Pros And Cons Of Swine Mortality Disposal Options Thomas Glanville Iowa State University

Pros & Cons of Swine Mortality Disposal Options Prepared by Dr. Tom Glanville, Agricultural & Biosystems Engineering, for Iowa Pork Congress, January 29, 2009

What’s New ? For Stabilization & Extended Storage (prior to rendering) Fermentation (requires grinding & fermentable carbohydrate) Acid preservation (requires grinding, sulfuric or phosphoric acid [safety concerns]) Refrigeration – used by slaughterhouses in Netherlands during FMD outbreak in 2001 For Disposal Alkaline hydrolysis (biological material dissolved in alkaline hydroxides under heat and pressure) – currently used by NADC and university veterinary research labs Anaerobic digestion – biological decomposition in heated anaerobic vessel Gasification – bio materials heated to produce synthetic gas that is burned In general, these new methods not currently widely used Higher capital & operating costs Some are quite complex Some suited for large or highly specialized operations Prepared by Dr. Tom Glanville, Agricultural & Biosystems Engineering, for Iowa Pork Congress, January 29, 2009

What’s New ? Commercial Developments & University Research Biovator rotating mechanical composter Automated processing of routine mortalities Frequent turning promotes rapid decomposition ISU Research on Emergency Composting Windrow composting for emergency disposal Studied effects of seasonal weather conditions & type of cover material on performance Sponsored by Iowa DNR and USDA ISU Research on Bio-secure swine mortality composting Use of plastic envelope to reduce risks of pathogen escape Sponsored by Canadian Food Inspection Agency and Canadian Research & Technology Initiative Prepared by Dr. Tom Glanville, Agricultural & Biosystems Engineering, for Iowa Pork Congress, January 29, 2009

Traditional Methods Rendering, Burial, Incineration, Composting Not perfect solutions, but are widely used because: Work reasonably well, historically accepted Relatively simple (not necessarily easy) Timely – most can be done on the farm Reasonably affordable Prepared by Dr. Tom Glanville, Agricultural & Biosystems Engineering, for Iowa Pork Congress, January 29, 2009

Iowa Swine Mortality Management Survey % of Iowa Swine Operations Using Each Method Prepared by Dr. Tom Glanville, Agricultural & Biosystems Engineering, for Iowa Pork Congress, January 29, 2009 From 2001 IPPA / ISU survey of Iowa swine producers

Pros & Cons of Disposal Methods Key Factors / NEW Info Time/Delays Bio-security Risks Environmental Risks Air pollution - odor Soil/water pollution Costs Fixed - facilities & equipment Variable - fuel, services, maintenance Prepared by Dr. Tom Glanville, Agricultural & Biosystems Engineering, for Iowa Pork Congress, January 29, 2009

Time Delays Rendering Number of rendering plants decreasing in U.S. Iowa lucky to have several Only one plant serves all of the New England states! Fewer plants mean greater haul distances (potential for delays) Most frequent Iowa producer complaint about rendering NOT lack of availability Lack of Timeliness (2001 IPPA / ISU survey of swine disposal practices in Iowa) Management Practice Consider refrigerated storage if delays are a frequent problem Prepared by Dr. Tom Glanville, Agricultural & Biosystems Engineering, for Iowa Pork Congress, January 29, 2009

Burial Primary Cause Weather-related delays Frozen soil Muddy conditions Management Practices Schedule excavation during warm/dry weather Locate burial sites in well drained soils Time Delays Prepared by Dr. Tom Glanville, Agricultural & Biosystems Engineering, for Iowa Pork Congress, January 29, 2009

Incineration Delays Primary Due To Fixed capacity ….. inadequate at times of peak loss Difficult to expand capacity Note: A natural tendency to overload incinerators during periods of high losses ….. can lead to serious odor emissions Management Practices Use composting or rendering when incinerator capacity is exceeded Time Delays Prepared by Dr. Tom Glanville, Agricultural & Biosystems Engineering, for Iowa Pork Congress, January 29, 2009

Bin Composting Primary Cause Some delays if bin capacity is exceeded Management Practices Use windrow composting methods to provide extra capacity (more about methods later) Time Delays Prepared by Dr. Tom Glanville, Agricultural & Biosystems Engineering, for Iowa Pork Congress, January 29, 2009

Bio-security Rendering Process itself Good bio-security High rendering temperatures destroys pathogens BUT, movement of rendering trucks from farm-to-farm is often mentioned by producers as a bio-security concern Not much scientific work on this topic, but one recent study supports this concern Published in JAVMA, McQuiston et.al. 2004 claimed strong evidence of farm-to-farm transmission of avian influenza by rendering trucks during 2002 outbreak in state of Virginia. Management practices Keep rendering vehicles away from production barns Prepared by Dr. Tom Glanville, Agricultural & Biosystems Engineering, for Iowa Pork Congress, January 29, 2009

Burial Long considered to pose “low risk” One study (Davies & Wray, 1996) reported that cattle burial caused extensive pathogen contamination in the soil and a nearby drainage ditch Anthrax spores - have long-term survival in soil, and may reach soil surface (Turnbull, 2001) Management Practices Bury promptly after death Use care when transporting carcasses Observe recommended burial depths and separation distances to wells, streams, & embankments. Bio-security Prepared by Dr. Tom Glanville, Agricultural & Biosystems Engineering, for Iowa Pork Congress, January 29, 2009

Incineration Very low risk, extreme heat kills pathogens Management practices Incinerate promptly following death Use care when transporting or storing carcasses Bio-security Prepared by Dr. Tom Glanville, Agricultural & Biosystems Engineering, for Iowa Pork Congress, January 29, 2009

Composting Moderately low risk Heat and other stressors (pH, drying, antimicrobial chemicals) reduce pathogen populations But lack of temperature uniformity (cool zones near edges) can allow pathogens to survive Management Practices Avoid use of small bins or piles (< 1 m 3 ) Cannot retain heat Keep carcasses away from edge of bin or pile (cool zone) Temperatures much higher 2 ft or more from edge of pile Bio-security Prepared by Dr. Tom Glanville, Agricultural & Biosystems Engineering, for Iowa Pork Congress, January 29, 2009

Rendering Very little air or water pollution risk on the farm Occasional odor complaints near rendering plants Environmental Risks Prepared by Dr. Tom Glanville, Agricultural & Biosystems Engineering, for Iowa Pork Congress, January 29, 2009

Environmental Risks Burial High risk - nitrogen pollution of soil & groundwater Every 1000 lb of carcasses contains 22 lb of nitrogen High density burial of carcasses (carcasses touching each other) can lead to N loadings of 25,000 lb/acre or greater ! Carcasses buried in wet soils can take 10 years or more to decompose Management Practices Avoid high density burial – especially if groundwater is shallow Locate all burial sites at least 1000 ft meters from wells, and streams Prepared by Dr. Tom Glanville, Agricultural & Biosystems Engineering, for Iowa Pork Congress, January 29, 2009

Incineration Risk of serious air pollution If incinerator is loaded too heavily Low operating temperatures Management Practices Do NOT overload incinerators Better to use composting or rendering when incinerator capacity is exceeded Environmental Risks Prepared by Dr. Tom Glanville, Agricultural & Biosystems Engineering, for Iowa Pork Congress, January 29, 2009

Composting Soil pollution If done on unprotected soil If bin or windrow not protected from rain Management Practices Place composting facilities on concrete platform Place roof or plastic cover over bins or windrows Environmental Risks Prepared by Dr. Tom Glanville, Agricultural & Biosystems Engineering, for Iowa Pork Congress, January 29, 2009

Cost Prepared by Dr. Tom Glanville, Agricultural & Biosystems Engineering, for Iowa Pork Congress, January 29, 2009 2001 Iowa State University Swine Mortality Management Survey

Equipment Tractor/loader or skid loader Haul carcasses & cover materials Build, turn, unload bins Manure spreader – haul / land apply compost Long-stem dial-type composting thermometer Check internal compost temperatures ….. useful for troubleshooting Recommend 36 - 48-inch stem length Approximate cost $100-$150 Swine Mortality Composting Setup & Operation Prepared by Dr. Tom Glanville, Agricultural & Biosystems Engineering, for Iowa Pork Congress, January 29, 2009

Recommended facilities Options Configuration: bins vs. windrows or piles Roofed vs. unprotected Roofed bins recommended for swine disposal in Iowa Why bins ? Reduce the amount of cover material needed Help retain heat in cold weather Reduce problems with rodents/scavengers Why roof ? Iowa receives 32 inches/yr of precipitation. Causes pile saturation resulting in: Leachate & odors Low internal temperatures Slow carcass decomposition Swine Mortality Composting Setup & Operation Prepared by Dr. Tom Glanville, Agricultural & Biosystems Engineering, for Iowa Pork Congress, January 29, 2009

Bin Example Back-to-back bins, concrete walls, includes cover material storage Prepared by Dr. Tom Glanville, Agricultural & Biosystems Engineering, for Iowa Pork Congress, January 29, 2009 This facility sized for average daily losses of 300 sow farrow-finish operation 10’ 24’ 40’ 12’ Storage Bins

Bin Example Single-row configuration, treated lumber walls Prepared by Dr. Tom Glanville, Agricultural & Biosystems Engineering, for Iowa Pork Congress, January 29, 2009 This facility sized for average daily losses of a 450 sow farrow-to-nursery operation 10’ 10’ 60’

Facility Example Low-cost bins, constructed in unused shed Prepared by Dr. Tom Glanville, Agricultural & Biosystems Engineering, for Iowa Pork Congress, January 29, 2009 Composting need NOT be complicated or expensive ! Bins constructed with used materials (slat panels) inside unused shed. Photos by Kris Kohl , ISU Extension Engineering Field Specialist

Estimating Needed Bin Space Step 1: Estimate total annual pounds of mortalities based on operating records Step 2: Divide annual pounds by 365 to get average daily loss Step 3: Multiply daily loss by 40 to get total cubic feet of bin volume needed Prepared by Dr. Tom Glanville, Agricultural & Biosystems Engineering, for Iowa Pork Congress, January 29, 2009

Bin Dimension Guidelines Minimum bin width (feet) = 2X loader bucket width Reduces potential damage to both loader and bin walls Front-to-back dimensions = 1 to 2X bin width Maximum sidewall height - 6 feet load to 5-foot depth greater depth complicates loading/unloading & reduces oxygen penetration into pile Loaded bin volume = width (ft) X length (ft) X loaded height (5 ft) Prepared by Dr. Tom Glanville, Agricultural & Biosystems Engineering, for Iowa Pork Congress, January 29, 2009

Estimating Number of Bins Needed Divide total bin volume by loaded volume of a single bin Round UP to nearest whole number IF result is an odd number, add 1 more to get an even number Need an equal number of “primary” and “secondary” bins Prepared by Dr. Tom Glanville, Agricultural & Biosystems Engineering, for Iowa Pork Congress, January 29, 2009

Additional Storage Needs For cover materials Must be sheltered to keep them dry Can incorporate envelope material storage bins into composting system, or store materials in nearby shed For additional details see: ISU Extension Publication Pm-1917, Composting Swine Mortalities in Iowa Prepared by Dr. Tom Glanville, Agricultural & Biosystems Engineering, for Iowa Pork Congress, January 29, 2009

Additional Space/Planning Considerations Location of composting bins Convenient to production facilities On a well-drained area No runoff onto or off of composting area Recommend construction of an all-weather surface that permits accessibility during inclement weather compacted soil or granular aggregates, asphalt, or concrete Minimum required separation from environmentally sensitive areas 500 ft from residences 200 ft from public wells, 100 ft from private wells Outside of wetlands, 100 ft from surface water bodies Prepared by Dr. Tom Glanville, Agricultural & Biosystems Engineering, for Iowa Pork Congress, January 29, 2009

Keys to Successful Composting Prepared by Dr. Tom Glanville, Agricultural & Biosystems Engineering, for Iowa Pork Congress, January 29, 2009 … . lets oxygen into pile, Moist bio-decomposition zone … degrades carcasses & odorous byproducts During cold weather …. 18 inch “insulating layer” retains heat….kills pathogens … speeds decay Absorptive base layer … controls leachate … . and excess water vapor & decomposition gases out Permeable (coarse textured) cover material oxygen oxygen oxygen

Prepared by Dr. Tom Glanville, Agricultural & Biosystems Engineering, for Iowa Pork Congress, January 29, 2009 Composting Procedures Loading the Bins Use PLENTY of Envelope Material Retains heat, odor, & leachate 12-inch thick absorptive base layer (minimum) Space between adjacent carcasses (same layer) 4-6 inches - small carcasses 6-12 inches large carcasses Material between layers Same as between adjacent carcasses Cap top layer with 6-12 inches …… more during cold weather Prepared by Dr. Tom Glanville, Agricultural & Biosystems Engineering, for Iowa Pork Congress, January 29, 2009

Prepared by Dr. Tom Glanville, Agricultural & Biosystems Engineering, for Iowa Pork Congress, January 29, 2009 Composting Procedures Temperature Monitoring Monitor Internal Temperatures Low temperatures (< 100 °F ) Cover material too wet, too thin, or too porous to retain heat Insufficient pile size to retain heat High temperatures (> 160 °F ) Can kill beneficial composting organisms Turn the pile to cool it down Prepared by Dr. Tom Glanville, Agricultural & Biosystems Engineering, for Iowa Pork Congress, January 29, 2009

Prepared by Dr. Tom Glanville, Agricultural & Biosystems Engineering, for Iowa Pork Congress, January 29, 2009 450 lb sow midway through decomposition Composting Procedures Turning the Piles Move compost from one bin to another midway through decomposition Introduces oxygen, redistributes moisture, speeds decay Approximate decomposition times (depends on weather [temperature] & size ) 1-2 months – swine < 100 lbs 2-4 months – swine > 100 lbs Prepared by Dr. Tom Glanville, Agricultural & Biosystems Engineering, for Iowa Pork Congress, January 29, 2009

Prepared by Dr. Tom Glanville, Agricultural & Biosystems Engineering, for Iowa Pork Congress, January 29, 2009 Composting Procedures Compost Utilization IDNR rules allow mortality compost to be applied to cropland without a permit Application to other types of land requires IDNR approval Nutrients (bin compost) N& P usually low – 0.5 to 1% on wet basis (unless manure is used in compost) Finished compost WILL contain bones Dry & free of soft tissues – but may attract some scavengers Not recommended to spread near to residences

Troubleshooting Mortality Composting Problems Most Common Problems Leachate production Poor odor retention Slow carcass decay Prepared by Dr. Tom Glanville, Agricultural & Biosystems Engineering, for Iowa Pork Congress, January 29, 2009

Troubleshooting - Leachate Cause # 1: Excessive precipitation exposure during wet seasons Solution: Reduce exposure Roofed bin system; or Install tarp over piles Prepared by Dr. Tom Glanville, Agricultural & Biosystems Engineering, for Iowa Pork Congress, January 29, 2009

Cause # 2: Inadequate liquid absorption capacity Solution: Use thicker envelope of absorptive material under , between , & over carcasses REMEMBER! 1000 lbs of carcasses contains 650 lbs H 2 O Troubleshooting - Leachate Prepared by Dr. Tom Glanville, Agricultural & Biosystems Engineering, for Iowa Pork Congress, January 29, 2009 6-12 inches between carcasses absorptive base 12 inches cover. 12-inch minimum base layer 6 – 12 inches between layers 9-12 inches from walls

Troubleshooting - Leachate Cause # 3: Use of envelope material that is too wet Solution: Use “squeeze” test to check moisture Material should feel moist … but yield only a few drops of water when squeezed (not saturated) Store envelope material in dry location to avoid excessive moisture Prepared by Dr. Tom Glanville, Agricultural & Biosystems Engineering, for Iowa Pork Congress, January 29, 2009

Cause # 1: Envelope material placed over carcasses too thin … or too coarse Solution: Use at least 12 inches of envelope material over carcasses Avoid use of extremely coarse envelope materials Must grind coarse materials such as cornstalks or straw (use 2-inch screen) Troubleshooting – Poor Odor Retention Prepared by Dr. Tom Glanville, Agricultural & Biosystems Engineering, for Iowa Pork Congress, January 29, 2009

Cause # 2: Compost turned prematurely Solution: Don’t turn compost too soon “ Too soon” varies with carcass size & seasonal temperatures A few days for small pigs during warm weather 8-12 weeks for large pigs during cold weather Experience the best teacher Stockpile extra envelope material … be prepared to cap pile with more material if needed to suppress odor emissions Troubleshooting – Poor Odor Retention Prepared by Dr. Tom Glanville, Agricultural & Biosystems Engineering, for Iowa Pork Congress, January 29, 2009

Cause # 3: Compost too wet Prevents oxygen penetration … pile goes anaerobic … produces excessive odor Often accompanied by leachate release Solutions: Same as for leachate … easier to prevent than to fix after odor starts Reduce exposure to excessive rainfall Avoid overloading pile Mix wet compost with drier cover materials CAUTION … likely to increase odor releases during mixing …… re-cap with thick layer of material to retain odor Troubleshooting – Poor Odor Retention Prepared by Dr. Tom Glanville, Agricultural & Biosystems Engineering, for Iowa Pork Congress, January 29, 2009

Troubleshooting – Slow Decay Cause # 1: Inadequate O 2 penetration caused by fine textured cover material Solution: Use coarser cover material Particles with 1/8th inch minimum dimension … obvious pore spaces between particles (below right) Avoid “soil-like” materials comprised of small particles with tiny pore spaces (below left) Prepared by Dr. Tom Glanville, Agricultural & Biosystems Engineering, for Iowa Pork Congress, January 29, 2009 poor texture better texture

Troubleshooting – Slow Decay Cause # 2: Inadequate O 2 Caused by excessive moisture Often accompanied by leachate Solution: Again … similar to those for leachate Reduce exposure to excessive rainfall Avoid overloading pile with too many carcasses and too little absorptive material Mix wet compost with coarser and drier cover materials Time consuming, may not work if compost is too sticky to mix Prepared by Dr. Tom Glanville, Agricultural & Biosystems Engineering, for Iowa Pork Congress, January 29, 2009

Troubleshooting – Slow Decay Causes # 3 : Inadequate moisture Typically occurs only during very dry weather Solution: Add water sparingly and turn (to mix) May need to repeat several times Proceed slowly … very easy to over wet small sections resulting in odor and leachate Prepared by Dr. Tom Glanville, Agricultural & Biosystems Engineering, for Iowa Pork Congress, January 29, 2009

Troubleshooting – Slow Decay Causes # 4 : Low temperature caused by inadequate heat production or retention Solution: IF material near carcasses is moist … increase thickness of envelope material to improve heat retention If material near carcasses is dry… add moisture to improve microbial activity & heat production Note: do not put frozen carcasses into a composting system … takes extremely long time for carcasses to thaw and produce heat Prepared by Dr. Tom Glanville, Agricultural & Biosystems Engineering, for Iowa Pork Congress, January 29, 2009

Emergency Livestock Disposal Planning By failing to prepare, you are preparing to fail. Benjamin Franklin (1706-1790) Prepared by Dr. Tom Glanville, Agricultural & Biosystems Engineering, for Iowa Pork Congress, January 29, 2009

Why Plan? Catastrophic poultry & livestock death losses do happen! Fire, blizzard, ventilation failures, heat stress, contagious disease, accidental or malicious poisoning, flooding Prepared by Dr. Tom Glanville, Agricultural & Biosystems Engineering, for Iowa Pork Congress, January 29, 2009 photo courtesy of Iowa DNR

Why Plan? During emergencies time is critical! Rapid carcass containment is essential Disease control Odor control Water and soil pollution prevention Prepared by Dr. Tom Glanville, Agricultural & Biosystems Engineering, for Iowa Pork Congress, January 29, 2009

Why Plan? Making decisions in haste can be frustrating and costly! Options overlooked Consequences not considered Incorrect assumptions (what can & cannot be done) Can cost you time and money; and Slow down recovery from catastrophic losses Prepared by Dr. Tom Glanville, Agricultural & Biosystems Engineering, for Iowa Pork Congress, January 29, 2009

Assumption “I can always send them to the landfill“ Some landfills accept carcasses … and some do not … have you checked with yours? Small landfills often do not ! If a human disease risk … service may be denied During avian influenza outbreak in British Columbia in 2004 … public landfills closed their gates to poultry producers Prepared by Dr. Tom Glanville, Agricultural & Biosystems Engineering, for Iowa Pork Congress, January 29, 2009

Not always … emergency burial of catastrophic mortalities requires prior approval by Iowa DNR About 30% of Iowa is mapped as “ restricted” for burial of large quantities of poultry and livestock Why? … Shallow bedrock, steep slopes, shallow groundwater, wetlands, streams, public wells Assumption “I can always bury them on-farm“ Iowa DNR Animal “Burial Zone” Map Pink = areas where mass burial is restricted Prepared by Dr. Tom Glanville, Agricultural & Biosystems Engineering, for Iowa Pork Congress, January 29, 2009

IF emergency burial is approved … consider this 1,000 lbs of carcasses contains 20 lbs of nitrogen High density mass burial practices like this … can be equivalent to applying 25,000 lbs of N per acre !! Threatens shallow groundwater Pollution persists for many years Iowa DNR requires Mass burial sites to be recorded on property deed Installation of groundwater monitoring wells Assumption “ I can always bury them on my farm“ Prepared by Dr. Tom Glanville, Agricultural & Biosystems Engineering, for Iowa Pork Congress, January 29, 2009 photo courtesy of Iowa DNR

Open pyre incineration during foot-and-mouth disease outbreak in Great Britain (2001) created serious air pollution. Iowa DNR prohibits carcass incineration in open fires. Air-curtain incinerators (below right) produce much less air pollution, but this specialized equipment is not commonly found in Iowa. Assumption “I can always burn them on my farm“ Source: BBC http://news.bbc.co.uk/hi/english/sci/tech/newsid_1260000/1260776.stm Source: Air Burners LLC http://www.airburners.com Prepared by Dr. Tom Glanville, Agricultural & Biosystems Engineering, for Iowa Pork Congress, January 29, 2009

Maybe … Iowa is fortunate to have access to 6 major plants But haul distances can be long (costly) And a plant may not always have sufficient capacity to handle a large surge during an emergency Assumption “The rendering plant will take them“ Sioux City Quimby Des Moines Clinton Bellevue, NE Blue Earth, MN Prepared by Dr. Tom Glanville, Agricultural & Biosystems Engineering, for Iowa Pork Congress, January 29, 2009

Maybe… Emergency composting requires LARGE volumes of cover material 8-12 cubic yards of cover materials per 1000 lbs of carcasses Cornstalks or straw need to be ground before use Unless stockpiled … difficult to acquire in a hurry State veterinarian may not approve IF death caused by highly contagious disease Assumption “I can always compost them” Prepared by Dr. Tom Glanville, Agricultural & Biosystems Engineering, for Iowa Pork Congress, January 29, 2009

Consider all alternatives Collect & record important contact information Acquire equipment, stockpile materials Identify important service providers Transportation Excavation Cover material suppliers Document emergency plan & inform employees Developing an emergency disposal plan … before the emergency … allows time to Prepared by Dr. Tom Glanville, Agricultural & Biosystems Engineering, for Iowa Pork Congress, January 29, 2009

If you plan to rely on rendering for emergency disposal … Contact nearest rendering service providers to determine Ability to accept your entire flock/herd Disposal cost Will the rendering firm supply transportation Prepared by Dr. Tom Glanville, Agricultural & Biosystems Engineering, for Iowa Pork Congress, January 29, 2009

If you plan to rely on land filling for emergency disposal … Contact local landfill(s) to determine Will they accept carcasses … under what conditions … at what disposal cost Prepared by Dr. Tom Glanville, Agricultural & Biosystems Engineering, for Iowa Pork Congress, January 29, 2009

If you plan to rely on Incineration for emergency disposal … Contact emergency service provider that can provide high capacity/high temperature incineration If incineration service is mobile, establish standing contract for emergency service Prepared by Dr. Tom Glanville, Agricultural & Biosystems Engineering, for Iowa Pork Congress, January 29, 2009

If you plan to rely on On-farm burial for emergency disposal … Determine if there is unrestricted area on your property for emergency burial Check Iowa DNR “Livestock Burial Zones” map on WWW http://csbweb.igsb.uiowa.edu/imsgate/introduction/home.asp Click on “Livestock Burial Zones” Zoom in on your location Pink colored areas are restricted, mass burial not permitted Prepared by Dr. Tom Glanville, Agricultural & Biosystems Engineering, for Iowa Pork Congress, January 29, 2009

If you plan to rely on On-farm burial for emergency disposal … Print burial zone map for your property Outline unrestricted areas on the map that you plan to use for burial Be sure to check records for underground utilities in proposed burial area Contact Iowa One Call 1-800-292-8989 NOTE: Iowa law requires that Iowa One Call be notified 48 hours prior to any excavation within the State Burial sites of any size must be at least 50 ft from property line 100 ft from private well or stream 200 ft from public well 500 ft from a residence Prepared by Dr. Tom Glanville, Agricultural & Biosystems Engineering, for Iowa Pork Congress, January 29, 2009

If you plan to rely on On-Farm Burial for emergency disposal … Identify 2 or more earthmoving contractors having sufficient equipment & capacity to quickly excavate burial pit NOTE Emergency burial of catastrophic mortalities requires prior approval by Iowa DNR IDNR 24-hour emergency phone number 515/281-8694 Prepared by Dr. Tom Glanville, Agricultural & Biosystems Engineering, for Iowa Pork Congress, January 29, 2009

If you plan to rely on On-Farm Composting for emergency disposal … Estimate required quantity of cover material needed for your total herd/flock Corn silage @ 3.2 tons/1,000 lbs of carcasses Ground cornstalks @ 1.4 tons/1,000 lbs of carcasses Ground straw @ 1 ton/1,000 lbs of carcasses Stockpile the cover material, or establish a contract with suppliers Prepared by Dr. Tom Glanville, Agricultural & Biosystems Engineering, for Iowa Pork Congress, January 29, 2009

If you plan to rely on On-Farm Composting for emergency disposal … Cornstalks and straw require grinding prior to use Locate 2 or more portable grinding service providers Prepared by Dr. Tom Glanville, Agricultural & Biosystems Engineering, for Iowa Pork Congress, January 29, 2009

For all off-farm disposal methods land filling, rendering, off-site incineration Rapid and reliable transport is essential Contract with 2 or more local trucking firms Must be properly equipped to haul carcasses in accordance with Iowa law Watertight box, enclosed, or covered with tarpaulin Prepared by Dr. Tom Glanville, Agricultural & Biosystems Engineering, for Iowa Pork Congress, January 29, 2009

Benefits of Emergency Disposal Planning Answers important questions before disaster strikes Helps avoid costly mistakes due to misinformation & inaccurate assumptions Documents important service providers and critical contact info for them Prepared by Dr. Tom Glanville, Agricultural & Biosystems Engineering, for Iowa Pork Congress, January 29, 2009

Put your plan in writing Give yourself & your employees an emergency response “road map” For each disposal option … record important names & phone numbers Include “after hours” numbers Regulatory Agencies Iowa DNR State Veterinarian, Iowa One Call Available Disposal Services Rendering plant manager Landfill manager Incineration service Transportation - trucking companies On-site disposal Excavation contractors Hay grinding contractors Prepared by Dr. Tom Glanville, Agricultural & Biosystems Engineering, for Iowa Pork Congress, January 29, 2009

Put your plan in writing It documents your good faith effort to do things right May help to avoid potential legal problems relating to environmental pollution, disease transmission, worker safety Prepared by Dr. Tom Glanville, Agricultural & Biosystems Engineering, for Iowa Pork Congress, January 29, 2009

Don’t forget “Plan B” If livestock losses are regional Heat stress, disease, flooding, blizzard Transportation and disposal services will likely be in short supply Plan 2 (or more) emergency disposal alternatives At least one on-farm, and one off-farm disposal option Prepared by Dr. Tom Glanville, Agricultural & Biosystems Engineering, for Iowa Pork Congress, January 29, 2009

For Additional Assistance Information Regional Offices – Iowa Department of Natural Resources Emergency burial site approval Assistance locating emergency composting cover materials State Veterinarian’s Office - Iowa Department of Agricultural & Land Stewardship Must be consulted on disposal of animals known to have died from disease. Prepared by Dr. Tom Glanville, Agricultural & Biosystems Engineering, for Iowa Pork Congress, January 29, 2009

Need Detailed or Updated Information ? Dr. Tom Glanville Ag & Biosystems Engineering, Iowa State University Phone: 515/294-0463 Email: [email_address] Research & Demonstration websites: Swine composting demo : http://www.abe.iastate.edu/pigsgone/ Emergency composting: http://www.abe.iastate.edu/cattlecomposting/ New Publication: CAST Issue Paper # 39, Swine Carcass Disposal Options for Routine and Catastrophic Mortality , by Harper, DeRouchey, Glanville, Meeker, and Straw http://www.cast-science.org/displayProductDetails.asp?idProduct=155 Upcoming Research & Policy Meeting: 3rd International Symposium on Management of Animal Carcasses, Tissue & Related By Products , UC- Davis, July 21-23, 2009 http://extension.umaine.edu/ByproductsSymposium09/ Prepared by Dr. Tom Glanville, Agricultural & Biosystems Engineering, for Iowa Pork Congress, January 29, 2009

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