King Mohammed VI of Morocco asked Moroccans on Wednesday to abstain from performing the rite of slaughtering sheep on Eid al-Adha this year due to a drop in the country’s herd following years of drought.

Sheep come running when Larbi El Ghazouani pours alfalfa and straw into their troughs twice a day. He had counted on selling the bulk of his sheep to Moroccans preparing for early June's Eid Al-Adha holiday,

Morocco’s King Mohammed VI, the country’s “commander of the faithful,” called on citizens to forgo the traditional sheep sacrifice during Eid al-Adha in early June. The reason: a severe drought that has reduced livestock numbers and driven up prices.