January 18, 2005

 

 

Australia Sees Record Sheep Sale To Bahrain

 

More than 10,000 live Australian sheep are expected to have been sold for the annual Muslim festival of Eid by tomorrow.

 

A shipment of 24,000 Australian sheep was brought in by the Bahrain Livestock Company yesterday, bringing the stock up to 40,000, said company general manager Adeeb Al Alami.

He added that the company had sold 4,000 live sheep up to yesterday.

 

Mr Al Alami said that the company also sold 3,200 pieces yesterday where normally 1,500 carcasses were sold a day.

 

"We expect to sell 5,000 pieces tomorrow to meet people's demand for the Eid celebrations," he said. "The company supplies butchers in Jidhafs Central Market, Manama Central Market, Muharraq Central Market and Isa Town Central Market with the meat, ensuring that what they receive is in an excellent condition and not spoiled."

 

The company runs the only abattoir in the country.

 

Mr Al Alami said livestock shipments come to Bahrain accompanied by a veterinarian, to ensure the sheep are kept healthy.

 

"Before being shipped the sheep are kept in a quarantine for two weeks," he said.

 

"When they reach Bahrain, veterinarians from the Municipalities and Agriculture Ministry and from the company examine them to ensure they are safe for consumption."

 

Mr Al Alami said that the company only offered Australian sheep, because Arabian sheep were few in the market and expensive.

 

"An Australian sheep costs BD25, while an Arabian sheep costs BD60, which is why people prefer buying the former," he said.