Criteria in the selection for dead poultry disposal
A practical and sanitary system of dead poultry disposal will help prevent the spread of diseases including water and air pollution. Based on provincial regulations, dead poultry disposal is required within 48 hours regardless of the method chosen. It is also essential to prevent scavengers from feeding on the carcasses. A proper disposal management system must be selected based on the following criteria:
- Compliance with local and provincial regulations
- Economics of each method based on amount of mortality, capital costs, availability of equipment and cost of labor
- Reliability of each method
- Degree of biosecurity
The disposal management system should be able to cope with catastrophic losses that can create havoc on any farm. Alternative procedures for dead poultry disposal must be in place in case there is a severe disease outbreak that would result in mass mortality. Rendering used to be the most feasible solution for handling dead poultry disposal but the cost of rendering has gone up and many poultry producers face problems in obtaining rendering services. As a result, many poultry producers are considering on-farm disposal methods.
Problems faced by poultry producers in dead poultry disposal
Burial as the option for dead poultry disposal is free but the real costs associated with burial is finding the right site that will be approved by the authorities including the labor costs of excavation and maintain the trenches. It can be difficult to assess the actual cost of burial but there are instances when burial costs exceed that of rendering. The primary disadvantage of burial is the contamination of soil and groundwater. Another concern is the release of nitrogen in the form of ammonia or nitrate. In order to avoid nitrogen pollution the weight of carcasses buried in a given area must be limited; however, this will be an issue in cased of catastrophes that cause the sudden loss of a great number of animals.
Incineration as a biologically safe process of dead poultry disposal
Incinerators are generally expensive but the price is worth the advantages of a procedure that is relatively harmless and safe. When a proper incinerator is chosen, it can reduce the carcass into ash and remove all issues on odor, pollution and contamination of air and water quality. When selecting an incinerator, it is important to consider its sturdiness and type of controls. The unit selected must be able to operate under heavy loading conditions and withstand high operating temperature. Automatic timer controls will shut off fuel supply after a predetermined time to reduce energy consumption.