Wigan fallen stock collection serves a borough where farming and town sit right next to each other. Cattle and sheep graze within sight of housing estates at Aspull and Winstanley, horses are kept in paddocks along almost every lane, and hobby keepers run pigs and poultry on smallholdings from Shevington Moor to the mosslands around Golborne and Lowton. Martlands is a family-run, DEFRA approved collector based in Burscough, a short drive west of Wigan, providing licensed fallen stock and ABP collection across Greater Manchester and Lancashire.
Whether you run a commercial farm or keep a handful of animals, the rules on dealing with a death are the same, and this guide sets out what Wigan keepers need to know.
Wigan Fallen Stock Collection Across the Borough
Wigan is well placed for collection. The M6 runs north to south through the borough with junctions at Ashton-in-Makerfield, Orrell and Standish, the M58 heads west towards Skelmersdale and our base, and the A49 links the town with farms to the north and south. Our farm and fallen stock collection service offers same-day availability, and every collection is carried out under our Waste Carrier Licence CB/QE5406MT and Animal By-Products Licence APB/CCN21/373/8002, with a Commercial Document and Waste Transfer Note provided each time. The official guidance on fallen stock and safe disposal of dead animals sets out the legal duties in full.
Farming on the Edge of a Town
The farmland of Wigan borough is scattered rather than continuous. To the north, the higher ground around Haigh and Aspull runs towards Standish and the West Lancashire boundary, with grazing for beef cattle, sheep and horses. To the west, Winstanley and the slopes of Billinge Hill on the St Helens boundary carry a mix of grassland and arable. In the south and east, the flat mosslands around Golborne, Lowton and towards Leigh have a long history of arable and vegetable growing, with livestock on the grassland in between. Farms in the north of the borough are also covered by our Standish fallen stock collection, and those in the south east by our Leigh fallen stock collection.
Because so much of this land is rented grazing or small parcels, livestock are often kept some distance from the owner’s home. A death can go unnoticed for longer than on a single-site farm, which makes regular checking and a quick call when a loss is found all the more important. Farmers have a duty of care to arrange collection promptly, ideally within 24 hours of discovery.
Horses, Ponies and Livery Yards
Horses are one of the most common animals we collect in the Wigan area. Livery yards and private paddocks are found right across the borough, and the death of a horse is distressing for its owner as well as a practical problem. Horses are generally Category 2 animal by-products and are collected through our Category 2 ABP collection. They cannot be buried on a livery yard or in a paddock, whatever the owner might wish. The horse’s passport must be returned to the issuing body, normally within 30 days of death. Livery yard owners should agree with owners in advance what happens if a horse dies on the yard, including where it will be held and who will arrange collection, so there is no confusion on a difficult day. The government also publishes detailed guidance on animal by-product categories and disposal.
Pigs, Poultry and Hobby Keepers
Smallholders keeping a few pigs, sheep or a backyard flock have the same legal duties as commercial farms. Pigs and poultry are generally Category 2, and burial in the garden or on the smallholding is not permitted. Pig keepers need a County Parish Holding number and a herd mark, and all poultry keepers in Great Britain are now required to register their birds with APHA, however small the flock. Those registrations matter when something goes wrong, especially during avian influenza outbreaks. If you see unexplained deaths in poultry or pigs, or any signs that could indicate a notifiable disease, report them to APHA immediately and do not move carcasses until you have been advised.
Cattle and Sheep – Categories and Testing
For commercial and part-time cattle and sheep keepers, adult animals are Category 1 because they contain specified risk material. That covers cattle over 12 months, and sheep and goats over 12 months or with a permanent incisor erupted, and is handled through our Category 1 ABP collection. Fallen cattle over 48 months must be BSE tested, and as a DEFRA approved sampling facility Martlands arranges this as part of the collection. Cattle deaths must be reported to BCMS within 7 days and the passport returned.
Dog Attacks, Fly-Tipping and Urban-Fringe Problems
Grazing on the edge of town brings problems that remote farms rarely see. Sheep worrying by dogs is a serious issue on fields near footpaths and housing, and losses can be sudden and multiple. Record what happened, photograph injuries and the scene, report the attack to the police and keep carcasses aside until any investigation is complete before booking collection. Fly-tipping is another persistent problem, and occasionally that includes dumped animal carcasses or butchery waste. If animal remains are dumped on your land, report it to Wigan Council and do not handle anything that could pose a risk. Good collection records also help show that any carcasses on your land were dealt with properly.
Wigan Fallen Stock Collection Points and Access
Choose a collection point on hard standing that a vehicle can reach and turn in, ideally near the road rather than at the far end of a soft field. On rented grazing, agree with the landowner where carcasses can be left. Cover the carcass and keep it away from public footpaths, children and dogs. On land crossed by public rights of way, which describes a great deal of grazing around Haigh, Standish and Winstanley, a dead animal left in view can attract unwanted attention and complaints, so move it out of sight as soon as it is safe to do so. When you call, tell us the species, approximate age and number of animals, and give clear directions to the gate, as rented fields often have no postcode of their own. For neighbouring areas, see our Greater Manchester fallen stock collection page and our Bolton fallen stock collection coverage.
To arrange a collection anywhere in Wigan borough, call Martlands on 01704 776977.
