Furore over mulesing
Wool continues to be one of Australia’s major industries but doesn’t get much mainstream news attention.
That’s a shame because like all industries there are issues, problems, challenges, successes and failures.
The fact growers have agreed to phase out mulesing by 2010 had escaped me. Mulesing involves surgically removing the skin around the sheep’s backside to prevent wool growth which reduces the risk of fly strike.
I’ve always been aware of the practice and never gave it much thought. It’s a vital part of animal husbandry, as far as I’m concerned. It’s important for the animal’s welfare to prevent flystrike.
Animal activists don’t see it that way. They have persuaded many fashion houses and the Swedish government that mulesing is abhorrent. Swedish consumers are being urged to boycott Australian wool.
What these do-gooders fail to appreciate is that alternatives to mulesing are still in the early stages of development.
It’s possible there won’t be a realistic alternative in place by 2010, which will leave millions of sheep susceptible to the agony of flystrike or death.
I’m surprised the industry has agreed to stop mulesing, but it sounds like growers had little choice given they were virtually blackmailed. Critics should now accept the 2010 transition date.
I'm a 41-year-old father of four working as a newspaper editor at Mount Gambier in South Australia.
March 14th, 2008 at 8:49 pm
None of the above. You’ve missed an option: that mulesing continues, until such time as there is an effective alternative that is more humane. You can’t say never, as that supposes there will never be a viable alternative. Changing now is clearly not suitable, due to the lack of such an alternative, and deciding now to change in 2010 when it does not appear as though there will be a viable alternative by that time is as senseless as changing now.
(Sorry; drive-by from a fellow Kalgoorlie resident *waves*)
March 15th, 2008 at 12:59 pm
You’re right Thia. I doubt the European fashion houses will see the logic of it though, *wave*