§ Mr. Roger WilliamsTo ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how much fallen stock by(a) species, (b) region and (c) month was rendered in each year since 1997. [92166]
§ Mr. MorleyWe do not have figures for the amount of fallen stock that has been rendered in the UK. This information is available only at disproportionate cost.
§ Andrew GeorgeTo ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (1) what estimate she has made of the amount of fallen stock in terms of(a) weight and (b) species in the UK in each of the last 12 months; [92167]
(2) what the average cost was for rendering fallen stock in the last year for which figures are available.[92168]
§ Mr. MorleyInformation regarding the amount of fallen stock for each of the last 12 months is not available. However, the industry has estimated that something in the order of, at least, 200,000 tonnes of fallen stock will need to be collected annually, when the ban on burial of fallen stock is implemented from 30 April this year.
The estimated tonnage is be made up of the following:
- 1,316,000 adult animal carcases (bovine, ovine, swine and equine)
- 2,262,000 immature animal carcases (bovine, ovine, swine and equine)
- 36,000,000 poultry carcases (avians).
In arriving at this figure, assumptions have been made about mortality rates for adult and immature animals and their average weight.
The United Kingdom Renderers Association estimate that the average cost for rendering fallen stock is in the order of £40–50 per tonne. In arriving at this figure, assumptions have been made to take account of seasonal variations and regional differences.