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As the holy Eid-ul-Azha approaches, Professor Dr Md Mahbub Alam of Bangladesh Agricultural University (BAU) has urged all concerned to adopt a scientific approach to the selection, transportation, slaughter and post-slaughter waste management of sacrificial animals.
Emphasising the importance of public health, food safety and environmental sustainability, he provided a comprehensive set of guidelines in an interview, reports UNB.
Prof Mahbub Alam, who also serves as the Director of the Interdisciplinary Institute for Food Security (IIFS) and President of the Veterinary Doctors Association of Bangladesh (VAB), warned against traditional but potentially harmful practices, urging more informed decisions at every step of the Qurbani process.
One of his primary concerns is the improper selection of animals.
He advised that healthy animals are typically active, alert and display regular cud-chewing, moist nostrils, taut skin and a fleshy hump. Signs of illness include drooling, lethargy, sagging ears and bloating.
Buyers are strongly advised to avoid animals that appear excessively fat or have uneven fat distribution, as these may have been treated with steroids.
“Steroid-treated cattle often show signs like abnormal calmness, swollen skin and fatigue,” Prof Alam noted.
He also cautioned against the use of broiler chicken feed to fatten cattle, calling it a dangerous and unethical practice. Such feed causes fluid retention under the skin and can lead to kidney and liver damage, severely compromising both animal welfare and meat quality, he said.
Regarding disease detection, Prof Alam said that certain symptoms—such as skin bumps indicating Lumpy Skin Disease (LSD), or thick hooves and eye infections—can help buyers identify potentially sick animals. While age estimation is ideally based on farm records, he explained that tooth and horn ring inspection can offer a reasonably accurate field method for determining an animal’s age.
Animal transportation was another area of concern. Overcrowded transport, he said, causes extreme stress, which negatively impacts meat quality by depleting muscle glycogen and altering muscle pH. “Stress-free movement is critical for maintaining quality.”
On the legal side, Prof Alam reminded that violations of animal welfare laws during transport in Bangladesh can result in fines up to Tk 10,000, imprisonment for up to six months, or even bans on livestock keeping. In cases of severe cruelty, imprisonment can extend up to three years.
He also addressed the heightened risk of disease outbreaks such as Anthrax, LSD, Brucellosis, and Foot-and-Mouth Disease (FMD) during Qurbani season.
To prevent outbreaks, he recommended mass awareness campaigns, pre-Qurbani veterinary checks, intensified vaccination drives and prompt isolation or quarantine of infected animals.
On slaughter and hide preservation, he said animals should be placed on clean, flat surfaces and skinning should be done using blunt knives to protect hide quality, which has economic importance through export. Quick removal of restraints post-slaughter also helps preserve meat and hide.
Prof Alam called for organised waste management, noting that indiscriminate disposal pollutes the environment and spreads disease.
He advocated for designated slaughtering areas and converting animal waste into useful by-products like fish feed and fertiliser. “Proper waste management not only safeguards public health but also contributes economically,” he said.
He urged that those involved in the slaughter process wear gloves, face masks, and disinfected boots. Personal hygiene and physical distancing during all Qurbani-related tasks are crucial to reduce health risks, Prof Alam added.