- Jan 7, 2002
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A row has been taking place in Australia over a controversial farming practice, where skin is sheared from sheep to protect them from maggot infestation.
Animal rights campaigners Peta believe mulesing is extremely cruel
Twelve months ago, most Australians had not heard of a sheep-farming procedure known as "mulesing".
But now thanks to a row between the world's largest animal rights organisation, People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (Peta) and Australian wool growers, they have been brought up to speed pretty quickly.
Mulesing is named after John Mules, who developed the practice in the 1930s as a way to prevent what is known as "flystrike".
This occurs when blowflies lay eggs in the folds of skin around the sheep's back side. When this happens, the hatched maggots can eat the sheep alive.
Cutting off the loose flesh leaves an area of smooth, wool-free skin, which prevents maggot infestations.
The procedure is carried out using metal shears and no pain killers. But Ian McLachlan of Australian Wool Innovation, the industry's research group, said: "It's short-term pain for lifelong immunity and stops the sheep being eaten alive."
During the mulesing operation, there is no outward sign the sheep are in distress, but according to Temple Grantin, Professor of Animal Science at Colorado State University: "Sheep are a prey species animal, and they tend to cover up the fact that they're hurt.
"They don't want to advertise to all the dingoes out there that they're injured."
"[But] if you go in and measure the sheep's stress hormones, they're off the charts."
Mulesing first came to the attention of US-based Peta last year when it saw a video of a sheep being mulesed.
One billboard showing graphic footage of a mulesing operation so shocked New Yorkers that it had to be taken down.
"Did your sweater cause a bloody butt?" ran the slogan, "Boycott Australian wool".
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/programmes/crossing_continents/4699931.stm
Warning: PIC NSFW: Text
Animal rights campaigners Peta believe mulesing is extremely cruel
Twelve months ago, most Australians had not heard of a sheep-farming procedure known as "mulesing".
But now thanks to a row between the world's largest animal rights organisation, People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (Peta) and Australian wool growers, they have been brought up to speed pretty quickly.
Mulesing is named after John Mules, who developed the practice in the 1930s as a way to prevent what is known as "flystrike".
This occurs when blowflies lay eggs in the folds of skin around the sheep's back side. When this happens, the hatched maggots can eat the sheep alive.
Cutting off the loose flesh leaves an area of smooth, wool-free skin, which prevents maggot infestations.
The procedure is carried out using metal shears and no pain killers. But Ian McLachlan of Australian Wool Innovation, the industry's research group, said: "It's short-term pain for lifelong immunity and stops the sheep being eaten alive."
During the mulesing operation, there is no outward sign the sheep are in distress, but according to Temple Grantin, Professor of Animal Science at Colorado State University: "Sheep are a prey species animal, and they tend to cover up the fact that they're hurt.
"They don't want to advertise to all the dingoes out there that they're injured."
"[But] if you go in and measure the sheep's stress hormones, they're off the charts."
Mulesing first came to the attention of US-based Peta last year when it saw a video of a sheep being mulesed.
One billboard showing graphic footage of a mulesing operation so shocked New Yorkers that it had to be taken down.
"Did your sweater cause a bloody butt?" ran the slogan, "Boycott Australian wool".
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/programmes/crossing_continents/4699931.stm
Warning: PIC NSFW: Text
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