Cattle farms usher in becoming entrepreneurs of Khulna youths

Modern and organic cattle farms here paved the way of becoming youth entrepreneurs especially during the festival of Holy Eid-ul-Adha this time attracting buyers to purchase sacrificial animals as their choice in size and price.  Established in 2018 in the Sachibunia area under Batiaghata Upazila in Khulna, ‘Evan Agro Farm’ has grown into a trusted name in the region. It is now one of the unique and most selling farms in Batiaghata Upazila. 

Educated youths Ashik Rahman and Nazmul Hasan alias Evan have set a shining example of success by changing their fate through the establishment of the cattle farm, rather than chasing a job.  Their success has created a stir in the area and inspired other unemployed youths to take up the challenge of achieving self-reliance through cattle farming. 

Evan established the farm in his backyard as a meat production enterprise seven years ago. He started fattening cattle for meat production.  Later, his cousin joined him and now the ownership of Evan Agro is shared between them. 

This year, they reared around 20 cows, and more than half of them were sold directly from the farm," said Ashiq Rahman, one of the owners.  "We didn’t even need to go to the cattle market. We have priced all the animals between Tk 100,000 and 300,000. We haven't raised any very large cattle because we believe medium-sized animals are always in the highest demand,” he added. 

The cattle are fed organically grown grass, hay and formulated feed produced within the farm premises. Alongside Friesians, the farm also rears Brahama, Sahiwal, Sahiwal cross, domestic breeds and Sindhi. The farm supplies fresh meat round the year in Khulna.  While visiting the farm on Thursday, the correspondent found that one customer booked a sacrificial animal online, and two more arrived in person to check out the cattle. 

Saikat Talukdar, a customer from Barasat village of Terokada upazila, said, “I saw the farm’s videos on Facebook. The animals looked quite healthy and well-maintained. Since the cows are of medium size, I decided to come to see them myself. If I like one, I’ll make a booking”. 

Farm Owner Nazmul Hasan Evan said the farm currently houses around 25 cattle but can rear up to 40. "We plan to expand accommodating 50 cows in the next year.  “We are also offering the option to keep the purchased animals at the farm until Eid, so buyers don’t face any hassle. Most of the cattle here have already been sold, but they are still here under our care, he added. 

The farm's daily operations reflect a touch of modernity, ceiling fans are above the cattle, waste is managed by machines, and constant supervision is there by a veterinary doctor.  According to the owners, the farm started with just 5 cattle and has expanded rapidly due to efficient management and growing demand. One of its unique features is its online cattle sales platform, allowing customers to purchase livestock conveniently. 

Ahead of Eid-ul-Azha, the farm set a target to sell 20 cattle-70 percent of which were already booked through Face book.  Last year, they sold 25 cattle during the festive season and continue to sell year-round. "Our production process is natural and safe," Ashik said. "We never use steroids or antibiotics to speed up cattle growth. Expert supervision ensures the highest quality in our milk and meat production." 

Currently, two full-time workers are employed at the farm to manage daily operations. This cattle farm stands as a model for sustainable and organic cattle farming in Khulna.  Talking to us, Dr Nurullah Md Ahsan, Director of Divisional Livestock Services (DoLs) said many of the educated youths have been rearing and fattening ox commercially and earning huge profits every year. 

Some of the educated poor and marginalized people including women have achieved tremendous success in the sector in the division, he said.  Meanwhile, for the last couple of years, many youths have been seen rearing their cows using natural fattening methods, he said, adding that they use only straw, molasses, gram, black-gram, green grass and wheat bran as feed instead of any steroid medicine. 

They are also availing loans from different public and private commercial banks for purchasing, ox, and bulls, and are repaying within due time.  Many educated youth farmers rearing cattle ahead of Eid-ul-Azha to make their bull business profitable, and sustainable.