5-minute read
I generally avoid the news like the plague (theyâre equally as deadly!), but I happened to walk past a TV last week and saw Mulesing pop up. Attention grabbed!
Apparently mulesing is back in the headlines because the Australian Veterinary Association has changed its policy to support a "time-bound phase-out". The response from some peak bodies has been disappointing, to say the least. AgForce's line was that "genetic improvement takes time and cannot replace existing management tools in all circumstances."
I understand their caution, with plenty of their subscribers still mulesing.
But letâs be honest. Thatâs a copout. The genetics already exist. They're not rare. And flocks in every environment in Australia have stopped mulesing.
The industry has had time - decades even - to undertake "genetic improvement". The reason it hasn't is because of wishy washy statements like this that give an excuse not to change. Or convince people that it's too hard to.
Apparently unnecessary cruelty, wool premiums, the entire fashion industry complaining, and the tarnishing of our reputation as Aussie woolgrowers haven't been big enough incentives!
So I welcome a line in the sand to shake the industry up.
đ€Alright, rant overâŠ
If you're still mulesing, I get it. I don't blame you. You made the decisions that seemed best to you, with the information you were given.
You've probably been fed a load of fear and skepticism by people you trust who should know better - stud producers and agents.
So hear me out: shifting away from mulesing isn't as scary as you've been told and you can do it without losing production. In fact, you'll likely improve your bottom line as this change typically results in more lambs and less costs!
So hereâs what weâve learned about how to shift away from mulesing. And to do it (mostly) confidently.
Our own story
We didn't start out as a stud. And we had sheep with at least as much wrinkle as anyone else.
Dad started selecting plainer-bodied rams back in 1996 and made the call to stop mulesing entirely in 2006. It was a stressful year for him, worried that he had made the wrong decision.
But nothing happened. No fly storm. No dead sheep everywhere. Looking back, he reckons he could have stopped a couple of years earlier. But the fear had been drilled into him from the industry.
Less than ten years. 3 decades ago!
The genetics werenât cheap at the time.
These days $3,000-$4000 rams are the norm, but 20 years ago that was serious money that dad needed to spend to get rams that would do the job.
Thirty years ago, it was hard to find the right genetics. Today it isn't. The forward thinking sections of the merino industry have made huge genetic gains.
I'd argue it's realistic for many flocks to stop mulesing in a single cross. This of course depends on how wrinkly your flock is now, and how disciplined you are with ram selection.
But five years would be a walk in the park for anyone.
And donât listen to the traditional breeders saying that you will sacrifice fleece weight or fibre diameter. The research shows that you can lower strike risk while maintaining or improving wool and reproduction (links at the end of the article).
What to actually select for
In case it wasnât clear yet, the key to making the change is by changing your genetics.
AWI is working on a Fly Strike breeding value, which will make it super simple in the future. But for now (and probably even then), below I list the key traits to look for.
All these traits are scored on a 1-5 scale, with 1 being the best. So in each case, lower (more negative) numbers are best. Note that the numbers seem small, but the difference between a 0.0 and -0.7 for example is HUGE.
A scoring table for Breech Wrinkle, courtesy of neXtgen Agri's Visual Appraisal Guide
The numbers I've added below are just to give an idea of a "good" score - don't take them as a guarantee for your context. Some people will need less negative, and some more negative values. What works for you will depend on:
-How wrinkly your current sheep are,
-How quickly you want to transition,
-How much fly pressure in your area.
đȘÂ Low (-0.7) EBWR (breech wrinkle). This is the big one, getting rid of the wrinkle that creates nice homes for maggots.
đ©Â Low (-0.3) LDAG (dag score). Just as important if dag is an issue in your environment.
đ Low (-0.4) EBCOV (breech cover). Arguably a bit less critical than the two above, but still important. These sheep naturally have bare areas around the breech.
âȘ Low (-0.5) LCOL (wool colour) & Low (-0.25) LFROT (fleece rot). If fleece rot or yellowing wool is an issue for you, this prevents another fly attractant.
Then layer your usual production and quality traits on top of that. You don't have to sacrifice these.
You probably couldn't go too wrong with a ram like the one above from our upcoming sale.
Managing the transition
If youâre just transitioning, you will need to be a little more proactive with timing of shearing and crutching ahead of your worst fly-pressure months.
While the only treatment we do now is Clik on the lambâs tail at marking, it's not unreasonable to give one extra treatment for peace of mind in your first couple years.
Beyond that, donât forget the genetics from your ewes! Cull the wrinkliest sheep, the daggiest sheep, and anything that still gets flystruck.
Still hesitant? Start small
Change IS scary. If you're still fearful, start small to build confidence. Buy one ram that will help you go mules free, join him to one mob of ewes, and don't mules that one mob. See what happens.
Or find someone nearby who has done it and ask them how they did it in your local area.
Why it's worth doing regardless of a deadline
This isn't just about getting ahead of a phase-out date. Wool buyers have been calling for this for decades. Plenty of major brands have already committed to non-mulesed wool, and that's not slowing down. Granted they are fickle, but premiums for non mulesed wool exist.
And once you're through the transition, it's less work. We haven't jetted a sheep in years. The only treatment is that bit of clik on the tail wound. It's what we are all about.
Sheep that work for you, not make work for you.
The genetics are there, the management tools and assistance are readily available. The only thing that needs to change for most people still mulesing is their mindset (and maybe their ram stud).
If you need more info to help you change, the AVA policy update page is actually very sensible - though a bit dry to read through.
Or if you want to talk it through a bit more, give us a call or flick us an email. Happy to help you out!
rams@rissmerino.com.au.
0431071766
Reference articles:
https://connectsci.au/an/