Sheep Mulesing in Australia and Welfare Alternatives

Mulesing — the surgical removal of skin folds around a sheep backside — is widely practised in Australia to prevent flystrike, but causes severe pain and faces growing international opposition.

Key Facts

Mulesing affects approximately 70% of Australian Merino sheep annually
The procedure removes skin folds without anaesthesia in most cases
Mulesing wounds take weeks to heal and cause prolonged pain
Blowfly strike (flystrike) is a genuine welfare threat that mulesing aims to prevent
Alternatives include selective breeding, chemical treatment, and clip management
Major brands including H and M and Patagonia have committed to non-mulesed wool

Welfare Considerations

Mulesing creates a painful open wound to prevent a potentially worse outcome — flystrike. This welfare trade-off is contested: alternatives exist that can effectively manage flystrike without surgery. Selective breeding for plain-bodied sheep with fewer skin folds addresses the root cause. Pain relief is available but adoption is inconsistent. The international market has responded to welfare concerns, with major retailers demanding non-mulesed wool. However, the transition is complex and economically challenging for producers. Supporting non-mulesed wool and breed improvement programmes is the most direct consumer action available.

What You Can Do

Choose wool certified as non-mulesed or from pain-relief programmes
Support brands with explicit non-mulesed wool commitments
Advocate for mandatory pain relief and phase-out timelines for mulesing
Donate to selective breeding programmes for flystrike-resistant sheep
Reduce wool consumption or choose plant-based textile alternatives