Livestock Fly Strike Prevention | Animal Welfare Hub

Blowfly strike in sheep and other livestock causes extreme suffering; effective prevention through a combination of management, treatment, and genetic selection is essential.

Key Facts

Blowfly strike affects an estimated 3 million sheep in the UK annually, causing significant welfare and production losses
Strike occurs when blowflies lay eggs in soiled wool or wounds, with maggots feeding on living tissue
Affected sheep show characteristic posturing, self-biting, and progressive tissue destruction
Prevention includes dagging (removing soiled wool), insecticide application, and wound management
Weather conditions that favor fly activity are changing with climate, potentially increasing strike risk

Welfare Considerations

Blowfly strike causes intense suffering: maggots feeding on living flesh cause tissue destruction, secondary infection, and systemic toxemia. Advanced cases are fatal if untreated. The suffering is acute and extreme, and affected animals require immediate veterinary intervention. Prevention is the primary welfare strategy: maintaining clean fleeces, removing soiled wool promptly, treating wounds, and applying preventive insecticides during peak fly season. Genetic selection for breech wrinkle reduction (including polled low-wrinkle Merino types) reduces strike susceptibility without requiring mulesing.

What You Can Do

Support farms with documented flystrike prevention and monitoring programs
Choose wool from farms with active flystrike management systems
Advocate for flystrike risk assessment to be included in sheep welfare auditing
Learn about integrated flystrike management approaches as an informed wool consumer