3 Options For Disposing Of Dead Animals In A Livestock Operation
When you are running a livestock operation, you are going to have animals that die. You will have animals that die from disease, old age, and childbirth. As a small livestock operator, you need to know how to deal with those dead bodies.
Option #1: Burial
The first option that you have when livestock dies on your property is to bury the animal. When you are running a livestock operation, you can't just bury the animal anywhere you want. You have to bury the animal so many feet away from any running water sources, such as a stream or lake, and you have to bury the animal a certain number of feet away from any wells on your property. You don't want the decomposing animal to get into your water supply.
Additionally, you need to bury the animal deep in the ground. They need a deep grave, not a shallow grave.
Burial is generally a good option in the spring through the fall. Burial is usually more difficult in the winter when the ground outside is frozen.
Option #2: Composting
The second option for dealing with dead livestock is to compost the livestock. The composting process for dead animals is a little more complicated than the composting process for plants. With animals, you need to store them inside of a unique composting container that will help destroy disease-causing pathogens. You have to help with the composting process by adding nitrogen to the composting mixture.
Option #3: Removal
The third option is to have a dead animal removal company pick up the dead livestock and remove it from your property. This is often the easiest method, as you don't have to properly manage the decomposition process of the dead animal on your property, which requires you to follow a fair number of rules and regulations.
A dead animal removal company like Tri-County Dead Stock Inc will remove the animal and dispose of it in a safe manner. They may use a decomposing process, or they may incinerate the animal. Once they pick it up, the process is out of your hands, and you can focus on other important tasks.
When it comes to dealing with dead animals in a livestock operation, you need to have a pre-determined manner for dealing with the dead animals. You can't just let them sit on your property; you need to dispose of their carcass in a responsible manner. A dead animal removal service can help you with this process.