R&D update

Industry set to move on to a new era in flystrike management

14 July 2008

The wool industry is on track and prepared to move away from mulesing by the end of 2010, according to AWI chairman Brian van Rooyen.

He said objectives of the company’s breech blowfly strike control program included delivering new technologies and management systems, facilitating their adoption by woolgrowers and improving animal welfare outcomes.

“The success of this program, in retail market terms, will benefit a large proportion of Australian woolgrowers and all supply chain stakeholders,” he said.

“Market demand factors and improved grower awareness of retail realities will see this trend accelerate nationally during next year.”

A national market research study by the WA Department of Agriculture and Food in February demonstrated a marked swing away from mulesing among woolgrowers in all states.

The research study canvassed feedback from 1410 sheep producers. Analysis included:

  • 32 per cent of all lambs born in Australia this year would remain un-mulesed
  • 11.5 per cent of the Australian wool clip would be from non-mulesed sheep in 2008

Mr van Rooyen said that, while these figures include prime lambs, they represent a significant on-farm change in just a couple of years and that woolgrowers are proactively phasing out mulesing.

He said there can be no single ‘silver bullet’ outcome for the management of flystrike in commercial sheep flocks in Australia before the 2010 industry deadline.

“AWI recognises that circumstances for each farm differ and we are working to provide growers with a range of options from which to choose,” he said.

AWI R&D efforts are focused on:

  • Breeding and selecting flystrike resistant sheep
  • Clips which restrict blood supply to skin areas normally mulesed
  • Improved animal health and husbandry practices
  • Intradermal injections

“In the medium term, it is likely the final solution to blowfly strike control will be through the breeding and selection of smooth skinned, wrinkle-free sheep which deny egg laying flies an attractive habitat.

“We believe Clips will provide woolgrowers, the supply chain and consumers with an early and acceptable alternative in 2009 when poly and biodegradable Clips are programmed for commercialisation.”