Abstract

Many infectious diseases have emerged or re-emerged during the past 50 years in South Korea. There were three outbreaks of foot and mouth disease (FMD) in South Korea between January 2010 and March 2011. Over 3.45 million animals were slaughtered (33.3% of the existing pigs, 8.4% of dairy cows and 3.4% of cattle). To select optimal degradation agents of animal cadavers, degradation rates and fertilizer components of pig cadavers were investigated using hydrogen chloride (HCl), potassium hydroxide (KOH) and sodium hydroxide (NaOH) hydrolysis methods. Degradation rates of pig cadavers using HCl, KOH and NaOH were 81.1, 82.8 and 91.6%, respectively. Total nitrogen (T-N) concentration in degradation solution of pig cadavers using KOH hydrolysis method was higher than that in NaOH and HCl hydrolysis methods. Total phosphorus ($P_2O_5$) concentrations in degradation solution of pig cadavers in all hydrolysis methods ranged 0.14 ~ 0.28%. Total potassium ($K_2O$) concentration for KOH hydrolysis method was higher than that for other hydrolysis methods. The concentration of T-N and $K_2O$ in degradation solution of pig cadavers by KOH hydrolysis method were higher than that in NaOH and HCl hydrolysis methods. Thus, to recycle animal cadavers in agriculture, the optimal degradation agent for hydrolysis was KOH.

Keywords

• Infectious diseases;
• Optimal degradation;
• Animal cadavers;
• Hydrolysis methods