It is estimated that pilgrims slaughtered over one million sheep, cows and camels in Mina, Saudi Arabia, to mark the successful completion of the Haj. With officials reporting that an additional 42,000 animals had been sacrificed in Makkah abattoirs.

The increased numbers are said to be the result of an ongoing programme, launched in 1983 by the Islamic Development Bank (IDB), for the optimum utilisation of sacrificial animals under which pilgrims can buy coupons in order to purchase animals.   

In order to meet the demand of the Haj festival, Saudi Arabia built the world's biggest slaughterhouse in Mina at a cost of $125 million in 2001. The facility covers 500,000m² and has the capacity to process 200,000 sheep a day.