Hijri-Aligned Qurbani Sheep-Dairy Farming: The Economy of the Qurbani Ritual and an Open Invitation to Research, Test and Improve a Proposed Livestock Production System

This discussion paper introduces a proposed experimental framework for a Hijri-aligned Qurbani sheep-dairy production system. It examines whether sheep breeding, lambing, dairy production and Qurbani supply can be progressively aligned with the annually shifting Hijri calendar while maintaining animal welfare, productivity and economic viability. The paper considers the Qurbani ritual not only as a seasonal livestock market, but as a potential organising framework for year-round livestock production, dairy value creation, resource utilisation, human-capital development and data-driven farm management. The proposed model integrates breeding and reproduction, dairy production, Qurbani utilisation, feed and land management, Agriculture 4.0, traceability, research, vocational capability development and replication. It identifies key research questions requiring controlled experimentation and independent scientific, economic, animal-welfare, regulatory and, where applicable, Shariah evaluation. This paper does not present a validated production protocol. It is published as an open discussion paper to invite researchers, livestock specialists, veterinarians, farmers, processors, technology providers, vocational educators, regulators and other relevant specialists to test, challenge and improve the proposed model. Status: Open Discussion Paper | Proposed experimental model | Not a validated production protocol. Awqaf New Zealand Discussion Paper No. 1 | Version 1.0 | 2026