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Alternatives to mulesing

At present, mulesing is an essential part of sheep husbandry. That said, the wool industry is actively looking at other methods to prevent and control blowfly strike, including a non-surgical alternative.

Besides focusing on the source of the problem - the blowfly - by targeting a genetic weaknesses for new chemical and biological compounds as well as biocontrol of the blowflies (PDF 388KB), several alternatives to mulesing are being developed, including:

1. clips;
2. needleless intradermal injection; and
3. breeding.

1. Clips

The clips are attached to flaps of skin that would be removed during mulesing. The clip’s pressure on the flap of skin prevents blood flow to that part of the skin. The lack of blood supply causes the flap of skin to wither and both the clip and the skin flap typically fall off within a couple of weeks to leave a closed linear scar.

There is no open wound at any time during the process. Another benefit of the clip method is that the amount of skin “stretch” can be clearly seen during the process of applying the clips, making it easier to achieve the optimal bare breech result.

2. Needleless intradermal injection

The needle-free applicator delivers a measured dose of formulation 1mm into the skin - not through the skin, nor into the muscle. This causes necrosis (death of the skin cells) in the treated area. A bruise forms, followed by a scab which dries and falls off, leaving the stretched skin underneath.

3. Breeding

Sires with a possible genetic make-up that are completely wool free in the crutch and inner hind legs may hold the genetic keys to breeding animals that do not need to be either mulesed or crutched.

Stockholm’s indignation regarding mulesing is disingenuous. There are already moves afoot to replace mulesing with other procedures from 2011. What do the Swedes want to happen between now and 2011? For lambs to be denied mulesing and die a slow and mind-boggingly painful death? WA Farmers claim that PETA are breaking their agreement so as to promote synthetics. This seems highly likely.

However disingenous it may be, Sweden’s claim, if nothing else, is consistent with its historic preoccupation of pretending to be a high minded and principled nation, when it has been anything but.