About the mad cow disease: this is how safe cattle carcass disposal is possible
04-12-2020
Running a farm or a slaughterhouse is not an easy business. With strict environmental regulations to follow, as well as potential risks that reduce the yield of consumable products farmers need to be on their toes to keep the business running. One such potential risk is disease, and for those raising cattle, the mad cow disease is one of the greatest dangers they can face. Europe especially has had its share of trouble with the disease, but there are ways of minimizing its risks and controlling its spread.
In Celitron’s next article, you’ll learn more about what to watch out for, as well as how to handle safe cattle carcass disposal without having to worry about the mad cow disease!
What should I know about the mad cow disease and infected cattle carcasses?
The BSE (bovine spongiform encephalopathy) is most known as the “mad cow disease”, a neurodegenerative disorder affecting cattle. Symptoms include weight loss, the cows being unable to walk or behave normally, and ultimately, death. Unfortunately, spread to humans is possible by eating contaminated beef-based food.
The United Kingdom in particular has a long history fighting the disease, as between 1986 and 2015, more than 184 000 cows were diagnosed with it, which even led to the EU banning exports of British beef for a period of ten years.
Ever since then, the disease has been considered eradicated by most, but there have been isolated cases, one of the most recent one being a single cow in Switzerland, in the beginning of 2020.
Experts warn that no matter how present or not the threat of the mad cow disease may be, we still should not let the lessons that came with fighting past outbreaks be forgotten, one of the primary risk factors being the method of cattle carcass disposal, as well as transportation.
What methods exist to dispose of cattle carcasses infected with the mad cow disease?
As with all infectious diseases, minimizing their risks and the damages they may cause to your farm requires having some sort of (bio)security measures. This usually involves culling the herd, so that the cows that are still healthy may remain untouched by the disease.
Cattle carcass disposal methods include:
Burying the carcass
On-site burial at farms might just be the quickest way to dispose of infected cattle carcasses, but it is far from being as easy as it sounds. Speed is certainly a great advantage, but due to strict regulations this method is not available for all farms around the world.
The main risk with this method is potential groundwater contamination if the burial site is not selected and managed properly, making maintenance a constant issue with burial, not to mention the search for an appropriate burial site. It is also difficult during the colder seasons because of solid, frozen soil.
Incinerating the carcass
Incinerators represent one of the other most popular form of disposing of cow carcasses. Their effectiveness certainly cannot be called into question, as they reduce almost anything to ash, and can be considered biosecure. Available in on-site and mobile variations, they can be a great choice for farm sites where burial is not a viable option.
Unfortunately, there are many disadvantages that hold them back from coming out on top next to more modern solutions.
Due to requiring a high amount of energy and potential air pollution, it is certainly not the most sustainable method out there, which also means higher operational costs for cattle carcass disposal, not to mention regular cleaning and maintenance. Capacity can be another issue, as most incinerators are designed to handle smaller animals, making it less than perfect for those raising cows.
Minimizing the risks of the mad cow disease: safe cattle carcass disposal with Celitron’s MOBILE AGRI
So what could be considered as a more modern method for safely disposing of the carcasses of infected cows? Celitron’s MOBILE AGRI unit makes full use of the benefits of rendering potentially infectious dead animals to present farmers with a better alternative.
Here are some of the main advantages of using Celitron’s rendering machine for handling carcasses that could potentially be infected with the mad cow disease:
1. Cost-effective operation
Farms and slaughterhouses are required by law to have some sort of solution for carcass disposal, especially if the animals in question could pose a risk of a disease spreading. The good news is that even smaller businesses can find cost-effective methods that enable to do profitable work. Compared to the high costs of incinerators, the MOBILE AGRI’s operation is much more lucrative.
2. Easy cattle carcass disposal
The main difficulties that arise with the previously mentioned methods of burial and incineration are accessibility and strict regulations. They simply aren’t available on a large enough scale to be available for everyone and need to adhere to the current rules of sustainability. With Celitron’s MOBILE AGRI, there is no need to do extensive research on suitable landfills, or find a safe solution for transportation.
This equipment already adheres to all EU and WHO recommendations, and will render even cattle carcasses infected with the mad cow disease into sterile “end-products” for a much easier, and safer disposal, that can be transported without any risks.
3. Sustainability
While some mobile carcass incinerators trade off efficiency for sustainability, this is not the case with Celitron’s MOBILE AGRI. Our machine has zero impact on air pollution!
4. Medical-grade effectiveness for safe cattle carcass disposal
The big one. Even if the animals were previously infected with the mad cow disease, Celitron’s machine can sterilize every single part of the carcass of a cattle or other animals (including bone, fat, and blood),to guarantee a safe disposal off your site.
If you are looking for a safe solution that can help you in cutting your losses, Celitron’s cattle carcass disposal solution for mad cow disease is an easy to use equipment that helps farmers running a profitable business more easily. Do not forget to check our website for more details on the MOBILE AGRI!