Do you have to bury/burn cows?

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Sat, 07/25/2015 - 20:12 #1

Member for

9 years 3 months
Johny32
Last seen: 09/08/2017 - 12:21
Joined: 07/24/2015 - 20:44

Do you have to bury/burn cows?

If you put a cow down is it the law that you have to bury or burn it? I can see why you would need to do this if your property was small (20 acres) and you had alot of neighbours but what if your property is 350 acres?

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Sun, 07/26/2015 - 00:04 #2
barb
Last seen: 09/17/2019 - 18:07
Joined: 11/23/2011 - 09:38

Hi,

I don't know what the state or territory laws are where you come from, for broad acre properties. Having said that, if you were to just drag a dead beast to an out of the way area of your block to let is decompose naturally, it would be a risky thing to do. The reason for this is that the carcase can be a source of bottulism if other livestock were to chew the bones and so on.

 

I know of a case in my area for instance, where several cattle on a property died mysteriously and when the lab results came back it was bottulism. The grazier couldn't understand why, as he had always dug a trench, put the dead beast in it, burned it in there and then filled the trench in. He and the vet drove around the paddock where the stock had died and discovered that a large kangaroo, which had been hit by a vehicle had gone through the boundary fence and died in the paddock. The cattle had chewed the bones (probably to get the phophorus they contained) and had then died from bottulism. Botulinum toxin is one of the most deadly poisons in the world.

 

So in my opinion, from experience, I would suggest that you burn or bury any dead livestock, reguardless of any laws pertaining to their disposal. You will need to do this well away from any water ways to avoid contaminationg them. Depending on your state or territory, you may also, need to get a permit to burn the dead animal.

 

Regards,

Barb

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Sun, 07/26/2015 - 07:32 #3
Kaz
Last seen: 07/06/2023 - 21:03
Joined: 04/05/2015 - 09:51
Hi Johny After reading your other post, have you given any thought to a mobile butcher? They kill and butcher the carcass. Or maybe advertise for another farmer for their "free" removal.
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Sun, 07/26/2015 - 13:35 #4
Johny32
Last seen: 09/08/2017 - 12:21
Joined: 07/24/2015 - 20:44

Yes i've considered the mobile butcher but thought it may be impractical for 10 big cows. Do you know if they would kill them then take the whole animal away or butcher them on the spot and take chunks away?

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Sun, 07/26/2015 - 18:53 #5
barb
Last seen: 09/17/2019 - 18:07
Joined: 11/23/2011 - 09:38

Hi,

If other states are the same as Qld laws, animals butchered on a property, even by a licenced mobile butcher, cannot be removed from it. No part of the carcasse, hide, bones or hooves can be removed if the animal is slaughtered by a mobile butcher.

 

If you or the mobile butcher is caught by the stock inspector doing so, then the mobile butchers vehicle, cool room and so on are confiscated and he pays an enormous fine. I know this to be true as a mobile butxher who used to kill in this area of SE Qld, was caught taking his cool room from the property where the animals were killed to the owner of the stocks house in town, because there was no electricity on the block. The mobile butcher was transporting 3 sheep, one beast and two pigs. Everything was confiscated and he was fined $1,000 for each carcasse plus an enormous fine of more than $100,000.  And of course, the owner of the stock was also fined. The same would happepn to you if you were to transport any part of a dead beast from your block. You are not even permitted to sell any part of it to anyone else. Qld regulations state that beasts must be killed at an abbartoire or on the licencensed premisis of a butcher.

 

These regualtions may seem harsh, but it is because of the risk of the spread of various diseases that these regulations were put in place many years ago.

 

I still believe that hiring a professional stockman through a local stock and station agent is the way to go. That way they can go to a sale yard where they can be auctioned off. With the cattle matrket the way it is you could make some good money.

Cheers,

Barb

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