Beef breed Brahman raises hope of meat supply boost
Eid-ul-Azha is around the corner. The Qurbani haats (markets selling sacrificial animals) are already abuzz with activities amid the presence of buyers and sellers. The cows that reach the market are mostly reared in farms around Bangladesh. Throughout the year, cattle farmers concentrated more on fattening in organic and natural methods. Now the customers are more aware about the effects of antibiotics, artificial growth promoters and harmful chemicals. Everyone is looking for the cow that has been reared organically. Even the farmers are now more cautious and they are concerned.
However, to meet the total yearly meat demand, we depend on foreign countries, especially neighbouring India, for 40% of meat. Although, accounts are there that we have plenty of cattle supply for the Eid ul Azha.
A few days back, I went to visit Sakhipur in Tangail to see with my own eyes a beef breed, called 'Brahman'. It's tall, strong and can cope well with our climate. And, the original home for this breed was in the Indian sub-continent. Cattle breeders in the southern United States developed Brahman cattle between 1854 and 1926, after bringing in 266 bulls and 22 cows. Now, the breed is better known as, 'American Brahman'. This variety is also reared in Philippines, the Caribbean countries, Thailand, Australia and many other countries. Now the beef breed's new home is Bangladesh.
Under the Beef Cattle Development Project, for the very first time the authority is pretty much concerned to meet the demand of the cow meat across the country. As part of this programme, 10,000 samples of semen were brought to be used experimentally in Bangladesh in 2008. Then another 60,000 samples of semen were brought, of which 37,000 were applied on cows. Brahman bulls developed from first phase semen are kept in Savar's Artificial Insemination and Research centre.
Currently the semen of this breed is distributed across the country, following the appropriate scientific process. During the first phase of the project, in 2014-15, in 80 upazilas of 38 districts, 130 selected cattle farmers applied Brahman semen on 260 cows. Meanwhile, the breed is being tested at Savar's AI and Research centre.
I have talked with SMA Samad, the Director of Beef Cattle Development Project, under the Department of Livestock Services (DLS).
“In a year, the intake of meat per head in Bangladesh is 9.1 kg,” said Mr Samad.
“What's the global standard?” I asked.
“It should be around 80 kg a year, according to World Health Organization,” he replied.
“We must increase the intake seven times and Brahman could be an ideal solution to this,” said a confident Samad.
At farm level the Brahman bulls have now become 15 to 18 months' old. In Sakhipur's Gobindapur village, many farmers could get the semen of Brahman for having quality and healthy cows. Nuru Mia is one of those lucky farmers who got the semen for his cow. His bull is now 17 months' old. The Brahman has a hump back, long, drooping ears, and loose skin.
“Your bull looks pretty big already.”
“It has become 440 kg in only 17 months,” he said.
“Tell me about the local breed of your farm.”
“My cow gave birth to local calves in the past and the highest weight for an adult was 80 kg,” he added.
“What are you thinking about Brahman now?” I asked.
“Next year, I hope that my Brahman will go up to 1000 kg,” he assertively replied.
The veterinary surgeon of this region, Dr Shafiqul Islam Manik informed me that in Sakhipur upazila almost 300 cows were applied with Brahman semen. And, he also talked about the health condition of the Brahman bulls.
“Almost all the farms have the same results and it's good,” said Dr Manik.
“What about the weight?” I asked.
“Farmers are giving them organic and natural feed and the weight is going up the way expected,” replied Dr Manik.
“And, they are healthy,” Dr Manik added.
Cattle farmer Akhter Hossain, has done something crazy, out of extreme passion for his Brahman breed.
“Why have you set the fan on top of your Brahman bull,” I asked Akhter with curiosity.
“This is not just a cow, it's my family member; you must take care of your family, right?” he replied with a tone of extreme affection for the bull.
“What else do you think about this new breed?” I asked this cattle farmer.
“See, it's economically very significant to me and my family and I hope to pull off great profits through this breed hopefully next year,” replied Akhter.
Local officers of DLS, local upazila parishad, are very much optimistic about this beef breed. This fast growing, large cow has become the centre of love for all. People in the region also treat Brahman as one of their family members.
The experimental rearing for Brahman is going on in full swing. The results at the very beginning of its experiment are reasonably positive. However, we must not be fully certain that a developed breed will give us better production and profit very quickly. Certain conditions are to be met to ensure the right progress.
Dear readers, if all the authorities concerned keep on working with a deeper insight as they are doing now, and if the precise and progressive research is put into action at field level, I believe, the results will be in favour of us. The combined efforts of farmers and experts will expectantly give us a new addition to the Qurbani market next year. Hopefully, this Brahman breed, with an approximate meat amount of 20 to 30 maunds (800 to 1200 kg) from a single bull will show us a new hope in meeting the demand for cow meat across the country.
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