What is being done about phasing out mulesing?
The practice of Mulesing is to be phased out by 2010. Mulesing is named after an Australian stockman, Mr J H Mules, who invented and helped develop the procedure during the 1930s. Mulesing is the practice of cutting away folds of skin from below the sheep’s tail to prevent what is called fly strike. Flystrike is where blowflies lay their eggs in moist wool and flesh eating maggots create wounds, causing the sheep considerable pain, stress and suffering and, in many cases, death. The practice of Mulesing is to be phased out by 2010. To achieve this an alternative method must be found. Considerable research effort is being made to identify the best way to prevent fly strike without mulesing. Possibilities include chemical methods and breeding.
