Tell us about the animal and your farm, and we'll look for options
Many states want a carcass dealt with inside 24-72 hours[1], so a clear first message saves time. Here's what to send and what happens next.
- One short form, no phone tag
- Options and typical costs sent by email
- No obligation to use anyone we suggest
Before you hit send
What to put in your message so we can help quickly
The more we know about the animal and the site, the fewer emails it takes to get you a real answer. You don't need every detail below, but each one rules providers in or out.
- Species and rough weight. "Angus cow, about 1,300 lb" or "twelve feeder pigs, 150 to 200 lb each" tells us far more than "livestock".
- How many, and whether more are likely. One loss and an ongoing die-off need very different help.
- Your county and state. Rules and renderer routes change at county lines.
- How the animal died, if you know. Especially whether it was euthanized with drugs, or whether your vet suspects a reportable disease.
- Access. Is it in a barn, a pasture, a creek bottom? Can a truck with a winch reach it?
- What you want back. Ashes, a keepsake like an ear tag or tail hair, or nothing at all.
After you send it
What happens once your request reaches us
- We read it and check which routes are realistic for your species, weight and county.
- We look for renderers, compost operators, excavators or crematories that say they serve your area and can handle the size.
- We email you what we found: names, typical price ranges, and the questions to ask each one before agreeing to anything.
- You contact the provider you prefer. The arrangement, price and timing are between you and them.
We reply by email rather than by phone so you have everything in writing to compare. If a detail is missing we'll ask one short question rather than guess. Our about page explains why we work this way and what we are not.
In the meantime
What you can do while you wait for our reply
Some counties give very little time. Several in California allow just 24-48 hours[2] before penalties apply, according to University of California livestock advisors, and Pennsylvania's statewide limit is 48 hours[3], as Penn State Extension explains. If the deadline is close and no provider can come, composting or burial on your own land may be the legal fallback; your extension office can tell you how today.
Keep the carcass covered and away from water, and keep dogs away. If the animal was euthanized, remember the FDA label warning that has applied since 2003[4]: scavengers must not be able to reach it. The livestock mortality planner gives a quick pit size or compost volume if you need to act yourself.
If this is a show animal and you want the ashes back, don't let a dead-stock truck take it while you wait. Our cremation cost calculator gives a rough range for the weight.
For 4-H and FFA families
Writing to us about a show animal or family cow
If the animal was your child's project or a cow the whole family knew by name, say so in your message. It changes what we look for: a provider that cremates one animal at a time, returns the ashes and lets you keep the halter, tag or a lock of the tail switch. Our article on when a show animal dies walks families through the first hours.
Tell us roughly how much of the ashes you'd like to keep and whether anyone else in the family wants a share. A grown steer returns a surprising amount: by our estimate, an animal of about 1,100 lb leaves roughly 38.5 lb[5] of ashes. The ashes weight estimator shows how much to expect before you choose an urn. Many families also find it helps to let the child who showed the animal choose where some of the ashes go.
Your details
How we handle your farm's information
We use what you send to look for options and reply to you. We don't publish farm names, locations or loss details, and we don't sell your email address. A disease loss can be commercially sensitive, and we treat it that way.
If you'd like us to delete your request after we've replied, just ask. You can read about how we use data and research in general on our research page. Our reader polls are anonymous as well, and you can see how other producers answered on the poll results page without sharing anything.
Being straight with you
What we can help with, and where you'll need someone else
We can explain the options, find providers that list your area, share typical costs and give you the right questions to ask. We can also help families find private cremation for a show or pet animal and plan what to do with a large amount of ashes. Our services page describes each option in more detail.
We can't send a truck ourselves, report a disease, give legal advice or promise that a provider will be free on a given day. For a confirmed outbreak, your state animal health office runs the response. For the rules in your county, see our locations pages.
Do you have a written plan for a big loss, like a blizzard, heat wave or disease outbreak?
Tap an answer to vote and see how others answered. Anonymous.
If you're writing ahead of time rather than after a loss, that's the easiest request of all. Our barn mortality pre-planning guide makes a good checklist to send alongside it.
Reader polls
What would you choose?
Vote anonymously and see how other readers answered. The results are live counts from people who visit this site, so they show real opinions, not a scientific sample.
Do you have a written plan for a big loss, like a blizzard, heat wave or disease outbreak?
Tap an answer to vote and see how others answered. Anonymous.
What kind of operation do you run?
Tap an answer to vote and see how others answered. Anonymous.
Did you (or would you) compare more than one provider?
Tap an answer to vote and see how others answered. Anonymous.
Questions people ask
How soon will you reply?
We reply by email as soon as we've checked what's realistic for your area. We don't promise a response time because some rural counties take real digging. If your deadline is hours away, call your county extension office or state department of agriculture as well.
Is there a charge for sending a request?
No. Asking is free, and you're under no obligation to use any provider we mention. Prices are agreed directly between you and the provider, so always ask them for a written total covering pickup, loading and any after-hours fee.
Can you help with a large number of animals at once?
We can look for providers and contract services that handle volume, and point you to on-farm composting or burial guidance. For a disease event, the state veterinarian directs disposal, so contact them first. Tell us the head count and rough weights so we can see what capacity is needed.
Do you help outside the US?
Most of our research covers the US, but we can point you in the right direction elsewhere. In England, for example, fallen stock goes through 5 approved routes[6] such as knackers and renderers, and on-farm burial isn't allowed.
Can I send a request before an animal has died?
Yes, and it's often the most useful time. Planning ahead for an old cow, a sick show animal or a bad calving season means you'll know who to call and roughly what it costs. Tell us the species, likely weight and county, and say it's for planning so we don't treat it as urgent.
Sources and our estimates
- [1] State rules commonly require dead animals to be buried within 24 to 72 hours of death, especially when euthanized. Cornell Waste Management Institute & Penn State - Horse Mortality: Carcass Disposal Alternatives (2012), 2012.
- [2] Several California counties give owners 24 or 48 hours to dispose of a dead animal before penalties apply. UC Cooperative Extension (Schohr, Lile, Snell) - Livestock Carcass Management, UC ANR 2021, 2021.
- [3] Pennsylvania requires a dead domestic animal to be properly disposed of within 48 hours of death. Penn State Extension - Livestock and Poultry Mortality Disposal in Pennsylvania (J. Craig Williams, updated Oct 2025), 2025.
- [4] Since 2003 the FDA has required euthanasia drug labels to warn that euthanized animals must be disposed of by deep burial, incineration or another approved method to keep scavenging wildlife from eating the carcass. Cornell Waste Management Institute & Penn State - Horse Mortality: Carcass Disposal Alternatives (2012), 2003.
- [5] A 1,100 lb horse would be expected to return roughly 38.5 lb of cremated remains (plausible range 33-55 lb). Our estimate: 1,100 lb x 3.5% (range 3%-5%). How we calculate.
- [6] England's approved routes for fallen stock are knackers, hunt kennels, maggot farms, incinerators and renderers; the not-for-profit National Fallen Stock Company runs collections for farmers and horse owners. GOV.UK (Defra/APHA) - Fallen stock guidance, 2024.
Send your details and get options by email
Tell us what you need and where you are. We'll reply by email with clear options and prices so you can decide in your own time.