Australia Prepares for Foot-and-Mouth Disease Outbreak with Composting Trial

Agriculture Victoria is conducting a trial to prepare for a potential outbreak of foot-and-mouth disease (FMD) in Australia. The trial involves composting 70 cattle carcasses buried underground to create a safe compost by-product for commercial use. Six different composting methods have been tested, and the trial aims to establish whether the infected carcasses can be safely decontaminated underground. The composting process takes about four months and has already reached temperatures that will kill FMD. The trial is also testing the use of burial pits for infected chickens culled during Victoria's H7N8 avian influenza outbreak earlier this year.

Agriculture Victoria is undertaking a significant trial to prepare for a potential outbreak of foot-and-mouth disease (FMD) in Australia. The trial involves composting 70 cattle carcasses buried underground to create a safe compost by-product for commercial use. Six different composting methods have been tested, aiming to establish whether the infected carcasses can be safely decontaminated underground. The composting process takes about four months and has already reached temperatures that will kill FMD. The trial is also testing the use of burial pits for infected chickens culled during Victoria's H7N8 avian influenza outbreak earlier this year.

The trial, conducted at a research farm in north-east Victoria, is part of broader preparations for an emergency animal disease outbreak. Agriculture Victoria's emergency animal disease waste disposal manager, Bronwyn Green, stated that the trial aims to prove how composting could work in a large outbreak with a range of animals and potentially create a reusable product. The composting methods tested include green waste, mulch, hay, straw, and different volumes of water.

Ms. Green explained that composting can effectively destroy weeds and seeds, and that temperatures reached during the process can kill diseases such as avian influenza and foot-and-mouth disease. She noted that it takes about four months for the compost to fully decompose and kill any diseases found in the carcasses. "In the case of foot and mouth, we've already hit the temperature that will kill that disease in a week or two," she said.

The trial is particularly important given the risk of FMD entering Australia from neighboring Indonesia. The disease affects cattle, sheep, pigs, deer, and buffalo, and could cost the nation's economy up to $80 billion over 10 years if an outbreak occurs. Cattle Australia's chief executive, Chris Parker, emphasized the importance of government and industry investment in research and development to improve preparedness and minimize potential impacts.

The composting trial is not without precedent. Similar trials have been undertaken in South Australia and New South Wales with sheep and pigs. Ms. Green noted that the work is crucial for ensuring that Australia is as prepared as possible for an FMD outbreak. "This work is really important to ensure we are ready and prepared as much as we can be," she said.

References:
[1] https://www.abc.net.au/news/rural/2025-05-28/composting-cattle-foot-and-mouth-disease-agriculture-victoria/105283224