KUALA TERENGGANU: We have all heard of cute cat contests, but in Terengganu, there is now a cute goat contest.
The contest's inaugural edition was organised by Persatuan Penternak Kambing Baka (PPKB) with the cooperation of the Veterinary Services Department (DVS).
Emerging as the winner was Bukk, a goat owned by Mohd Asrul Gulam Mohd, 33. Bukk is originally from Bangkok, Thailand.
At 97 kilogrammes, and a beautiful coat of fur, the active and happy three-year-old buck defeated some 100 other goats of the Janapari and Anglo breeds at the contest held at the JPV, here.
Mohd Asrul Gulam from Kampung Surau Panjang, here, who has been rearing goats for the past three years said he did not expect to win.
"Bukk is the first breed goat that I own," he said, adding that it was suggested to him three years ago to purchase a goat with a breed.
Mohd Asrul bought Bukk for RM3,000 at the time and he did not expect Bukk would bring him luck three years down the road.
As the winner, Mohd Asrul and Bukk took home a prize money of RM200 and a certificate, among others.
A welder by profession, Mohd Asrul said he was once offered RM10,000 by an individual who wanted to buy Bukk from him when the buck was still young, but he rejected the offer.
"I couldn't sell him. Eventhough people offer me thousands of ringgit to buy Bukk, I don't plan to sell him off. Caring for Bukk is easy, there are no issues and he seldom falls sick," he said.
Bukk eats twice a day and enjoys goat's feed, grass and "sisip puyu" leaves. The cost to feed him comes to about RM20 a day, Mohd Asrul informed.
Meanwhile, Terengganu DVS director Dr Mohd Termizi Ghazali said they were happy that the contest's inaugural edition received encouraging response when over 20 goat owners participated. He said they planned to hold the contest more often.
"This contest proves that breeders are not only capable of breeding goats, but are also capable in holding contests, and we are ready to cooperate in such a contest on a grander scale in the future," he said.