Emergency Livestock Disposal Home

Project Executive Summary

Project in Detail

• Background
• Objectives
• Composting System Tested
• Research Methods
• Preliminary Results
• Construction & Maintenance
• Temperature
• Oxygen
• Decomposition
• Cover Materials
• Air quality
• Water quality
• Biosecurity
• Project Sponsors & Contacts

Draft Guidelines for Emergency Cattle Mortality Composting

PRELIMINARY RESULTS (as of Feb. 2004)

 

What's the Latest ??

The emergency cattle mortality composting project was begun in August, 2002, and will continue through June, 2005.  Although the project currently is far from completion, many interesting and potentially useful general observations have been made, and are being reported here in accordance with the sponsor's (Iowa Department of Natural Resources) desire to rapidly disseminate project findings to the citizens of Iowa. 

The general findings in this section will be updated throughout the project as new composting trials are completed, additional environmental (soil, leachate, air) samples undergo laboratory analysis, and as progress reports are submitted to the project sponsor.  Click on the sub-category links in the navigation bar to view results pertinent to each phase of the project.

Brrrrrr!!

December 23, 2003 .....early snow, high winds, and cold temperatures challenge composting trial #5 begun in November. 

Despite unfavorable weather, internal temperatures in this silage test unit exceeded 60 °C (140 °F).

For more information on wintertime operations, see the Preliminary Results Section.