To minimise risks, all animal by-products must be covered or contained whilst awaiting collection or disposal to prevent animals or birds gaining access.
Animal by-products are:
- whole animal bodies
- parts of animal bodies (including blood)
- products of animal origin not meant for people to eat
Apart from risking prosecution for causing water pollution, there is a risk of spreading disease to stock on that holding or other farms, as well as a public health risk.
Sudden death of any animal
Any sudden, unexplained animal death should be considered as suspected Anthrax.
You must report immediately to an authorised Veterinary Inspector of the Animal and Plant Health Agency (APHA).
Deaths of cattle
The owner or keeper of ALL cattle over 48 months which die or are killed (other than for control of notifiable diseases) must make arrangements for them to be taken to an approved Bovine Spongiform Encephalopathy (mad cow disease) sampling site.
For information on sites approved to test for Bovine Spongiform Encephalopathy, contact APHA.
Disposal
Disposal should be by either incineration, rendering or other approved means.
Incineration is only to be carried out using an approved ABP incinerator.
Burials
Only in designated remote areas and where no other accepted means of disposal are available should burial be considered.
Any burial site must be so that it is not likely to affect any:
- watercourse,
- field drain
- groundwater
Burial sites should comply with the code of practice: prevention of environmental pollution from agricultural activity.
To prevent pollution of water, any proposal to bury carcasses should first be discussed with the local SEPA office.
Record keeping
Records must be kept for 2 years as follows.
When transporting or consigning to a renderer, incinerator or knackery, you must record:
- date material moved (consignor & transporter only)
- description of material (including ear ID if applicable), and category
- quantity of material (volume, weight or number)
- place of origin (transporter only)
- name and address of carrier (consignor only)
- name and address of receiver and approval number (consignor, if known, and transporter)
- approval number of the plant of origin, if appropriate
Where on-site burial or incineration record:
- quantity, category and species of animal by-product
- date and place of burial or incineration