2007 News
Clips assist welfare
5 November 2007
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A comprehensive animal welfare assessment provides significant support for the use of the breech and tail clips as an alternative to mulesing.
Director of the Animal Welfare Science Centre, the University of Melbourne’s Professor Paul Hemsworth, says he has assessed the animal welfare aspects of the breech and tail clips over the last two years.
“The Centre has conducted two separate studies of mulesed, clipped and no-treatment lambs: the first focused on the behavioural responses and the second study focused on behavioural, physiological and fitness effects to examine the biological functioning of the lambs,” he said.
“Under appropriate and scientifically-accepted methodology, we assessed the behavioural and physiological responses as well as fitness effects, such as growth and health to gain an insight to the welfare aspects of the clips.”
The Animal Welfare Science Centre and Professor Hemsworth specialise in studying the behaviour and welfare of farm and companion animals, particularly examining the influence of the social and physical environment on farm animal behaviour and welfare, and the influence of human-animal interactions on animal welfare and productivity.
Professor Hemsworth says the key conclusion is that “The clip treatment has only a mild impact on the biology of lambs and thus the welfare risks are considered relatively minor.”
Professor Hemsworth also noted that the lambs treated with clips often responded in a similar manner to those in the ‘control’ treatment – in which lambs were held in a mulesing cradle for the same time as clipped animals, but not mulesed.
AWI Project Manager Blowfly Control, Ian Evans, says the animal welfare assessment is a valuable addition to the information being built-up on the potential role of the breech and tail clips as they move towards commercialisation.
“The Australian wool industry has a compact with international retailers to develop alternatives to mulesing by December 31, 2010,” said Mr Evans.
“Our ongoing on-farm evaluations show the clips are working towards achieving a similar net effect to that of conventional surgical mulesing for control of breech fly-strike across a range of production areas, sheep types and farm operations.”
“This research from Professor Hemsworth and his team confirms our on-farm observations that the clips have only a relatively minor risk from an animal welfare perspective.
He adds there are some additional beneficial aspects of the clips.
“The research data on weight change also reflects on-farm findings that clipped lambs have a weight gain advantage over mulesed lambs."
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Ian Evans says the research also assists the wool industry to keep on-track to meet its obligations under the compact with international retailers.
“We have developed an alternative to mulesing product which is working. In addition, we have a product which meets world-class animal welfare standards.”
AWI is continuing its national breech and tail clip product development and testing program. So far, clips have been applied to lambs on more than 150 properties.