The annual meat production increased by seven times in the last nine years making the country self-sufficient in meat production.
Director general of the Department of Livestock Services Dr Md Ainul Haque gave the information on Monday, reports BSS.
“The total meat production was 7.15 million metric tonnes in fiscal 2016-2017," he said.
It was 6.07 million metric tonnes more comparing to the fiscal 2008-09.
"The total meat production was 1.08 million metric tonnes in fiscal 2008-09,” Ainul Haque said.
There was 19,000 metric tonnes surplus meat after meeting the country’s annual demand in 2016-17 fiscal, he said,
There was no need of importing cattle to meet the meat demand over the last three years.
The number of cattle stood at 5,47,45,000 in 2016-17 fiscal while it was 4,95,58,000 in fiscal 2008-09, Haque said, adding that the country produced 51,87,000 cattle more in the last nine years.
“Cattle meat is one of the important elements to meet protein demand. We have already achieved sufficiency in meat production with the support from the government,” the DG said.
Simultaneously, he said, the country has also achieved a marked progress in producing eggs and milk.
About 500,000 new people will get employment opportunities in the sector each year, Haque said.
20 per cent of the country’s total employment directly depends on the livestock sector, he added.
The DG said after expanding the artificial breeding programme across the country, it has been possible to bring about 45 per cent of the reproductive cattle under the programme and transform 50 per cent of the total cattle into hybrid varieties.
On average, he said, the daily milk production of per hybrid cow and Friesian hybrid cow under the artificial breeding programme has increased to 15 litres and 40 littres respectively.
The weight of the bulls has increased to 500 kg from 400 kg, he said.
Haque said there was no need of importing cattle for the last three years to meet the demand of sacrificial animals during the Eid-ul-Azha.
Officials of the Livestock Department said by importing frozen semen of cent percent Brahman variety, the DLS is implementing a meaty variety cow production programme at 125 upazilas under 48 districts to produce beef breed of hybrid varieties aiming to meeting the growing demand of protein and sacrificial animals.
Under the programme, an artificial breeding laboratory and bull station was up at Savar in Dhaka. Another regional artificial breeding laboratory and bull station was established at Rajbari Hat in Rajshahi.
There are also 22 district artificial breeding centres, 461 sub-centres and 3,484 points across the country to implement the programme.
There were a total of 2,39,35,000 cows, 14,78,000 buffalos, 2,59,31,000 goats and 34,1000 sheep in the country in fiscal 2016-17 while milk production was 9.28 million metric tonnes.
The total number of cow was 2,29,76,000, buffalo 13, 4,000, goat 2,24,1,000 and sheep 28,77,000 in fiscal 2008-09. Meat and milk productions were 1.08 millioni metric tonnes and 2.29 million metric tonnes respectively.
