Mulesing - surgical removal of skin folds around a sheep's rear to prevent flystrike - is a painful but widely used practice in Australia with alternatives under development.
Mulesing presents a genuine welfare trade-off - the acute pain of the procedure versus the risk of flystrike, which causes severe welfare harm and potentially death. The ethical response is not to simply ban mulesing without ensuring flystrike protection is in place, but to accelerate development and adoption of effective alternatives. Pain relief during and after mulesing is achievable and should be standard. Selective breeding for plain body Merinos that are less susceptible to flystrike, combined with effective chemical prevention and close monitoring, provides a long-term path away from mulesing without compromising flystrike welfare outcomes.