Flystrike — the infestation of living sheep by blowfly maggots — is one of the most acutely painful conditions in sheep farming and requires proactive prevention strategies.
Flystrike causes intense suffering. Maggots produce enzymes that liquefy tissue, and infestations can spread rapidly across the body. Sheep are prey animals and conceal pain, meaning farmers may not notice flystrike until it is advanced. The condition is almost entirely preventable with timely shearing, treatment of wounds and diarrhoea, and appropriate insect growth regulator or insecticide applications. Mulesing, while reducing breech strike risk, involves cutting skin without anaesthesia in traditional practice — high-welfare alternatives include cerise clips, pain relief protocols, or breeding for bare-breech genetics. Early detection through regular flock inspection and rapid treatment are the most important welfare interventions.