Mulesing Sheep: What Is Mulesing? Is New Alternative More Humane?

What is mulesing? “It involves surgically removing the skin around the breech (backside) to prevent wool growth.”

This article talks about an alternative to conventional mulesing that may help to address some of the issues associated with mulesing. For more about sheep and mulesing see: http://www.savethesheep.com/animals.asp


Article:

Mulesing: taking out the pain

http://kadina.yp-connect.net/~ypct/farming/06/08/08/1.html

Journalist: Ros White

With the Federal Government now demanding pain relief for mulesed lambs, global firm Bayer has launched a powerful anaesthetic, Tri-Solfen, for use in mulesing sheep, developed by paediatrician Dr Meredith Sheil at Westmead Children's Hospital in Sydney.

"This product solves so many problems for the Australian farming community," said Australian Wool Growers Association Chairman Martin Oppenheimer.

"With no alternative to mulesing in sight, Tri-Solfen means we can continue this vital procedure and satisfy international consumers and the community.

"Wool producers are very concerned about retailers who are under pressure from animal rights groups. I won't have to persuade producers to use Solfen, the market will do that.

"As well as relieving pain, the anaesthetic promotes healing, improving mobility and feeding, results in better mothering up, and allows growers to produce ethically treated wool."

Dr Sheil, who treats surgical and trauma wounds, and is herself a sheep producer, and head of research and development for the local start-up, Animal Ethics, said she developed the pain relief product Tri-Solfen, which can be sprayed on, after accusations of cruelty were levelled against Australian producers by foreign animal welfare groups.

Mr Oppenheimer said it was a great step forward for the sheep and wool industry, a tool which can be seen to be doing a better job in the eyes of international consumers and retailers.

"It is practical, cost effective - at around 30 cents per lamb - and has no OH&S issues.

"It is available from veterinarians and is easy to apply - sheep producers can administer it themselves.

"Hopefully, the benefits will be appreciated by producers. To date, the uptake has been very good, with 600,000 sheep treated, so the product has been well proven."

Why mules?

The practice of mulesing is named after an Australian stockman, J. H. Mules, who invented and helped develop the procedure during the 1930s.

Scientific studies show mulesing and tail docking are the most practical, effective and humane methods of flystrike prevention available to Australian woolgrowers. It eliminates almost all flystrike in sheep.

According to AWI, it is a vital part of sheep animal husbandry, particularly in reference to Merinos.

It involves surgically removing the skin around the breech (backside) to prevent wool growth which reduces the risk of flystrike.

The RSPCA and the Australian Veterinary Association accept the practice as a necessary sheep husbandry procedure, although RSPCA President Dr Hugh Wirth wants all surgical farm animal procedures, including mulesing, dehorning and spaying, to be done under anaesthetic.

He argued recently it was high time Australians followed Europe's lead.

"The time has come to take that intermediate step from what we do now towards what Europeans do under anaesthetic," he said.

"And only those with qualifications and experience should be conducting surgical animal husbandry procedures."

But such a policy would require a massive training program, and with labour shortages in the bush he admits this would inhibit such a policy.

Australia's commitment to animal welfare and best practice mulesing methods has been given a boost with the successful start of the National Mulesing Accreditation Program (NMAP), with 74 people gaining accreditation in its first four weeks, with a 50/50 split of contractors and wool producers. The program is being delivered by Kondinin Group in conjunction with Livestock Contractors Association.

Australian Wool Innovation (AWI) is also investigating a number of promising alternatives to surgical mulesing in the lead-up to the industry's self-imposed deadline of the practice in 2010.

Protein treatment

AWI has invested about $700,000 to date in research to develop a non-surgical alternative, including $400,000 on the University of Adelaide protein treatment project, and has committed another $3 million over the next three years.

The treatment involves the injection of a naturally-occurring protein just under the skin. The protein disrupts the normal structure of the skin and after a few days the wool simply falls out.

As the area heals the skin tightens and shrinks, removing the skin folds.

The new method will involve no surgery and has no side effects.

However, the technology is not likely to be available for several years.

Absolute necessity

According to Yorke Peninsula shearing contractor Paul Michelmore, mulesing is an absolute necessity.

"There is nothing worse or more cruel than to see a sheep with flystrike. They die a slow and cruel death," he said.

"Mulesing is done only once and, with regular crutching, the sheep will be pretty right. Sheep which haven't been mulesed are also more difficult to crutch because of the skin wrinkles and it is difficult not to prick them or stab then in the behind.

"No farmer thinks 'I want to be cruel to my sheep today so I think I will get them in and cut some arses'.

"Cruelty is when pain is inflicted deliberately for no reason, not when you are setting out to prevent something more cruel happening.

"It is cruelty not to mules and have sheep die from flystrike."

Writhing, wreathing maggots

Rose Allen, of Allenville Merino Stud, said they have never lost a sheep from mulesing.

Documented studies have shown mulesing does not cause long-term distress to the animals, and is only endured once by each sheep.

"If it is performed correctly, using the right instruments, in clean conditions, there are no problems. We use a very capable contractor, who uses antiseptic, although wool has its own natural antiseptic in the lanolin, and the sheep heal very quickly," Rose explained.

Annette Allen, who runs the stud with her mother, said the antiseptic wound dressing they sprayed on the lambs immediately after the procedure was a totally natural product which aided in keeping the breech area clean.

"We wouldn't use the new anaesthetic spray as I don't see a problem with mulesing. It is not a job I enjoy, but I have to do it."

Rose said, "We mules the lambs at around six to eight weeks of age and after a couple of days they are trotting around as if nothing has happened.

"There is no pain comparison to this practice with seeing a sheep being eaten alive by writhing, wreathing maggots!"

Under an agreement between Australian wool producers and the activist group People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA), mulesing is to be phased out by 2010.

As to this self-imposed AWI date to replace the practice, Rose says it is a case of the industry trying to inflict its ideas on producers, many of whom may be unaware of the imposition date.

"It doesn't give the industry much time to have an effective alternative in place," she said.

Mr Oppenheimer said there may be producers who are unaware of the date, and if there are not cost-effective alternative methods by that date, mulesing will continue to be used. The use of Tri-Solfen, however, will give producers an opportunity to sell ethically grown wool on the international market and in the long-term, reap the financial benefits.