Every dairy and beef producer eventually must manage the disposal of dead animals. For years, rendering was the recommended method of disposal. However, a new rule from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) went into effect April 27. Three experts-- David Meeker from the National Renderers Association, Jean Bonhotal from Cornell Animal Waste Institute and Elizabeth Parker, chief veterinarian of the National Cattlemen’s Beef Association -- will address the rule and options for producers and others in an eXtension webcast June 19.
The FDA regulation bans the use of cattle carcasses in livestock feed if the cattle that die are older than 30 months of age. The regulation is intended to prevent the spread of BSE or mad cow disease.
Renderers who accept the carcasses of cattle 30 months of age and older must remove the brains and spinal cords. Renderers will need equipment and lines to perform that work. Producers will face increased rendering prices to dispose of cattle carcasses more than 30 months of age or loss of service altogether. Producers will need to find and use environmentally responsible disposal options.
What options are available and work best for individual operations? What documentation is needed for animals younger than 30 months? These are some of the issues the webcast will address.
The free educational webcast is from the Livestock and Poultry Environmental Learning Center of eXtension.
Webcast speakers
David Meeker is vice president for scientific services at the National Renderers Association. He is a member of the USDA Secretary’s Advisory Committee on Foreign Animal and Poultry Disease. He received his Ph.D. and MBA from Iowa State University.
Jean Bonhotal is associate director for the Cornell Animal Waste Institute. For the last 10 years she has worked on composting.
Elizabeth Parker is the chief veterinarian at the National Cattlemen’s Beef Association. Dr. Parker has been a staff member on the House Ag Committee and an international consultant for the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations.
The Friday, June 19 session begins at 1:30 p.m. Central Daylight Time. The webcast meeting room opens 15 minutes before the start time. Go to http://www.extension.org/pages/Live_Webcast_Information to view.
An application for continuing education credit for Certified Crop Advisors (CCAs) and members of the American Registry of Professional Animal Scientists (ARPAS) has been submitted.
Monthly webcasts are hosted by the Livestock and Poultry Environmental (LPE) Learning Center, an information resource developed by more than 150 experts from land-grant universities, agencies and other organizations. The center is part of the national eXtension interactive Web resource customized with links to local Cooperative Extension Web sites.
LPE Learning Center
The center advocates that individuals involved in public policy issues, animal production and delivery of technical services for animal producers should have on-demand access to the nation's best science-based resources. Articles about animal manure management are at http://www.extension.org/animal+manure+management.
eXtension is an educational partnership helping Americans improve their lives with access to timely, objective, research-based information and educational opportunities. The eXtension site is http://www.extension.org. Land-grant universities including Iowa State University were founded on the ideals that higher education should be accessible to all, that colleges should teach liberal and practical subjects and share knowledge with people throughout their states.
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Contacts :
Jill Heemstra, (402) 748-3909, jheemstra@unl.edu
David Meeker, (703) 683-2633, dmeeker@nationalrenderers.com
Lynette Spicer , Extension Communications, (515) 294-1327, lspicer@iastate.edu