Evaluation of Whole Carcass Composting as a Mortality Disposal Option for African Swine Fever Virus-Infected Swine

African swine fever (ASF) epizootic outbreaks often result in the deaths of large numbers either through confirmed or suspected disease depopulation for outbreak control. Identification effective biosecure livestock mortality disposal methods, capable inactivating ASF virus (ASFV) contaminated carcasses, remains an important component development localized response and recovery plans. In this study, we evaluated ASFV inactivation viral DNA degradation during composting ASFV-infected carcasses Animal Biosafety Level 3-Ag (ABSL3-Ag) high-containment vivarium utilizing isolation (VI) real-time polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR). Four pigs, approximately 54 kg, were composted 37 days a static, nonaerated windrow assembled using wood chips, horse manure, pine shavings as primary sources carbon. The daily temperature was sustained at ≥55°C 18 days. Spleen samples, collected over 28 days, negative infectious by on day 5 but remained positive RT-PCR 28. At conclusion bone marrow, muscle, pinna samples from addition to carbon materials windrow. No detected any decomposed tissues samples. However, detectable all (n = 36) 14/16 sentinel end indicating that detection did not correlate with infectivity. conclusion, rapidly eliminated whole 5, coinciding increase compost pile ≥55°C.