Removal of fleece and wool around the breech area (dagging/crutching) prevents flystrike but involves handling and equipment use that affects sheep welfare.
Dagging and crutching are necessary welfare interventions - preventing flystrike is far more important than the stress of the procedure itself. However, the way these procedures are performed significantly affects sheep stress. Well-handled sheep in appropriate restraint, with sharp equipment and skilled operators, experience brief, manageable stress. Poorly handled sheep pinned aggressively with dull equipment experience unnecessary additional suffering on top of the unavoidable procedure. Training stockpersons in low-stress handling and restrain techniques, and maintaining sharp equipment, minimizes welfare cost of these essential preventive procedures.