Carcass Disposal

Carcass Disposal Biosecurity Tips

Farms and ranches lose animals due to disease. Dead animals should be disposed of promptly to prevent exposure to live animals. Carcass disposal options may include burial, burning, composting, landfill, or rendering. Local and state rules on carcass disposal must be followed.

Acknowledgments

Development of this material was made possible through grants provided to the Center for Food Security and Public Health at Iowa State University, College of Veterinary Medicine from the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service through the National Animal Disease Preparedness and Response Program (NADPRP) and National Institute of Food and Agriculture, under award number AWD-021794-00001 through the North Central Region Sustainable Agriculture Research and Education (NCR-SARE) program under project number ENC19-176. USDA is an equal opportunity employer and service provider. Any opinions, findings, conclusions, or recommendations expressed in this publication are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the view of the USDA. Iowa State University is an equal opportunity provider. Full non-discrimination statements or accommodation forms can be found on the ISU Extension Diversity pages .