Blowfly strike is a severe welfare emergency in sheep, causing painful tissue destruction that kills animals within days if untreated, requiring prevention strategies and rapid response.
Sheep with blowfly strike experience intense pain from larval tissue destruction. The larvae release enzymes that liquefy flesh, and the smell of the wound attracts more flies, accelerating the process. Animals in the early stages show characteristic restlessness and wool-biting that experienced shepherds recognize, but the condition advances rapidly if not caught. Death from fly strike can occur within days in severe cases. The welfare imperative of preventing and rapidly treating fly strike requires vigilant, regular inspection of sheep that is labor-intensive but essential.