It may seem to be the easiest and cheapest decision to bury your livestock, also known as Composting in some Countries, there are costly repercussions in the near future and it could even cost you your entire business.
Although it is outlawed in the UK and many other countries, it is still legal in much of the US to dispose of fallen stock however the farmers want, and with around 1.88 million farms currently in the Country, the devastation could be huge.
When animals are buried, they don’t just go away, the waste can seep into the soil, contaminating the groundwater and land. It doesn’t just put your farm at risk, it can endanger your community and local wildlife like scavenger animals, potentially spreading the disease wider than locally. Outbreaks like BSE (Mad cow disease), Foot and Mouth, and Avian Flu can all be linked to poor disposal practices.
Open fires are also another option that may seem quick and easy but also have long-term affects to the environment and your land.
The hidden dangers of composting
So, what exactly is composting when it comes to fallen animals?
The term composting is usually associated with recycling organic waste into plants and soil to support healthy growth of crops. When its deceased livestock being composted, it’s a whole different story.
While still organic waste, fallen stock can carry diseases and bacteria’s that are highly infectious and scavenger animals eat or transport the waste, spreading the diseases.
During a show in 2026, and we were surprised to hear that farmers in the UK and Ireland suggested that they are still disposing of their waste in a similar manner. There is also the option of Maggot farms, however this is a more controlled version of composting that is controlled, is a common practice, but it still not ideal.
Watch this shocking video
In this video, you can see security cameras show a farmer in the US disposing of many deceased chickens, and although we are not sure what these chickens died of, we cant rule out that they didn’t die of Avian Flu.
If this is the case, when you see the various amounts animals feasting on the remains, from birds who can spread disease as far as they can fly, to foxes, racoons and cats who can spread diseases to neighboring farms, infected their flock.
You can also see the farmer returning to the pile and walking through the waste, and possibly affecting his healthy, remaining chickens. The farmer may follow sanitary cleaning of his footwear and clothes, but it is not guaranteed that infections are still not present.
The aftermaths of the German Foot and Mouth outbreak
To put it into perspective in early 2025, Germany experienced a devastating Foot and Mouth outbreak on farms near berlin. Within weeks, a nationwide meat export ban was in place and took it’s toll. Although the crisis was contained within 5 months, the economic damage was already done, farmers lost income, markets were disrupted and consumer confidence took a hit.
A safer solution
The solution is simple, and it’s one that we have been preaching for over 40 years. Onsite incineration is the most effective and safest way to ensure disease doesn’t spread. Particularly Addfield agricultural incinerators burn at higher temperatures of 850°C / 1562°F which completely destroys pathogens. What’s left is clean ash that can be safely disposed of or even spread back on the land without risk.
If you thought about burying medical waste, it’s safe to assume you would think that the practice would be harmful to the environment and would be a very bad idea. You can probably picture medical waste being incinerated in a clean, safe environment. The same would go for animal waste.
When COVID 19 was ripe, and anxiety about our safety was high, if our waste was simply buried think of the outroar that would cause throughout the UK. We were fortunate enough to be able to incinerate the waste caused by COVID 19, however some developing countries could only resort to dumping the waste while waiting to dispose of, extending the risk of spreading COVID 19.
Learning from the past
Back in the 80s, burying infected waste was a common practice in the UK and took part in causing the Foot and Mouth outbreak that occurred and was the main reason why Addfield is here today, as it was during the 80s outbreak that the first Addfield incinerator was built! Since then, incineration with Addfield has become the trusted standards for most farmers, who want to stay safe and successful.
Discover Addfield agricultural incinerator range for your needs
Burying and composting might feel like the ‘easy’ option short term, but the risks to your farm, your animals and your community are too high and can cause complications in the long run. With modern solutions like Addfield incinerators that release no odours or smoke, you can handle animal waste safely efficiently and with piece of mind, knowing you’re protecting your livelihood. Make the right decision today and contact Addfield today to learn which solution is perfect for you.
