecting sperm cells from a male
animal and manually depositing them into the reproductive tract of a female.
He said the region has an enormous opportunity to meet up existing protein
deficiency of the local people through boosting the sector.
District Livestock Officer Dr Ismail Haque said many of the rural families
have been rearing and fattening bulls commercially and earning huge profits
every year. Animal husbandry sector has marked a boost bringing fortune to
hundreds of people in the region.
Dr Hemayetul Islam, Deputy Chief Veterinary Officer of Department of
Veterinary and Animal Sciences in Rajshahi University, opined substantial and
sustainable promotion of dairy farming is very important for removing the
existing protein deficiency of the people along with decreasing the poverty
rate in the region.
Dr Islam said the unemployment problem in the rural areas could be reduced
to a great extent through making the dairy farming popular at the grassroots
level.
Moreover, the dairy sector can play a vital role in alleviating poverty in
the region.
Meanwhile, the Rajshahi Dairy and Cattle Development Farm have been
playing a pivotal role in boosting milk and meat production through the best
uses of modern technologies in the region.
Located on 92.43 acres of land in Rajabarihat area under Godagari Upazila
in the district, the farm contributes a lot to breed up-gradation of cattle
side by side with slashing down the protein deficiency through enhancing milk
and meat production.
In addition to necessary office building, the farm has a 60-acre fodder
ground for grass production, 15.78-acre Byre section and 3.57-care
afforestation.
It also has eighteen sheds of various types with a holding capacity of
1,015 cattle-heads. At present, there are 259 cattle including 61 milking
cows, 46 bulls and 107 heifers in the farm.