Wool production involves welfare practices including shearing and, in some regions, mulesing. Understanding these practices helps consumers evaluate wool product welfare credentials.
Wool production welfare involves both the industry-wide practice of mulesing in Australian Merino production and the routine of shearing that affects all wool sheep. Mulesing causes acute pain from the surgical removal of breech skin and is performed without adequate pain relief in many operations. It was developed to prevent the serious welfare impact of flystrike in which blowfly larvae infest living tissue, causing severe suffering and death. Both outcomes represent serious welfare concerns and the industry is gradually moving toward alternatives. Shearing by skilled shearers with proper handling minimizes stress, but poor shearing practice causes cuts, unnecessary restriction, and excessive duration stress.