While the industry remains focused on the commitment to phase out mulesing by 2010, less attention is being paid to the various undertakings to promote animal welfare in the meantime.
These include expanding accreditation for mulesers and fast-tracking interim measures to ensure animal welfare continues to be an absolute priority. Currently, mulesing and tail docking remain the most effective ways of dealing with blowfly strike around the breech. However, research into alternatives is continuing.
WHAT CAN YOU DO NOW?
Accreditation. As part of the commitment, the industry agreed that mulesing contractors would be accreditated by December 2006, and woolgrowers who do their own mulesing by December 2008. This ensures that mulesing is undertaken with uniform, best practice animal welfare standards. The National Mulesing Assurance Program (NMAP) was launched by AWI and WoolProducers in early 2006 and has accredited more than 600 participants covering a range of issues from shear sharpening to post-operative management strategies.
Pain relief. There is currently a product to apply post-mulesing that provides extended pain relief, helps to prevent blood loss and improves healing. RSPCA Australia has said it sees the mulesing pain relief spray as a positive interim measure but still strongly supports the complete phase-out of mulesing and replacement of mulesing with other approaches to managing flystrike in Australian sheep. Recently, the US National Retailer Federation (NRF) endorsed Bayer’s Better Choices program, which addresses all issues of merino lamb management, including the options for pain relief at mulesing. NRF Vice-President and International Trade Counsel Erik Autor said, “We also acknowledge progress on the development for the commercial market of new, efficacious, widely available and easily administered analgesics in fulfilment of Point 6 of the Declaration of Commitments.
Researchers are also looking at pre-mulesing pain relief options.
The CSIRO recently released a study co-authored by CSIRO Livestock Industries scientists, David Paull, Dr Caroline Lee, Dr Ian Colditz, Dr Steve Atkinson and Dr Andrew Fisher. According to Dr Fisher, "Lambs that received the analgesic carprofen 90 minutes before mulesing, combined with a proprietary local anaesthetic spray, exhibited fewer of the pain responses we expect to see following mulesing, such as hunched backs and stiff walking. Most significantly they showed much lower levels of cortisol in their blood than lambs treated other ways."
MULESING ALTERNATIVES
The AWI is looking at alternatives that deal with flystrike through treatment of the breech area.
Needle-less Intradermal injectables. Expected to be trialled this year, this works by causing the treated skin to die, form a scab and fall off. One of the issues is that more than 20 shots have been needed to cover the required area. Private R&D Company, Cobbett Technologies Pty Ltd, is also working on an intradermal formulation, which uses an anionic surfactant (used in domestic shampoo) to destroy the skin in the treated area.
Clips. A single plastic clip is applied to the skin on either side of the breech and to the tail. This causes the skin to wither and die, falling off after a period of weeks. They are quick to apply, do not create an open wound and cause minimal discomfort. A controlled release of the clips is planned for later this year. Some growers have expressed concern about the clips falling off in the paddock, and that animals may also rub them off. In December 2006, the RSPCA indicated it favoured the injectable mulesing agent as it is concerned about the level of pain inflicted by the clips.
THE FUTURE
The AWI is also supporting programs into longer term solutions, which include:
Genetics. This involves exploiting a possible genetic mutation where the crutch and inner hind legs are completely wool-free. Similarly, the possibility of breeding breech-strike resistant sheep through gradual improvement is being investigated.
Improved parasite management. Overcoming resistance to Insect Growth Regulator chemicals, including improved management to limit resistance and identifying alternative chemical classes.
Biocontrol of blowfiles. This includes looking at a worm that invades flies and kills them, and a fungus that attacks insects and kills them.
Stock and Land (May 10, 2007) reported that a Victorian woolgrower, Len Love, believes European wasps are dramatically reducing the population of blowflies, namely lucilia caprina – the fly responsible for flystrike in sheep – and has noticed a massive drop in the frequency of flystrike on his property. The article also quoted NSW Agriculture entomologist, Garry Levot, saying while the European wasp does predate on all blowfly species, it was unlikely to be having a significant impact on blowfly numbers.
Blowfly genome project. The AWI is conducting a long-term program, the Blowfly Genome Project, which aims to identify any weaknesses in the insect to enable specific chemicals to be developed to target these.
WHERE DO WE GO FROM HERE?
Even if alternatives to mulesing are found, growers have expressed concern about the management issues of expecting the entire Australian flock to move to a new system within a very tight time frame. Issues such as training and implementation must be addressed.
And the debate is far from over. A recent Farm OnLine poll showed that 54.5% of respondents did not believe that the wool industry will meet its 2010 deadline to phase out mulesing.
The commitment to phase out mulesing and develop interim solutions was made by the Australian Wool and Sheep Industry Taskforce. This group was established to provide a united, coordinated voice for the industry to communicate with key stakeholder groups. The decision was taken in order to retian the support of international retailers and processors. Taskforce members include:
• National Farmers’ Federation
• WoolProducers Australia
• Sheepmeat Council of Australia
• The Woolmark Company
• Australian Wool Innovation
• Meat & Livestock Australia
• Federation of Australian Wool Organisations
• Australian Livestock Exporter’s Council
• LiveCorp
• AWGA
Australian Wool Innovation did not vote on the commitment but is responsible for finding alternatives to current mulesing practices.