Blowfly strike is one of the most painful conditions affecting sheep in the UK, with prevention through product selection and dagginess management saving significant welfare harm.
Flystrike causes severe welfare harm as maggots literally consume living tissue, releasing toxins that cause systemic illness. Untreated strike can kill sheep within days. Prevention through appropriate product use and management of dagginess in high-risk periods is far preferable to treating established strike. Twice-daily shepherding in peak blowfly season enables early detection and treatment reducing the duration of suffering from detected cases.