Not all fallen stock collection services are equal, and choosing the right provider for your farming business is an important decision. A fallen stock collection service is not simply a company that removes dead animals – it is a regulated, approved entity operating within a strictly controlled framework, and the quality of service it provides has direct implications for your regulatory compliance and farm biosecurity. Martland’s Fallen Stock is a fully approved, experienced, and reliable fallen stock collection provider, and this article sets out the key questions to ask when evaluating any fallen stock collection service.
Is the Service Fully Approved and Licensed
The first and most fundamental question to ask any fallen stock collection service is whether they hold the appropriate approvals and licences to operate. In the UK, fallen stock collection services must be approved by the Animal and Plant Health Agency and must operate vehicles licensed to transport animal by-products. Using an unapproved service exposes the farmer to regulatory risk regardless of cost savings.
Martland’s Fallen Stock is fully approved by the APHA and is happy to confirm its approval status and the categories of material its approval covers. Ask any potential provider for their APHA approval number and confirm it before using the service. A reputable, fully approved service like Martland’s Fallen Stock will have no hesitation in providing this information.
What Is the Geographic Coverage and Response Time
Geographic coverage and response time are critically important practical considerations when choosing a fallen stock collection service. A service that cannot reach your holding reliably, or that consistently requires long lead times between notification and collection, is likely to create biosecurity and compliance problems for your farm.
Martland’s Fallen Stock covers a broad geographic area across the North West and beyond, including Lancashire, Greater Manchester, Merseyside, the Wirral, Cheshire, and North Wales. Ask any potential provider specifically about their coverage in your area, how frequently they operate collection routes near your holding, and what their typical lead time is between a collection request and the collection visit.
What Documentation Is Provided
A fully compliant fallen stock collection service will provide a commercial document for every collection it carries out. This documentation is a regulatory requirement and forms a critical part of your farm’s fallen stock records. Martland’s Fallen Stock provides full collection documentation with every visit as standard.
Ask about the format of the documentation – whether it is provided in paper form at the time of collection or sent after the visit. Whichever format is used, the important thing is that you receive complete and accurate documentation promptly after each collection and that you have a clear and simple way to file it with your other fallen stock records. If a potential provider cannot confirm that they will provide collection documentation for every visit, this is a significant red flag.
Building a Relationship Before You Need It
Before committing to a fallen stock collection service, discuss the specific practical logistics of collection from your holding. Can the collection vehicle access all areas of your farm where fallen stock is likely to occur? Does the service have appropriate equipment for the species and sizes of animals you farm? How are collections handled during adverse weather conditions?
Martland’s Fallen Stock encourages farmers to get in touch and establish an account before a fallen stock event occurs. Building a relationship with Martland’s Fallen Stock before you urgently need the service means that when a fallen stock event happens, you can focus on managing the situation efficiently rather than spending time finding and briefing a collection provider at short notice. The Martland’s Fallen Stock team is always happy to discuss the specific requirements of your holding and to put the most practical collection arrangement in place.
Here are some of the other regional areas we cover. Click a link below to find out more:
Lancashire Fallen Stock Collection Service
Greater Manchester Fallen Stock Collection Service
Merseyside Fallen Stock Collection Service
Wirral Fallen Stock Collection Service
North Wales Fallen Stock Collection Service
Cheshire Fallen Stock Collection Service
