The six-year tradition of North Carolina Muslims slaughtering chicken, lamb or goat at a hog farm in Princeton during the Eid-al-Adha (Feast of Sacrifice) ended on Wednesday, the first day of their festival.

Eddie Rowe, who runs the 300-acre hog farm, did not allow the ritual in compliance with a Dec. 15 court order stopping the illegal slaughter. Instead, he refunded Muslims who bought animals from him or just told them to kill the animals at their own backyards, which is not illegal.

There was no complaint against the ban, though it caused confusion on some Muslims, who did not know where to slaughter the animals bought from Rowe. The farmer, however, complained that the ban inconvenienced his customers, some of whom he regarded as friends.

The North Carolina Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services sought and obtained the restraining order against Rowe when they complained that he was operating an unsanitary and illegal slaughter facility.