Material From Original Gov't Discussion Paper
[ Intro to Management of Mortalities as a concern from original discussion papersource#1, "Common Concerns" section p.5-6 ]Proper management of animal mortalities is necessary to protect the health of other livestock and humans, as well as the environment.
The Livestock Manure and Mortalities Management Regulation requires mortalities to be stored securely and kept either refrigerated or frozen if they cannot be disposed of within 48 hours. The regulation allows disposal of mortalities through rendering, composting, burial or incineration.
Rendering produces a wide variety of products ranging from plastics to soil amendments for botanical purposes. Many livestock operations now use a dead stock pick-up service operated by a Winnipeg-based firm.
Composting of dead stock must be conducted in a location where the base is comprised of a material that will prevent downward or off-site movement of any leachate. The site must also be secure from scavengers such as foxes, dogs and crows. Sawdust and straw provide excellent carbon sources for composting dead stock. When properly done, composting is odourless and yields a valuable soil amendment.
Burial is sometimes the only reasonable option for large numbers of mortalities. After an event such as a barn fire, dead stock cannot be easily separated from rubble, and are therefore unsuitable for rendering. Burial must occur in suitable soil conditions with at least one meter of clay separating the bottom of the burial pit from the top of the water table and at least one meter of soil cover.
Incineration is an expensive option that may be suitable for small numbers of mortalities. Incinerators used for disposal of dead stock must comply with the requirements of the Incinerators Regulation under the Environment Act. (For further detail, see "Manitoba Regulations and Guidelines.")
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Material From "Common Ground" Government Report
Other Material and References