Farm Nooz: no sheep ass-cutting

[IowaStatePhiPsi]

Long url

Sydney - An apparent genetic mutation that has left some Australian sheep with bare backsides could provide an alternative to the controversial practise of mulesing that has outraged global animal rights groups.

US animal rights group People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) has called for a worldwide boycott of Australian wool over mulesing, where folds of skin are cut away from a lamb's backside so that a bald area develops.

This prevents the potentially fatal flystrike, where maggots hatch and burrow into the skin. Accumulations of urine and faeces in wool attract blowflies, leading to flystrike.

But hope for an alternative to the painful and controversial practise has arisen after the discovery of sheep with naturally wool-free behinds at the Calcookara Stud farm on the Eyre Peninsula in South Australia.

A nation which prides itself as being built on the sheep's back
"We believe this will change the entire industry," said Peter Swan, genetics and wool quality programme manager for Australian Wool Innovation (AWI).

"Contamination of the wool has been a large problem, so if we can breed this trait successfully it would stop the urine staining of wool. It will stop the flies and the need for mulesing," he told Reuters.

Fourth-generation wool farmers Niel and Pat Smith first spotted the trait in their Calcookara sheep in 2002. They said their first reaction was that they would be unable to show their prize rams for judging.

But what was initially a concern for the Smiths could be a revolutionary development for a billion-dollar industry in a nation which prides itself as being built on the sheep's back.

"No commercial farmer likes mulesing. It is a horrible thing but it's far crueller to just leave them for the flies to take hold," Niel Smith told Reuters.

Out of 2 000 Calcookara sheep, about 200 ewes have bare bums, while the Smiths say their rams Cojak and Garrett are showing the best of the bald-behind trait.

Swan said it seemed that the trait occurred naturally and that the wool quality had not been affected.

Scientists from the University of Adelaide and the AWI used sperm and eggs from the Smiths' bare-bum sheep to create embryos from which the first batch of lambs were born earlier this month.

"All of the Smiths' sheep have been mulesed in the past. The key now is to see if we leave the progeny unmulesed, do they get flystrike or not?" Swan told Reuters.

Industry officials say chemical dipping is an alternative to mulesing to prevent flystrike but is less desirable because it is a short-term solution and can leave residues in wool.

Australia has roughly 100-million sheep, Smith said. Official forecasts have put the total value of wool exports for 2004/05 at A$2.5b (R12b). Live sheep exports in calendar 2004 were worth $229 million.

Had a bit of a time finding a non- PETA/An lib/etc crazy group page on museling, but here's from Aussies own goverment

NSW Department of Primary Industries

Standard Operating Procedures - sheep
Mulesing
8 March 2004

Ref Code: SHE13
Category

Teaching - 3 (Instructor : student ratio 1:3)

Research - 4
Objective

To remove excess skin from the breech area of sheep as an aid in controlling fly-strike.
Alternatives to animal use for teaching

Video presentation
Details of Procedure

Mulesing may be carried out up to 12 months of age, but preferably at lamb marking in order to provide protection against breech and tail strike as early as possible in the life of the sheep and to confer lifetime protection. If not done then, it may be delayed to weaning or later. It will then be necessary to crutch before operating. Avoid mulesing if sheep are in very poor condition (e.g. drought) and avoid periods when bush flies (Musca spp.) are prevalent - they delay healing and render wounds attractive for L. cuprina (sheep blowfly).

The standard mules operation takes a "V" of wool-bearing skin extending one-third of the length of the tail, which is docked below the third palpable joint.
Drugs, chemicals or biological agents

Insecticide dressing if flies are prevalent, applied according to label directions.

Disinfectant should be available to ensure that instruments are kept clean.
Impact of procedure on the wellbeing of animals

While the operation causes some pain, it provides lifelong protection against flystrike.
Reuse and repeated use

One sheep per treatment.
Care of animal(s) during/after the procedure:

Normal sheep husbandry procedures.
Pain relief measures

No pre- or post-operative pain relief measures are used, however the trauma of operation can be minimised by following the recommended guidelines.
Qualifications, experience or training necessary to perform this procedure

Mulesing is a skilled surgical task where lambs should be handled with care at every stage. Demonstrations should only be carried out by mulesing contractors accredited by the Livestock Contractors Association.

I had no idea about museling till now. It does seem pretty barbaric, but so is the castration.

Years ago sheep never had to have their wool cut, we bred them for long hairs, so we kind of developed the problem.. nice to see the problem may be bred out with these bald-ass sheep.

[Kevin]

It keeps them from dieing.

But whatever. We're talking about sheep. They're good for two things -- wool and meat.

Other than that, who cares?