Composting dead swine (2018)

AGRICULTUREUniversity of Missouri ExtensionTeng Teeh Lim, Extension Agricultural Engineer, Food Systems and Bioengineering; Joseph Zulovich, Extension Agricultural Engineer, Food Systems and BioengineeringOriginal authors: Charles Fulhage and Charles Ellis, with special thanks to Mel GerberThis publication was formerly printed as WQ225."Reviewed November 2018" -- websiteThe Missouri Dead Animal Law requires that an animal carcass be properly disposed of within 24 hours of death. Missouri has five acceptable methods of carcass disposal: rendering, composting, landfilling, incineration and burial. Class I operations are not to use burial as their normal method of disposing of routine mortalities. Before burying a large number of unexpected mortalities, operations must receive approval from the Missouri Department of Natural Resources (DNR) and then proceed in accordance with Missouri Department of Agriculture requirements. This publication discusses static, or passive, composting as a means of complying with the dead animal law for swine operations. Done correctly, composting provides a biosecure method of animal carcass disposal. The information presented here can help swine farmers correctly design and consistently operate these facilities. For information on the other carcass disposal methods, refer to MU Extension publication WQ216, Dead Animal Disposal Laws in Missouri