Trends in mulesing, tail docking and castration practices of Australian woolgrowers: Results of the 2021 AWI Merino Husbandry Practices Survey

Abstract

<p><b>Background</b> <p>Australian Wool Innovation Limited (AWI) commissioned this project to undertake a deep dive into the mulesing, tail docking and castration practices of Australian woolgrowers as reported by the AWI 2021 Merino Husbandry Practices Survey (2021AWI-MHPS). This desktop review of the 2021AWI-MHPS will present an interpretation of the survey results, discuss associations between demographics and their husbandry practices, and compare the results with other relevant woolgrower surveys and the National Wool Declaration (NWD) data. Recommendations will be provided on whether more detailed analyses are required of data sets to better understand woolgrower practices.</p> <p><b>Methods</b> <p>Desktop review of the AWI 2021 Merino Husbandry Practices Survey as conducted by Kynetec and presentation of survey results including by demographic groups where appropriate. Compare the AWI 2021 Merino Husbandry Practices Survey with other relevant industry surveys.</p> <p><b>Summary of findings</b> <p>Comparing farmer surveys The survey methodology for the AWI 2021 Merino Husbandry Practices Survey was sound. A large difference between respondents with small flocks and larger flocks for percentage mulesing caused a reduction in the overall weighted percentage of respondents mulesing lambs compared with the unweighted percentage. The most recent prior survey in 2020 (AWI 2020 Wool Industry Profile), also found a reduction in the percentage using mulesing in lambs compared with earlier surveys. It is possible that these two numbers indicate the start of a downward trend in the use of mulesing by Australian woolgrowers. However, further data is needed to determine if this trend reflects a true trend in the Australian wool industry as a whole. Future farmer surveys and the National Wool Declaration could provide a clearer picture.</p> <p>National Wool Declaration v farmer surveys The National Wood Declaration (NWD) reports the percentage of bales of wool sold through the Australian Wool Exchange (AWEX), whilst recent farmer surveys report on woolgrower practices. As a result, the percentage of mulesed bales of wool reported through the NWD and mulesing percentages from farmer surveys cannot be directly compared. Furthermore, larger woolgrowers are significantly more likely to mules their lambs and this will have a disproportionate effect on the number of mulesed wool bales sold through AWEX. However, further analysis of the NWD data using identifying information such as client ID or Australian Business Number may enable the calculation of percentage of woolgrowers who mules, based on their responses under the NWD, which could then be compared with the farmer survey results. This could provide the Australian wool industry with estimates of the percentage of farmers who use mulesing on a yearly basis and would provide an estimate for a large portion (85-95%) of the Australian woolgrower population.</p>