Around 70 million sheep are shorn for their wool in Australia each year¹. The local wool industry is worth billions, with around 345 million kilos produced annually, which go on to be worn by shoppers¹. But the truth behind wool production is not always as cosy as you might think. So, what questions do we need to be asking and what do we need to know?

Australian Merino sheep have been selectively bred over decades to grow more and finer wool, through developing excess skin to provide more surface area for wool growth. However, these excess skin folds, known as 'wrinkles', become a hotspot for blowflies. The folds retain moisture, creating a damp environment, especially around the hindquarter where urine and faeces accumulate — creating a perfect breeding ground for blowfly eggs and maggots.²

This issue can result in a painful condition known as ‘flystrike’. If left untreated, flystrike can be lethal for the sheep. Unfortunately, the widely practiced solution in Australia — mulesing — falls far short of the welfare standards upheld by other wool-producing countries that have banned this archaic and barbaric procedure.

So, what exactly is mulesing? Mulesing involves restraining lambs, usually between 6 and 10 weeks old, on their backs on a metal cradle. This immobilisation prevents them from escaping while sharp shears, akin to garden shears, are used to cut away large sections of their skin and flesh around their tails. 

The result is the growth of wool free scar tissue, which doesn’t attract flies (so long as it heals properly). Despite industry rhetoric, this is done without sufficient pain management³, subjecting the lambs to excruciating stress and suffering⁴.

Over 10 million lambs undergo mulesing annually, subjecting them to acute pain that persists for days, while the healing process takes weeks⁶. Despite claims that 75% of mulesed lambs receive what the industry likes to promote as ‘pain relief’⁷, a closer look reveals that most are treated with a topical solution, Tri-Solfen, applied post-mutilation. In essence, lambs endure the full extent of the procedure without adequate pain management⁸.

A 2022 wool producer survey disclosed that less than one out of ten farmers surveyed are administering a local anaesthetic in conjunction with an analgesic during mulesing, which is the best available combination of pain relief⁵. Even with this available ‘best practice’ approach, there is next to no pain relief during the procedure and only partial relief after the procedure, given that all the pain relief is even applied properly in the first place.

Recent investigative footage shared by Collective Fashion Justice in 2022 and 2023 exposes the distressing reality behind mulesing, even with pain relief.

^{Viewer discretion is advised: The footage contains distressing content that may be difficult to watch.}

The survey, furthermore, pointed out that there is confusion about the different available pain relief products, leaving room for ineffective applications and more pain. Wool Producers Australia, a key representative body of Australian sheep farmers pride themselves for having a ‘progressive policy’ aligning with the newest animal welfare science the ‘Five Domains model’ while supporting mulesing with mandatory pain relief⁹. However, a true understanding of the latest animal welfare science, the Five Domains model, would call for an urgent shift away from mulesing, not just some form of inadequate pain management becoming mandatory¹⁰.

While some growers will be using pain relief meaningfully, suggesting that its use alongside mulesing should remain in the future of the wool industry and without defining a clear end date to the practice, is simply a ploy to retain its social licence.

The pain-free alternative is the transition to more flystrike-resistant sheep breeds – known as ‘smooth’ or ‘plain’ bodies, instead of ‘wrinkly’ sheep. According to wool growers who have transitioned and stopped mulesing, the change generally takes around 3-5 years. Therefore, FOUR PAWS alongside other animal protection organisations, will never be satisfied with the continuation of mulesing even with some form of pain management, and are calling for the industry to end the practice. During the interim period, every effort should be taken to minimise suffering, as we work towards eradicating mulesing completely.

Not convinced yet? Our Wear it Kind team was able to recently visit woolgrowers on the ground in New South Wales who have transitioned to flystrike resistant breeding. These farmers shared insights, revealing that overbred Merino sheep can carry up to 15 kg of excess skin, a considerable burden. According to their experiences switching to flystrike-resistant breeding not only alleviates this weight but also brings several benefits to the growers, including higher survival rates for lambs and ewes, improved birthing success, enhanced bonding between newborn lambs and mothers, and more efficient feed conversion for a positive environmental impact. Explore our grower case studies for more details^{(1, 2)}.

Sign our petition to protect lambs from mulesing, and check out the brands that have signed our Brand Letter of Intent – committing to and calling for an end to the practice. 

If you are a professional and want your brand to be a voice for compassion, sign our open brand letter today and be part of the movement.