Disposing of a dead animal has become a larger problem since the advent of BSE. Rendered ruminant products are no longer allowed to be fed back to ruminants in the form of meat and bone meal. Rendering goats is not technically illegal but many rendering facilities now have strict policies that they will not render sheep or goats due to concerns about scrapie.
This leaves the following methods of carcass disposal:
- Incineration
- Burial
- Compost
Incineration is the most expensive of the three. It has the advantage of speed; however, the smell of burning animals is guaranteed to cause complaints in most areas. Prior to burning carcasses in the open or in an incinerator check with your local government for ordinances that may ban or regulate the activity.
Burial is inexpensive but may cause problems with runoff, contamination of water tables and odors. Predators are drawn to burial sites and may disinter the remains. In general you want to bury the carcass at least three feet deep and make sure you are at least 5 feet above the water table. Check with your local government for ordinances that may ban or regulate the activity.
Composting is an inexpensive, environmentally friendly method of carcass disposal. However, it requires a fairly extensive knowledge of the technique to work successfully. It has the same problems as burying in that runoff, contamination of ground water, and odors may all be problems.
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