Bangladesh's cattle farmers face acute fodder crisis

Published 06 Sep,2021 via The Financial Express - Cattle farmers in char areas under Bogura and Sirajganj districts are facing acute fodder crisis as vast areas including croplands have been submerged in floodwater.

To cope with the situation, traders are collecting hay from villages in different upazilas of Bogura and Sirajganj districts by auto- rickshaws and power tillers.

Due to rise in the price of hay and other animal feeds, farmers and cattle rearers are in trouble with cows, buffaloes, goats and sheep.

Many cattle owners are becoming dependent on floating water hyacinths as an alternative to meet the fodder demand for cows and buffaloes.

It is not possible to take the cows and buffaloes to the fields during rainy season.

The owners of around 3,000 cattle farms and about 7,000 family cattle farms, including cow fattening ones, are struggling to cope with the acute food crisis due to flood in the area.

A farmer, Latif Uddin, under Sariakandi upazila of Bogura said he rears 5 cows to meet the demand for organic manure for their land. Before this month, the straw acquired from their cultivable land has been damaged.

Upazila Livestock Official said, "The production of straw has come down as farmers now cultivate vegetables to get more profit."

Farmer Aminur Rahman under Kazipur upazila of Sirajganj said, "The farmers are facing the straw crisis this year as flood washed away straw piles from the yard. At present, the cattle farmers and fatteners are worried about their cattle".

Atiqul Karim Apel, chairman of Bhandarbari Union Parishad (UP) in Dhunat upazila, said, "Water has entered the houses of at least 500 families in 9 villages of his union. However, human life is still normal but fodder crisis is visible".

Humayun Kabir, sub-divisional engineer of the Water Development Board (WDB), said, "The water level in the Jamuna river continues to rise, so fodder crisis may continue for next few days."

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