Sheep Fly Strike: Prevention and Welfare Management

Blowfly strike is one of the most painful and preventable conditions affecting sheep. Effective prevention through crutching, dagginess management, and targeted insecticide use dramatically reduces this welfare emergency.

Key Facts

Blowfly strike occurs when blowflies lay eggs in soiled or wounded wool, and hatching larvae feed on living tissue
Australia loses an estimated 3 million sheep per year to fly strike, though most deaths are preventable
Strike can kill a sheep within 24 to 48 hours if undetected in warm weather conditions
The Lucilia cuprina blowfly is responsible for the majority of sheep strike in Australia
Mulesing, the surgical removal of breech skin, is used as a prevention method but causes significant acute pain
Pain-relief products used during mulesing reduce acute suffering when administered appropriately
Selective breeding for plain-bodied sheep with lower fleece wrinkle is reducing the need for mulesing

Welfare Considerations

Fly strike causes intense, acute suffering — affected sheep experience persistent pain from larvae feeding on living tissue, often becoming recumbent and distressed. Early detection through daily inspection during peak fly season is the most effective welfare intervention. Crutching to remove soiled wool, controlling dags through nutrition, and appropriate use of insecticide treatments are effective prevention measures. The welfare debate around mulesing highlights the tension between acute procedural pain and chronic strike risk — transition to plain-bodied genetics eliminates this dilemma.

What You Can Do

If you manage sheep, implement a fly strike prevention programme with regular inspection during summer
Support breeding programmes selecting for plain-bodied sheep that require less mulesing
Insist on pain relief administration if mulesing is performed on your flock
Choose wool products certified as mulesing-free or produced with pain relief where available
Support RSPCA and AWI programmes developing alternatives to mulesing