Mulesing is a surgical procedure used in Australian merino sheep that removes skin around the breech to prevent flystrike.
Mulesing causes significant acute pain and distress. Sheep show pain indicators including foot-stamping, scratching, and reduced movement for several days post-procedure. However, untreated flystrike causes severe suffering and death. The debate centres on which welfare harm is greater. Increasingly, alternatives including selective breeding for plain-bodied sheep, improved chemical prevention, and pain relief are making mulesing unnecessary.