Homogenization for disposal of dead piglet carcasses

An experiment was conducted to evaluate the feasibility of using a commercial homogenization system to dispose of dead piglets in existing swine waste handling systems. Eight polyethylene tanks in each of two trials were filled with 680 L (180 gal) of liquid swine waste to mimic conditions of a waste storage pit. Each tank was assigned randomly to one of four treatments: 0% (control) - swine waste containing no ground dead piglets; 1%, 2% or 4% - swine waste to which ground dead piglet dry matter was added at 1%, 2% or 4% of the initial tank dry matter. Dead piglets 13 to 55 kg (2.9 to 12.1 lb) each and placentas were ground with a commercial homogenizing system. Two additional tanks in each trial were filled with liquid swine waste. Sixteen Dacron bags were suspended in each tank. Four bags contained nothing (control) and 12 bags (treated) contained about 7 g (0.25 oz) of carcass dry matter. One control bag and three treated bags were removed on Day 15, 30, 60, and 90 for determination of mass change. Addition of piglet dry matter to tanks at 0%, 1%, 2%, or 4% of the manure dry matter in the tank had no effect on the breakdown rate of dry matter in the tanks. Mass of control bags did not change during the experiment. Dacron bags containing piglet carcass dry matter lost significant amounts of mass compared with control bags, suggesting breakdown of carcass material in the bags. Initial studies indicate that introduction of homogenized dead piglets into existing liquid handling systems for swine wastes is a practical disposal alternative for piglet carcasses.