Sheep

Induced cryptorchidism (or crimping) involves applying a rubber ring to a male animal’s scrotum so that the testes are held against the abdomen. This increases the testicular temperature which results in the animal becoming infertile while still producing the male hormone testosterone.

Sheep, especially Merinos, have woolly wrinkles and folds around the tail and breech area which attract blowflies and may become infested with maggots (flystrike). Sheep farmers have traditionally used mulesing to reduce flystrike risk.

The permanent housing of sheep in a single pen for the purpose of fine wool production was effectively banned in the Australian Animal Welfare Standards and Guidelines for Sheep.

Mass killing, or the killing of large numbers of farmed animals, is at times required in the event of an emergency animal disease outbreak to control and prevent further spread of the disease.

The National Wool Declaration (NWD) is a voluntary declaration made by Australian wool growers about the mulesing status of the sheep who produced the wool they are selling at auction.