Media Release
Clips viewed from the front line
18 March 2008
Key ‘front line’ livestock contractors have strongly supported the performance of the breech and tail clips that are being researched and evaluated by Australian Wool Innovation (AWI).
More than 175,000 clips were moulded and applied to sheep across Australia as part of the national 2007 breech and tail clip Product Development and Testing program.
AWI is actively assisting the assessment of three key initiatives to develop effective alternatives to mulesing, under the Australian Wool and Sheep Industry Taskforce’s 2005 agreement with international retailers. These include the clips, intradermal injections and breeding for low-wrinkle and bare-breeches.
AWI’s Project Manager Blowfly Control, Ian Evans, said while all the trial data is being entered into computing systems for analysis, the views of leading contractors are informative.
“The application of the clips across the country has been a very large undertaking, requiring much training and mentoring of near 40 livestock contractors.
“The four key ‘stewards’ of this process have been Rob Powell and Warren Godson from NSW, Jack Briscoe from Victoria and Peter Jacka from South Australia.
“More than any other group of people, these accredited professional mulesing contractors have accumulated a vast store of knowledge and understanding about the clips, the sheep and the trial participants' reactions,” he said.
Rob Powell, Armidale, NSW…
“I’ve put clips on near 8,000 lambs during the trial. We’re getting closer now to a commercial product, and with another three lambing seasons to go to refine the process, I think we’re on track for December 31, 2010.
“A frequent comment from farmers was that the clipped lambs looked heavier, healthier and happier – they had a bloom about them, compared to their surgically mulesed lambs. I understand though it will take time for people to appreciate that the clips can achieve a similar net result on many sheep.
“I expect there will be some minor clip design modifications as we go forward, and training clip applicators is very important. Speed is not an issue, it’s similar to mulesing. They timed me at one site, and I clipped 150 lambs in one hour and ten minutes.”
Warren Godson, Warren, NSW…
“In my work from northern NSW right around to the pastoral zone of WA, the feedback from graziers has been very positive: the vast majority are very happy, and some have said they’ll be happy to use the clips in the absence of mulesing.
“Generally I’ve found the clips work best on loose skinned sheep where we get a very consistent result. When farmers compare their mulesed lambs to clipped lambs, the bare area around the breech is mostly just as good, and it’s important to realise that the bare area grows out as the lambs mature – just like a mules.
Jack Briscoe, Marshall, Vic…
“The biggest impact is when we go back to the property for the ‘V3’ visit – where we measure the clipping results on the lambs and we weigh them. The amount of bare area that can be achieved by the clips always surprises the graziers.
“After clipping more than 3,000 lambs in the trial, no farmer has yet been disappointed. And many farmers can’t get over how well the clipped lambs grow out – one commented that his clipped lambs averaged 3kg heavier than his mulesed lambs at weaning.
“Another finding is that the size of the lamb is important – I think we get the best result if they are in the 10-14kg weight range.”
Peter Jacka, Wanbi, SA…
“My team has applied the clips all over SA - up in the pastoral country, on the Eyre peninsula, in the south-east and in the Mallee - to near 3,500 lambs. I found that the clips tend to work best on plainer bodied, loose-skin sheep. Very wrinkly sheep are more of a challenge.
“The farmers at the start can be a bit sceptical, but when they see the results, most are very happy. And all are pleased with how the clipped lambs mother-up and leave the yards with mum.
“In many cases, at the end of the trial, its hard to see a difference between the conventionally mulesed and clipped trial sheep, as far as bare area is concerned.”
Ian Evans said these comments indicate that significant progress has been made and the research program is on-track for 2010. He adds there are two other key aspects of the clips.
“The Animal Welfare Science Centre has concluded that the clips had only a mild impact on the biology of lambs and thus the welfare risks are considered relatively minor, and is an acceptable alternative to conventional mulesing.”
“Work continues on biodegradable materials for the clips. We have a number of products under investigation, with one showing particular promise,” he said.
AWI has also released three tools to assist growers and retailers in the progress towards the industry’s commitment to the phasing-out of the current practice of mulesing by 2010.
The three tools include an extensive blowfly strike prevention and management DVD, a declaration form for the sale of unmulesed wool (which is sourced from woolgrowers that no longer mules), and a swing tag for retailers.
Released by:
AWI Corporate Affairs – (02) 8295 3100