Decomposing animal carcasses can release ammonia, nitrogen, phosphorus, and bacteria. These can contaminate ground and surface waters and carry diseases that affect human and animal health. Dead stock must be disposed of quickly to avoid contact with the remaining stock on your property.
What are the regulations?
In the Tasman District, burying dead stock is a permitted activity that may be undertaken without resource consent if it complies with all conditions contained in the Tasman Resource Management Plan (TRMP) – (see Part 6: Discharges – Rule 36.1.2.10). This rule allows for the disposing of dead stock and offal into a purpose-dug pit provided the offal pit is:
- Not located in the Waimea Plains Aquifer Protection Area.
- Positioned no less than:
- 50 metres from any surface water body, or the coastal marine area.
- 50 metres from any bore for domestic water supply.
- 10 metres from any adjoining property.
- 50 metres from any dwelling on an adjoining property.
- The offal pit does not cause an offensive or objectionable odour discernible beyond the property boundary.
- The bottom of the pit is not less than 0.5 metres above the average winter level of groundwater.
- There is no discharge or percolation of leachate into surface water or groundwater.
If these requirements cannot be met, you will need to apply for resource consent.
Design and Management Tips
Farmers should use the following good management practices that have been developed by industry bodies in collaboration with councils.
Industry agreed good management practices for offal pits
- Build the pit on elevated ground like a terrace or ridge.
- Avoid gullies, critical source areas, riverbeds, waterways, wetlands, gravel areas, or land that floods or ponds during high rainfall.
- Ensure carcasses cannot touch naturally formed limestone rock.
- Keep dead stock pits separate from other historic rubbish pits to prevent creating an acidic leachate that could contain hazardous chemicals and heavy metals that pollute water and soils.
- A long trench kept within the topsoil is better than a square hole as it is easier to cover carcasses in soil.
- Apply 0.5m thick layer of fine sand or silt on the floor of the pit.
- Divert storm and surface water from entering the hole.
- Keep pit depth above seasonal mean groundwater levels.
- Slit the stomach of the carcass to allow the intestines out for faster decomposition.
- Puncture the rumen on its left side to release the gases to prevent toxic gas buildup.
- Once an offal hole is full to within 1m of the surface it should be retired and filled up with earth, compacted, and regrassed.
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