Farm Animal Welfare

Sheep Wool Mulesing Alternatives

Alternatives to mulesing for flystrike prevention in Merino sheep are available and growing in commercial viability, enabling phase-out of this painful procedure.

Key Facts

Mulesing involves cutting away skin around the breech of Merino lambs without anaesthesia
The procedure causes acute pain and takes weeks to heal; it is banned in New Zealand
Alternatives include targeted breeding for bare-breeched sheep, chemical and mechanical fly protection, and NWAP treatments
Major brands including Zara and H and M have committed to non-mulesed wool sourcing
Australian wool industry faces significant commercial pressure to phase out mulesing

Welfare Considerations

Mulesing causes predictable, intense pain to millions of lambs annually; with viable alternatives available, continued use is difficult to justify ethically.

What You Can Do

Choose wool products from non-mulesed sources or Responsible Wool Standard certified farms
Ask brands about their mulesing policy before purchasing wool products
Support campaigns for Australian mulesing phase-out and welfare-alternative adoption