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Intensive Shedding of Sheep for Ultra Fine Wool

WHY RSPCA WANTS THIS INDUSTRY REGULATED

Why are sheep kept in sheds?

In Australia the intensive shedding of sheep is used to produce ultra fine wool. Sheep are kept in group pens or in individual stalls within a large shed for up to five years. By housing sheep indoors it is possible to have more control over the selection, feeding, fibre length, fibre diameter, tensile strength and style of their wool. The ability to manipulate the nutrition of the shedded sheep means that it is possible to produce wool that is several microns finer than it otherwise would be. Low energy rations are used to produce fine diameter wool fibres. (There is a direct relationship between feed intake and fibre growth rate of sheep. Increased rate of fibre production is associated with an increase in both fibre diameter and length growth rate). By keeping sheep in small pens and rugging them, it is also possible to minimise the damage, soiling and staining that the wool sustains. High quality, ultra fine wool (up to 13 microns) sells for up to $3,600 kg in comparison to standard greasy wool which sells for around $7 kg.

Currently the Victorian Code of Practice for the Welfare of Sheep covers the intensive housing of sheep. This non-mandatory code allows for sheep to be kept in individual stalls and in pens. Minimum size of stalls is stipulated and minimum space requirements for group penned sheep.

RSPCA Victoria's position on the industry

RSPCA has inspected facilities that practise individual penning of sheep used for ultra fine wool production. The observed welfare impacts on the sheep were abnormal behaviours such as swaying, staring into space, head butting and chewing pen fixtures.

For the intensive shedding of sheep for ultra fine wool production to be acceptable from an RSPCA perspective, the following minimum welfare requirements would need to be met:

• Sheep must be maintained in group housing with sufficient space to allow
  movement as a mob

• Sheep must be provided with sufficient food to maintain normal duration of
  grazing (minimum five hours a day) and provided with sufficient roughage to
  enable rumination

•  Sheep must be kept in appropriately-designed sheds in which temperature can
  be regulated.

• Sheep must be maintained at a minimum condition score of 2.5

• Sheep must be protected by a mandatory welfare code of practice that is written
  for the Sharlea industry.

What RSPCA wants

RSPCA Victoria President Dr Hugh Wirth AM KSJ said, “The uproar over the RSPCA questioning the ethics of the single penning of sheep for the production of ultra fine wool is a classic illustration of people who use animals not regularly auditing the animal welfare issues associated with such use. The RSPCA did not argue that ultra fine wool production should be banned. The Society simply stated that a flock animal should not be penned singly.”

• From the available research and observations made by RSPCA Inspectors it is certain that individual penning is very stressful to sheep, and that the minimum behavioural needs of sheep cannot be met when they are housed in this manner.

• A Code of Practice that deals specifically with this industry is urgently required. It is a matter of some concern that DPI is promoting the industry but not putting in place any standards to ensure minimum welfare standards are maintained.

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