With their snow-white coats, drooping pink ears and regal built, Rajanpuri Nukra goats are turning heads and emptying wallets at Islamabad’s bustling Eidul Azha cattle market this year.
A strain of the Beetal goat native to the Rajanpur region of Pakistan’s Punjab province, these goats are known for their large size, muscular build and striking white coat. They are highly prized for meat production and are a popular choice for Eidul Azha sacrifices, with some selling for as much as Rs2 million ($7,140) this season.
At Islamabad’s cattle market on Bhatta Chowk earlier this week, many people gathered around the goats to admire their appearance and snap pictures, while others negotiated deals.
“We have come here from Rajanpur as people in Islamabad and Rawalpindi prefer Rajanpuri goats over other breeds due to their white and pink coloration and impressive height,” said merchant Hamza Ali, adding that he had brought 20 of the prized animals to the market and sold most of them within four days.
“We’re getting good prices for them here. Of the 20 goats we brought, one sold for Rs2 million last night.”
On an average, traders at the market have been selling the Rajanpuri goats for anywhere between Rs200,000 and Rs2 million ($715 to $7,140), a number of merchants said.
Highlighting the care involved, Muhammad Umair, a cattle trader, said the goats were nurtured from birth, referring to them as a “purebred line.”
“We divide them into two groups. Those with good height and large size receive a special diet that includes wanda, choker, desi ghee and other nutritious ingredients,” he told Arab News as he petted one of his animals.
Goats similar in size to regular breeds were available at lower prices but still higher than other strains.
“It has large pink ears, white eyes, and a pink nose, along with a pure white coat, which makes it highly attractive to buyers,” Umair added.
Muhammad Bilal, a 23-year-old student from Islamabad, said he wanted to buy a Rajanpuri goat because of its white coat and long ears.
“Although the price is a bit higher, we will still buy it because we really like it,” he told Arab News.
Another customer Ilyas Khan, 40, expressed frustration over the high prices of the breed, saying they were unaffordable for most visitors at the market.
“My children took pictures with them,” Khan, a businessman, said, “but these are out of our reach as even the smallest ones are starting at Rs150,000 ($535), which is too much.”