PRIMGHAR, Iowa — Unfortunately, animals sometimes die in a livestock production system and proper disposal becomes necessary. Usually this is not an issue as most livestock producers have operating procedures in place such as rendering, incineration, burying or composting. However, there are a couple of situations that could force a change in standard procedures. An operation may want to enhance biosecurity by eliminating rendering truck stops at the pig site or a problem at a rendering plant could limit service, for example.
But the biggest consideration is the possibility of a foreign animal disease. For example, African swine fever has been spreading around the world, and as international travel opens up, so does the risk of spreading a foreign animal disease. Hopefully it never happens, but if a foreign animal disease (FAD) infects animals here, livestock producers will be forced to do things differently. The first response by authorities to a local FAD outbreak will be to stop transport of all animals, including dead animals on route to the rendering plant. This stop movement will last at least 3 days and possibly longer. Livestock producers will be tasked with how to manage dead animals during the shutdown.
One of the best options to deal with livestock mortality during a shutdown is composting. The only challenge is the learning curve to successfully compost dead animals. To address this problem, a new publication was written to help beginners. One of the big worries is odor, another is leachate (water that has percolated through a solid and leached out some of the constituents). Both can be solved easily by selecting and managing the co-compost materials. The publication, “Field Tips for Successful Composting,” will help livestock producers understand the composting process and identify key points critical for success. It is available for free download at https://store.extension.iastate.edu/product/16100.
The publication points out that decomposition requires nitrogen, carbon, oxygen, and moisture for optimal tissue breakdown. Mortality composting is different than regular composting unless you grind the carcass. During composting bacteria must grow quickly to create enough heat to destroy pathogens and break down carcass tissue. Because pigs are high in moisture, it is important to have a deep, absorbent, yet porous material to eliminate leachate while providing oxygen for the process. “Field Tips for Successful Composting” outlines how to set up the base, how to make the pile biologically active, how to cover the carcass to shed rain, and how to choose an organic co-compost material that will act as a biofilter to stop any adverse odors.
For more information, download the publication at https://store.extension.iastate.edu/product/16100 or contact Dave Stender at dstender@iastate.edu.
— Dave Stender, Swine Specialist, Iowa State University Extension and Outreach
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