| 1. | Choose a site with good drainage and low permeability soil. A concrete or asphalt pad may be necessary for coarse soils (see the Livestock Diseases Act, Destruction and Disposal of Dead Animal Regulation for location requirements). |
2. |
Spread a 30 to 45 cm deep by 3 to 5.5 m wide base of shavings, sawdust, or straw. Length will depend on volume of mortality over a 2 to 3 week period (or from a disaster). |
3. |
Place a single layer of dead swine on the shavings base, making sure they are at least 30 cm from the outside edges and that they are about 5 to 20 cm from each other (depending on carcass size). |
4. |
Cover this layer of swine with 30 to 45 cm of a substrate of about 1.5 parts (by volume) of solid swine manure and 1 part shavings or sawdust (1:1 if using straw). The substrate moisture should be about 50 per cent (free moisture on a glove after squeezing a sample of the substrate or use a commercial hay moisture probe). |
5. |
Place a second layer of 1 to 3 carcasses (depending on size). |
6. |
Cover the windrow with 30 to 45 cm of manure/shavings to minimize odour and to prevent scavenging. |
7. |
Leave the windrow untouched for the primary composting stage (8 to 10 weeks). Windrow temperatures should be monitored, and they should reach over 50°C (preferably 55°C for 15 days). |
8. |
Turn the windrow over with a front-end loader after this initial 8 to 10 weeks or when pile temperatures fall below 35°C. Add water if the moisture content is below 50 per cent. Re-cover the windrow with a layer of sawdust or shavings, especially if body parts are visible. Leave the windrow for another 8 to 10 weeks for the secondary composting stage and monitor temperatures. |
9. |
Windrow should be ready to land apply after these primary and secondary treatments. If land application cannot occur immediately, re-pile the material and allow to cure another 3 to 4 weeks. |
| Problem | Cause | Possible solution |
| Temperature too cold |
 | 1. Too wet | 1a. Mix in substrate.
1b. Protect pile from weather or shape surface to shed water. |
| 2. Low C:N ratio | 2. Mix in carbon source, e.g. straw, shavings, etc. |
| 3. Too porous | 3. Mix in sawdust or another small-particle substrate. |
| 4. Insufficient substrate cover | 4. Add substrate ensuring 30 cm (1 ft) of cover. |
| 5. Too dry | 5. Add water to pile. |
| Failure to decompose |
| 1. Low carbon | 1. Mix in carbon source, e.g. straw, shavings, etc. |
| 2. Mortalities layered too closely | 2. Adjust pile ensuring 25 - 30 cm (10 - 12 in) of substrate between layers. |
| 3. Mortalities placed too closley together | 3. Adjust mortalities wnsuring they do not touch each other. |
| 4. Mortalities placed too close to the side of the pile | 4. Adjust pile, ensuring mortalities are placed at least 30 cm (12 in) from the edge of the pile. |
| 5. Lack of oxygen | 5. Turn pile to add oxygen. |
| Odour |
| A. Foul, high sulfur, organic acids | 1. Too wet | 1a. Mix in substrate.
1b. Protect pile from weather or shape surface to shed water. |
| 2. Not enough cover substrate | 2. Add substrate ensuring 30 cm (1 ft) of cover. |
| 3. Air flow restricted | 3a. Mix in a larger-particle substrate.
3b. Adjust pile snsuring mortalities are placed at least 30 cm (12 in) from the edge of the pile. |
| 4. Excessive crusting on surface | 4. Break u crusting on the surface and avoid using substrate that is frozen or too wet. |
| B. Smell of decaying flesh | 1. Not enough cover substrate | 1. Add substrate ensuring 30 cm (1 ft) of cover. |
| 2. Too cold | 2. Follow steps outlined above under "temperature too cold." |
| C. Ammonia | 1. Low carbon | 1. Mix carbon source, e.g. straw, shavings, ect. |
| Flies |
| 1. Not enough cover substrate | 1. Add substrate ensuring 30 cm (1 ft) of cover. |
| 2. Poor sanitary conditions | 2a. Remove leachate from around pile.
2b. Maintain a clean, debris-free area around compost site. |
| 3. Too cold | 3. Follow steps outlined above under "temperature too cold." |
| Animals/Vermin |
| 1. Inadequate protection | 1a. Add substrate ensuring 30 cm (1ft) of cover.
2b. Construct a fence around the site.
1c. Encolse bin structure. |