Researchers investigate new strategies to tackle flystrike in sheep
Press release
10 December 2007
Researchers from the Mackinnon Project, based at the Veterinary School in Werribee are participating in the development of a unique animal friendly technology to care for the health of sheep across the country. The project, funded by Australian Wool Innovation (AWI), is investigating a new clipping technique to assist wool producers in preventing breech strike.
Dr John Larsen, director of the Mackinnon Project, said that flystrike occurs when flies lay their eggs on the moist wool of sheep, the eggs hatch into maggots which irritate the skin to cause a wound leading to blood poisoning. Left untreated, the sheep can ultimately die. Flystrike is estimated to cost Australian sheep farmers more than $280 million each year.
Currently, the strategies that are used to make sheep less susceptible to flystrike include: surgical mulesing; ‘crutching’ (shearing the wool from around the breech area); breeding sheep with low-wrinkle skin, and using chemical fly-deterrents. However, the wool industry has made a commitment to international retailers to phase out surgical mulesing by the end of 2010. In making this decision, the wool industry asked AWI to fast-track the development of effective alternatives. As a result, AWI is heavily investing in the research and development of alternatives to surgical mulesing.
One such alternative is the new ‘clipping’ technique, which when combined with other strategies could become the overall package of measures that are used by graziers to reduce the effect of flystrike in the breech, allowing the phase-out of surgical mulesing.
Dr Larsen commented: “Four plastic clips are attached to the sheep’s skin around the breech and tail. The clips shut-off blood flow to the clipped skin, which quickly dies. After 10-12 days the clips and the skin fall off. Alternatively, the clips can be removed and recycled, and some can be reused.”
He said a national Product Development and Testing program is well underway to evaluate the performance of the clips. “Currently the Mackinnon Project team is helping co-ordinate trials with the clips across Victoria, on over 30 farms. In total, over 4500 sheep have had clips applied. This is part of a national series of trials involving over 200 farms. On each farm we are gathering data on how the clips work, how the treated sheep perform and on any management issues associated with the clip treatment.
“We will complete the research study in the new year, but early indications from the trials and other research show that there are a number of animal welfare benefits.”
Other alternatives to surgical mulesing that are being evaluated include intradermal ‘needle-less’ injection of compounds, and the critical long term breeding for breech-strike resistant sheep, which is being carried out by the industry’s stud merino breeders.
For further information please contact the Marketing Manager, Faculty of Veterinary Science, University of Melbourne, Tel: 8344 7844 or email: vet-communications@unimelb.edu.au