Strategies for the disposal of fallen livestock and their applicability to the UK situation
http://www.harper-adams.ac.uk/postgraduate/research/research.cfm?ID=37
18-Nov-2010 (15 years 6 months 21 days ago)Since the introduction of EU Animal By-product Regulation (ABPR) 1774/2002, the open burning and burial of fallen livestock on-farm has been prohibited. A new research project has examined the current methods of livestock disposal available to farmers within the UK, EU and globally. Upon consultation of farmers around the UK, a novel method of on-farm storage and bioreduction was desired to try to reduce the cost of disposal and increase compliance to EU legislation.
The process of anaerobic digestion is a very interesting method that could be developed for the bioreduction of carcasses prior to disposal. Anaerobic digestion involves the transformation of organic material into volatile fatty acids and methane gas, by a mixed bacterial culture without the presence of oxygen. The methane released from the process can be utilised to provide heat or electricity to operate the digester and try to reduce the carbon footprint of carcass disposal.
A series of experiments will be conducted to ascertain the suitability of anaerobic digestion for the bioreduction of carcasses. The efficiency of the process will be determined due to the degradation of carcass material, quantity and quality of methane production and the level of pathogen destruction.
The process of anaerobic digestion is a very interesting method that could be developed for the bioreduction of carcasses prior to disposal. Anaerobic digestion involves the transformation of organic material into volatile fatty acids and methane gas, by a mixed bacterial culture without the presence of oxygen. The methane released from the process can be utilised to provide heat or electricity to operate the digester and try to reduce the carbon footprint of carcass disposal.
A series of experiments will be conducted to ascertain the suitability of anaerobic digestion for the bioreduction of carcasses. The efficiency of the process will be determined due to the degradation of carcass material, quantity and quality of methane production and the level of pathogen destruction.