An auction mart on sale day moves large numbers of animals through its pens, and inevitably some will die on site or arrive dead, creating fallen stock obligations the mart operator must meet. Martlands supports markets as part of our fallen stock and ABP collection service, working from our family-run, DEFRA approved base in Burscough, Lancashire. For a venue handling other people’s livestock under time pressure, having a dependable licensed collector on call keeps a busy operation compliant.
Why Marts Carry Fallen Stock Responsibilities
When animals are concentrated, handled and stressed, as they are on a market day, the chance of a death rises, whether from the stress of transport and handling, an undetected condition, or an injury in the pens. An animal that dies at a mart is fallen stock, and the operator becomes responsible for its lawful disposal through a licensed collector. The same applies to animals that arrive dead on a transporter. The duty does not transfer away simply because the animal belonged to a vendor, so a mart needs its own collection arrangement rather than assuming someone else will deal with it.
The Legal Framework
The prohibition on burial and burning applies at a mart exactly as it does on a farm, and the duty of care to dispose of fallen stock promptly through the licensed system is unchanged by the commercial setting. A clear understanding of these duties protects the operator from the serious consequences of improper disposal. Our blog on the legal collection and disposal of fallen stock sets out the obligations that bind any keeper or handler of livestock.
The NFSCO Connection
Many in the livestock sector encounter fallen stock disposal through the national scheme, and understanding the body behind it helps operators see how the system fits together. Martlands is a member of the scheme, which sits at the heart of organised fallen stock collection across the country. Our explainer on who is NFSCO introduces the organisation and its role in the wider framework.
Prompt Response on a Busy Day
A mart cannot have a carcass sitting in the pens while trade continues around it, so prompt collection is essential to keep the site clean and the day running. Our rapid-response fleet is built for exactly this kind of call, and our farm and fallen stock collection service can respond quickly when a mart needs an animal removed without disrupting the sale.
Coverage in Market Country
The traditional market towns of the Dales and the Pennine fringe host some of the region’s busiest livestock auctions, and our reach extends across that country. Mart operators can read about our local Skipton fallen stock collection service, covering one of the great livestock market towns of the North.
Coordinating With Vendors and Hauliers
Sale day involves many parties, and clarity over who is responsible when an animal dies avoids confusion at a busy moment. While the mart operator carries the disposal duty for animals that die on site, good communication with vendors and hauliers, particularly over animals that arrive dead or in poor condition, keeps the process orderly. Agreeing in advance how a death will be handled, where the animal will be moved to await collection, and who to call, means the situation is dealt with quickly and quietly without disrupting trade or leaving anyone unsure of their role.
Setting Up Your Arrangement
If you run a livestock market or auction mart, sale-day deaths are your responsibility to dispose of lawfully, and a standing arrangement with a licensed collector is the only sensible way to manage that. Call Martlands on 01704 776977 to set up a responsive, documented collection that keeps your mart compliant on every sale day.
