Livestock producers seek deadstock collection options

Recent discussion around the dilemma of deadstock disposal didn’t create solutions, but it did open dialogue.

Approximately 300 producers from Beef Farmers of Ontario, Dairy Farmers of Ontario, Veal Farmers of Ontario, Ontario Pork and Ontario Sheep farmers attended the BFO virtual information session Oct. 21 in hopes solutions would be presented. 

Why it matters: With fewer deadstock removal agencies and dwindling capacity, livestock producers are concerned that the service gap is a disaster waiting to happen. 

“We know that no farmer wants to be faced with dealing with deadstock,” said BFO president Rob Lipsett. “It can be quite challenging for those who do not have access to a pick-up service and are not equipped to handle deadstock on-farm.” 

Dan Carlow, environmental branch manager of innovation engineering and program delivery with the Ontario Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs, reviewed the on–farm options for dead animal disposal as laid out in the Nutrient Management Deadstock Overview.

Livestock farmers must follow strict protocols around the disposal of deadstock that include recording the species, age and weight of the animal, time of death and cause of death, if known. This information must be kept for two years. 

There is also a 48-hour time limit during which a producer must dispose of deadstock unless it’s held for a post-mortem or temporarily stored in a refrigerated or frozen state. 

“If you’re going to store them, obviously it needs to be leak-proof, avoid scavengers and deadstock must be out of public view,” Carlow said. “Those are critical and most people do a good job with that.”

He said Ontario has six methods of on-farm disposal of dead animals: burial, disposal vessels, composting, incineration, anaerobic digesters and licensed collectors. 

The size, species, number of animals, frequency of mortalities, season, geographical challenges and surrounding land use all play a role in the available on-farm mitigation options. 

Joanne Sanderson, workshop leader for the Ontario Soil and Crop Improvement Association, said applications for funding through the Canadian Agricultural Partnership to establish deadstock management facilities open Nov. 15 and closes Dec. 6. More details can be found at ontarioprogramguides.net/pc-en-ahim-pd-f/. 

Projects that establish facilities to manage deadstock and prevent on-farm introduction and spread of disease will be eligible for 35 per cent cost-share funding up to $20,000. CAP also removed the previously mandatory biosecurity workshop requirement.

“They tried to remove some of the barriers some people had, and certainly it’s been difficult to have workshops in COVID,” said Sanderson. “We were only allowed to start having workshops in August and it’s been a challenge.

“I’m very happy to talk to anybody about details and how to get their project in on time and well done.” 

Regardless of the method chosen, Carlow said the onus is on the producer to ensure dead animals are dealt with. 

“The carcasses do break down fairly quickly, so if you’re waiting on the collector and that carcass is disintegrating rapidly, you may need to consider one of the other options if the collector can’t get there in time.”

There is room for more deadstock collectors to be licensed in the province and the application process usually yields a response within two weeks, he said, but “it’s not a business for everybody.” 

A future option could be a centralized composting facility, managed by a municipality, private enterprise or landfill operation, that composts in large volumes, said Carlow.

“Picking up a carcass at one farm and then traveling 100 kilometres to the next farm (and) picking up another carcass is maybe not always enticing for a business,” he said. “But if they could go to a transfer station and pick up a load or most of a load, I think the economics might be different.”

A transfer station would have to be climate controlled and managed for odours and disease, said Carlow, but it could be a viable option if a location and ownership are secured. 

Liz Van Loo launched a ‘Farmers Behind Deadstock Issue’ group on Facebook so those affected can share resources and information. She recently posted that there are three landfills in Simcoe County willing to take deadstock at $310 per tonne. 

Oro, Nottawasaga and Tosorento require producers to call ahead to book and they must understand they will have to do their own unloading.

“This is a temporary solution for some people till something can get rolling on solutions,” Van Loo wrote in the post. “We do not want to just sit back but need to keep pushing for proper pickup and disposal place for bovine and horses.”

Lipsett said Ontario agriculture minister Lisa Thompson is open to ideas on timely and safe solutions to deadstock handling. 

“The handling of deadstock is a complex issue and discussions will continue with both levels of government and with our fellow livestock groups on service gap solutions,” said Lipsett.