Livestock

Mulesing Alternatives: Welfare Beyond Australia

Mulesing — the surgical removal of skin folds from sheep breech areas — is still practiced in Australia to prevent flystrike. Alternatives exist and are increasingly viable, but adoption has been slow.

Key Facts

Mulesing involves cutting wool-bearing skin from around the breech area
It is performed without anaesthesia in most Australian operations
Over 70 million sheep are mulesed in Australia annually
Breeding for plain-bodied Merino sheep eliminates the need for mulesing
Pain relief use during mulesing has increased substantially since 2010

Welfare Considerations

Mulesing without pain relief causes acute and prolonged pain — studies show elevated cortisol and behavioural distress for 48-72 hours post-procedure. PETA and FOUR PAWS have campaigned for major wool brands to commit to mulesing-free sourcing. While genuinely mulesing-free wool remains limited in supply, selective breeding for plain-bodied sheep represents the most sustainable solution.

What You Can Do

Choose certified non-mulesed wool products where available
Support ZQ, Responsible Wool Standard or GOTS certified wool brands
Advocate for mandatory pain relief during any mulesing that still occurs
Back wool industry transition funding for plain-bodied Merino breeding
Engage with wool sourcing transparency reports from clothing brands