Sheep Welfare and Mulesing Alternatives in Wool Production

Mulesing — surgically removing skin around sheep buttocks to prevent flystrike — is a painful procedure widely practiced in Australia. Welfare-positive alternatives are increasingly available.

Key Facts

Australia produces about 90% of fine Merino wool, with mulesing practiced on most farms
Mulesing involves cutting large areas of skin without anesthesia causing significant acute pain
Flystrike, which mulesing aims to prevent, causes severe welfare harms including maggot infestation
Pain relief during mulesing is now mandatory in some Australian states
Non-mulesed wool certifications and breeding for less wrinkled skin offer alternatives

Welfare Considerations

Mulesing represents a painful solution to a real problem — Merino sheep bred for fine wool develop wrinkled skin that holds moisture and attracts blowfly egg-laying, causing painful flystrike. The welfare argument for mulesing is that it prevents a worse outcome, but this framing ignores that the underlying problem is a breeding choice that created vulnerability to flystrike. The welfare path forward involves both pain relief for mulesing when practiced and transition to breeds with smooth breech skin that do not require mulesing. Consumer demand for non-mulesed certified wool has driven significant industry change.

What You Can Do

Choose wool products certified as non-mulesed or from farms using pain relief
Support breeding programs developing flystrike-resistant Merino sheep
Ask woolen product brands about their mulesing policies
Advocate for mandatory pain relief for any mulesing until phaseout is complete