One cow bought with Tk 50,000 from earrings grew to 60 in 20 years; a flood killed cattle worth about Tk 30 lakh
A homemaker in Noakhali started by selling gold earrings for Tk 50,000 to buy one Friesian cow; the farm now has 60 animals and four workers and nets about Tk 1 lakh a month. Covid, floods and feed prices have squeezed income.
About two decades ago a homemaker in Begumganj, Noakhali, sold her gold earrings and with the Tk 50,000 bought a Friesian cow. There was no cowshed at home, so she kept it at one side of the kitchen. She fed, bathed and milked the cow and sold the milk herself, saving the income rather than spending it. When the herd reached 10 she built a new shed on about 50 decimals next to the house, and her husband left his cloth business to join the farm. Over 20 years the farm now has 60 cattle and calves and four workers, and after all costs including wages she earns about Tk 1 lakh a month. About 200 litres of milk a day is sold wholesale to restaurants and sweet shops in the district town, and she also fattens cattle to sell before Qurbani. During Covid, with hotels closed, hundreds of maunds of milk had to be given away free and some cattle sold at nominal prices. In a recent flood 15 cows and calves died, with a market value of Tk 28-30 lakh; official help was Tk 1,000. A month ago a straw stack worth about Tk 3 lakh burned down. Rising feed prices have also cut income.
Lessons
- 1.You can grow from one cow by saving the milk income, but a bigger herd also carries bigger flood and disease risk.
- 2.Even selling to several restaurants and sweet shops can stall in a lockdown; keep alternative outlets.
- 3.In flood-prone areas plan higher ground, insurance or a reserve fund, and secure your feed and straw stock.
We published this with the person's permission, without revealing who they are.
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