EID AL-ADHA, MOROCCAN CATTLE IN GOOD HEALTH

Rabat, 7 Dzulhijjah 1436/21 September 2015 (MINA) – The Ministry said in a statement that the supply of sheep and goats destined for slaughter during the coming Eid al-Adha is estimated at approximately 4.5 million animals, including male lambs, goats and ewes.

According to the National Association of Sheep and Goat Farmers, the price per kilo for sheep varies this year from 40 to 45 dirhams and between 52-54 dirhams for Sardi race, Morocco World News quoted by Mi’raj Islamic News Agency (MINA) as reporting.

The Ministry assured consumers that the health of animals is very satisfactory in all regions of the Kingdom through programs of surveillance and prophylactic campaigns conducted by the veterinary services under l’Office National de Sécurité Sanitaire des produits Alimentaires (ONSSA) and the National Office for Food Safety.

However, some Moroccan breeders have been accused of administering weight gain pills to their sheep to fatten them before putting them on sale on the eve of Eid al-Adha.

In an attempt to ensure that all sheep and calves that will be slaughtered during Eid Aladha are healthy, Nabri Said, a veterinarian, said that veterinary services across Morocco “are making efforts to monitor the markets despite the sector’s constraints, such as the shortage in doctors and the lack of human and logistic resources.” (T/P006/R03)

Mi’raj Islamic News Agency (MINA)