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Penn State University College of Agricultural Sciences

Animal Composting

AgSci » Extension » Animal Composting » Mortality Composting » Composting Process

Composting Process

It is critical to the success of any legal disposal option that livestock or poultry operations follow proper methods and account for speciﬁc characteristics of a site.

1

Add 2 feet of sawdust or wood chip base in a well drained area more than 200 feet from a water source.

2

Lay cows or calves in the center of the pile.

3

Cover the animals with 2 feet of top cover. This cover can be green sawdust, compost material from another finished pile, or dry silage-bedpack.

4-1

Let the pile sit for 3 months for smaller animals or 6 months for cows.

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4-2

Let the pile sit for 3 months for smaller animals or 6 months for cows.

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4-3

Let the pile sit for 3 months for smaller animals or 6 months for cows.

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4-4

You can add more animals to the end of the pile, forming a windrow.

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5

Compost pile temperatures should reach 140 to 160 degrees F.

6

The pile can be turned after 3 to 6 months.

7

Turn the pile and add in some hay material.

8

Turning the pile will incorporate air into it and it will compost more quickly.

9

Notice the steam from the pile during turning.

10

After a second 3 to 6 months, the pile material can be used for top cover on a new pile, or can be spread.

11

Steam from loading a pile that was still cooking.

12

Speading a pile on corn ground to be plowed under the same season.

13

Properly composted cow bones will have a whitish grey color after 6 months.

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