As rendering services increase in price and decrease in availability, more livestock producers are turning to the low-cost option of composting. This on-farm method of animal carcass disposal will work on most farms, according to Tom Glanville of Iowa State University's Agricultural and Biosystems Engineering Department. Under proper conditions, the microbes can reproduce at a rate sufficient to decompose small animal carcasses in as little as four to six weeks.
Moisture is a critical factor in composting.
Keep moisture content between 30-65 percent for optimum conditions, Glanville said. Compost should be slightly damp, but if you're able to squeeze water from a handful of compost, add drier materials to keep the bacteria healthy and productive. Bacteria need a balanced diet to do their best work. Ideally, this happens when carbon levels are 20-30 times higher than nitrogen. If carbon-nitrogen ratios are too low, ammonia odors may become a problem, particularly when the compost is turned.