Mulesing is a surgical procedure used in Merino sheep to prevent flystrike. The practice causes significant pain and is increasingly being replaced by welfare-friendly alternatives.
Mulesing illustrates how one welfare harm — surgical tissue removal without adequate pain relief — has been justified for decades by the prevention of another welfare harm — flystrike. The evidence from New Zealand and progressive Australian producers demonstrates that this trade-off is not inevitable: breeding, management, and monitoring alternatives can protect sheep from flystrike without surgical intervention. The transition requires investment in breeding programs and management changes but eliminates a painful procedure from the lifecycle of millions of lambs annually. Major wool brands and retailers have committed to sourcing non-mulesed wool, creating market incentives that accelerate this welfare transition. Consumer choices for certified non-mulesed wool products support this shift.