• Carcasses are sprayed with disinfectant immediately after slaughter (D37.Para128)
• Carcasses have their heads and feet covered with plastic bags after slaughter (W18.Apl01.sib1).
• Pit of an appropriate size is dug, e.g. for 20 adult bovine carcasses or 60 adult pig carcasses or 60 adult sheep carcasses:
  • 6 metres by three metres
  • Four metres deep
  • (W18.Apl01.sib1)
• Abdomens of carcasses are opened before burial using an appropriate implement to prevent the build up of gases (W18.Apl01.sib1)
• Carcasses are covered with washing soda (B210.89.w89)
• Pit is re-covered with soil
• Site is fenced off to prevent grazing of the immediate area by livestock after restocking (W18.Apl01.sib1)

• Burial is the method of choice for the disposal of carcasses in a foot-and-mouth disease outbreak
  • "Burial of carcasses is preferable to burning" (D37.Para222.54).
• May be carried out on site.
• Relatively rapid - time involved to dig the pit.
  • Approximately four hours required to prepare a pit suitable for 100 animals
• Relatively low manpower involved to dig pit, transport carcasses and re-cover pit.
• (D37.Para128)

Burial off-site:

• May be of high capacity.
• Site can be chosen to minimise risk of groundwater contamination.

• Location of burial sites must be recorded accurately, on a large-scale map
• Large-scale map indicating burial sites should be stored in an appropriate place e.g. Regional Veterinary Office
• Information on the location of burial sites must be made available to appropriate water authorities (e.g. Environment Agency and water companies in the UK).
• (D37.Para130, W18.Apl01.sib1).
• Burial sites must be selected carefully with consideration given to ground-water circulation and drainage, and any potential for later carcass exposure. (B36.4.w4: Full text available).
• Lime or fuel oil may be sprinkled on carcasses to discourage uncovering by scavengers (B36.4.w4: Full text available).
• Covering of carcasses with washing soda ensures that if run-off does occur from flooding, it does not carry away "live" virus (B210.89.w89).
• Carcasses must be buried sufficiently deep to prevent the pit being dug open by scavengers (B210.89.w89)
• Carcasses from disease outbreaks should be covered with at least 3 to 4 feet of soil (B36.4.w4: Full text available).
• Hay, feedstuffs, bedding etc. from an Infected Premises which cannot be adequately disinfected may be buried with the carcasses (D37.Para136, J3.102.w7).

• Requires adequate area - may not be possible due to space constraints. (W18.Apl01.sib1).
• Requires appropriate soil type and adequate soil depth - may not be possible if soil condition is inappropriate (D37.Para130, W18.Apl01.sib1).
• Not appropriate if high water table or risk of water supply contamination  (D37.Para130).
• Risk of contamination of groundwater:
  • Carcasses should be covered with washing soda to ensure than any run-off from flooding does not contain live virus (B210.89.w89)
• Risk of digging up by scavengers if too shallow (B210.89.w89).
• Risk of bovine spongiform encephalopathy (BSE) from carcasses (W32.Apl01.sib1):
  • Risk of rainwater flowing through pit and picking up infectivity (suggested unlikely to be dissolved in water and carried away as the prion is hydrophobic and tends to be attached to solids).(W32.Apl01.sib1)
  • Risks considered to be greater than risks from burning by about a factor of 10 (i.e. the factor estimated for reduction of infectivity by carcass burning).(W32.Apl01.sib1)
  • Total dose likely to received by any one person calculated to be extremely small (W32.Apl01.sib1)
  • (W32.Apl01.sib1)
• Further information on the risks of BSE associated with carcass disposal is given in: Environment Agency: Risks From BSE Via Environmental Pathways (W39.04Jun01.sib1)

Burial off-site:

• Requires transport of live animals or carcasses to the burial site, with attendant risks of virus dispersal.
• Problem of relocation of large numbers of carcasses if tests show groundwater contamination is taking place.
• Use of e.g. landfill sites for carcass disposal requires the agreement of the appropriate authorities. In England and Wales this is the Environment Agency. The criteria required have been set out by the Agency (See: Licensed Landfill Sites that are Suitable for the Disposal of Carcasses (W39.31May01.sib3)

• Machinery for digging pit, moving carcasses into pit and covering carcasses with soil.
• Washing soda for covering carcasses before closing pit. (B210.89.w89)

• Minimal expertise required, simple.

• Relatively low cost - cost of personnel and machinery to dig pit, move carcasses into pit and recover.
• Availability may be restricted by soil type, water table height, considerations of contamination of groundwater and lack of space on site.
• Cost of appropriate transport if buried off-site

• Legal restrictions may be based on human or animal health considerations.
• It is important to consider the possible environmental consequences, such as groundwater pollution, of burying carcasses, particularly large numbers of carcasses.
• Legal injunctions may be brought against this method of carcass disposal in a given site.