AUSTRALIAN Wool Innovation (AWI) has moved to dismiss reports over a divided board approach to the mulesing deadline.
Outspoken company director David Webster on Saturday joined chief executive Brenda McGahan in expressing “support for all growers” in their approach to breech strike prevention.
In response to a call by Tattyoon, Vic, woolgrower Geoff King at the Australian Sheep and Wool Show in Bendigo, Vic, on Saturday, to put straight the position AWI had on the 2010 mulesing deadline, Mr Webster replied: “We will support all growers best practices” and added that there were options “out there” including clips, pain relief, chemical processes and more crutching.
But in an interview with Rural Press last week Mr Webster made it clear that many growers would continue the practice of mulesing.
"I don't think many more growers will stop mulesing," he said.
"We have seen people try to stop - and then restart the next year.
"There are reports in South Africa that they are tail stripping without mulesing.
"But the reality is, at this time, there is no real viable alternative to mulesing."
The “support for all” comment follows the publication of an open letter to Marks Spencer sent last week from AWI director Laurence Modiano.
He asked the retail giant to abandon its plan to source wool for its menswear line from non-mulesed wool.
He dismissing all chances of a mulesing alternative being found in time for the agreed 2010 deadline.
It also followed demands by WoolProducers president Don Hamblin for the AWI board to show “some discipline” and keep a unified position on the agreed deadline.
Mr Webster had earlier said it was unquestionable that the vast majority of growers could not run sheep successfully without mulesing.
Mr Webster said growers had raised their standards with best practice management and accreditation programs.
But, in the end, the market would decide if growers would stop mulesing.
“This is where we should have been four years ago,” he said.
Merino stud breeder Graham Wells, One Oak, Jeriliderie, NSW, agreed market signals would inevitably dictate which way Merino producers should head.
“The key issue is about animal husbandry…so for those of us breeding sheep it (the mulesing deadline) must come in at a slower time,” Mr Wells said.
Meanwhile, the Victorian stud Merino president Tom Ashby said AWI’s call to “support all” should give confidence to breed sheep the “way they want to breed and move forward.
“Eventually we are all going to have to move down that easier care track," he said.
"And I take my hat of to those producers who have got there and taken early steps and been able to stop mulesing.”
Rural Press understands that the AWI board will be meeting this week where an official statement on the mulesing deadline is expected to be formulated.
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