The bleating of sheep and the low rumble of rams once again dominate the livestock market of Aïn Aouda, on the outskirts of Rabat, as Morocco’s Eid al-Adha preparations return to full strength. After a period of drought, herd losses and disrupted markets, the country’s corrals and pens are visibly fuller, drawing families from nearby cities and rural areas in search of an animal they can afford.

At dawn, trucks stacked with sheep and goats roll into the market, their cargo spilling into makeshift enclosures. Children weave between the animals while parents haggle with traders, weighing religious duty against tight household budgets. For many, the purchase of a sacrificial animal is the single largest expense of the year.

Sheep seller Ibrahim Nouini stands beside a pen of muscular Sardi rams, the prized breed known for its size and distinctive markings. He says demand is strong but acknowledges that prices remain a strain. Rising feed and transport costs have pushed some top-quality rams toward the upper end of the market, leaving lower income families searching longer for smaller or mixed-breed animals.

Despite these pressures, the overall picture is brighter than in recent years. Environment researcher Mustapha Laissate notes that Morocco’s national herd has staged a remarkable recovery, climbing from about 23 million to 41 million head of livestock. That rebound, driven by improved rainfall, targeted government support and better veterinary coverage, has reduced reliance on imports and restored the presence of local breeds in markets across the country.

In Aïn Aouda, traders say the larger supply is easing fears of shortages that once loomed over the holiday. Buyers now move through rows of animals with greater confidence that they will find something within their means, even if it requires tough negotiation.

Eid al-Adha, which follows the shifting dates of the lunar Islamic calendar, commemorates the Quranic story of Prophet Ibrahim’s willingness to sacrifice his son before God provided a ram in his place. In Morocco, that story is retold each year not only in sermons, but in the clatter of hooves, the smell of hay and the crowded markets where faith, tradition and economics meet.