Farm Sheep Mulesing and Flystrike Prevention

Mulesing is a painful procedure that removes skin folds from around a sheep's rear to prevent flystrike, and remains widespread in Australia despite growing opposition and alternatives.

Key Facts

Mulesing involves cutting away wool-bearing skin from a sheep's breech without anesthesia
The procedure is performed on an estimated 70% of Merino sheep in Australia each year
Flystrike, where flies lay eggs in moist wool folds, causes severe suffering and death if untreated
Alternatives to mulesing include selective breeding for plain-bodied sheep, crutching, and chemical treatments
New Zealand phased out mulesing by 2018 through industry-led breed selection programs
Major wool buyers including Patagonia and Zara have committed to phasing out mulesed wool
Pain relief options exist but are not consistently applied during or after the procedure

Welfare Considerations

Mulesing causes acute and lasting pain. The wounds take weeks to heal, during which sheep are vulnerable to infection. While flystrike is a genuine welfare problem that mulesing addresses, the solution inflicts significant harm. The availability of alternatives — selective breeding for low-wrinkle wool sheep has proven effective in New Zealand — means mulesing is a choice, not a necessity. Continued reliance on mulesing when alternatives exist represents a preventable welfare failure in the wool industry.

What You Can Do

Look for non-mulesed or certified humane wool labels when purchasing wool products
Support brands that have committed to sourcing only non-mulesed wool
Encourage wool industry bodies to invest in mulesing-free breeding programs
Advocate for mandatory pain relief if mulesing is performed
Support research into flystrike prevention alternatives
Choose synthetic or alternative fiber products to reduce demand for conventionally produced wool