Farm Animals

Mulesing in Sheep: Welfare Harm and the Search for Alternatives

Mulesing — removing skin folds around the breech of Merino sheep without anaesthesia — is practiced in Australia to prevent flystrike. Alternatives are available but adoption has been slow.

Key Facts

Mulesing involves removing skin folds with shears from conscious lambs without anaesthesia
It is practiced on approximately 25 million Merino lambs in Australia annually
Flystrike (blowfly larvae infesting skin) is genuinely debilitating and can cause death
Pain from mulesing is acute and lasts days to weeks
Alternatives include selective breeding, crutching, and topical treatments

Welfare Considerations

Mulesing without anaesthesia causes severe acute pain. Lambs show pain behaviors including lying, rolling, and reduced suckling. Pain continues as wounds heal over several weeks. Responsible wool buyers (including major fashion brands) have committed to mulesing-free supply chains — creating market incentives for producers to adopt alternatives.

What You Can Do

Choose wool products certified mulesing-free (ZQRX, Woolmark ethical sourcing)
Support Australian Wool Innovation research into breeding for bare-breeched Merinos
Advocate for mandatory pain relief requirements during any mulesing procedures
Reduce wool consumption from uncertified sources until industry standards improve