South Africa ahead of Australia in non-mulesing wool

06 Jul '12

1 min read

South Africa is one step ahead of Australia when it comes to wool from non-mulesed sheep.

Competing with Australian wool growers, South Africa is trying to retain its lead in serving the global customers with ethically grown wool, said South African Merino breeders Henri and Adrian McNaughton, who were invited as guest speakers at the Albury Charmac sheep field day, in Australia.

The duo said they had not mulesed their sheep for the past 15 years.

They informed that South Africa has a non-mulesing law and certified assessors carry out random audit of wool growers in the country to check if they are adhering to the law.

Mr. Adrian McNaughton said that rising public pressure on Australian wool growers to end mulesing, has generated a need for South Africa to step ahead and safeguard its world wool market share.

South African wool production has remained steady at 49 million kg for the past six years.

In spite of producing mules-free wool over the last two seasons, the wool growers in South Africa have not received more prices, Mr. McNaughton said.

Instead, there has been a three percent drop in wool prices during the last two selling seasons, due to outbreak of Rift Valley fever.

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