Blowfly strike (myiasis) is a severe welfare condition in sheep in which blowfly larvae invade living tissue, causing intense pain and rapid deterioration — yet it is largely preventable through proactive management.
Blowfly strike causes acute and severe suffering that is entirely preventable with appropriate management. The progressive nature of the condition — from initial egg-laying to larval invasion of living tissue — creates a welfare emergency that worsens with every hour of delay. Affected sheep experience intense pain from tissue destruction and the irritation of larval feeding. The systemic toxaemia caused by larval secretions causes rapid deterioration to a point where affected animals may be unable to stand or eat, and death from toxaemia, dehydration, or secondary infection is a real risk in untreated cases. Experienced stockpersons can detect early strike through changes in sheep behaviour before visible damage is obvious — training to recognise these signs is a critical welfare investment. Proactive chemical prevention, regular inspection during the fly season, and wool management to reduce soiling substantially eliminate the welfare burden of blowfly strike.