Mulesing — surgically removing skin folds around sheep's hindquarters without anesthesia — is a controversial practice in Australian wool production that causes significant pain and has prompted calls for humane alternatives.
Unanaesthetized mulesing causes acute pain that is well-documented — affected lambs show reduced movement, altered posture, and stress hormone elevation for days post-procedure. The justification for mulesing — preventing flystrike — is legitimate, as flystrike itself causes extreme suffering through tissue destruction by fly larvae. However, the existence of effective alternatives and the availability of pain relief means that performing mulesing without analgesia is no longer defensible on welfare grounds. The transition to mulesing-free wool production has been demonstrated to be commercially viable in New Zealand and increasingly in Australia. Consumer and retailer pressure has accelerated change, demonstrating that market mechanisms can drive welfare improvements.