Background
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.
Methods
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.
Summary of findings
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.