Wool growers fear the 2010 phase out of mulesing will encourage some to exit the industry.
Currently growers have the option of mulesing in the traditional way and using pain relief or switching to clips fitted to the breach area of the sheep.
The clips - described as still being in the trial stage - are gathering momentum as growers assess their options.
Despite enormous pressure on Australia's industry from animal welfare groups to find alternatives to mulesing, some growers are not convinced a phase out is the answer.
And others have stated that if a halt to mulesing was mandatory they would stop growing wool.
Wal Merriman, Merryville Merino Stud, hosted a mulesing clip demonstration at 'Beverley', Boorowa, NSW, this week, where about 100 growers viewed sheep being fitted with the clips.
Traditional mulesing backed up with Tri-Solfen as pain relief was also demonstrated.
Brothers Gus and Alan Coles, 'Glencoe', Reids Flat, run 10,000 sheep and they don’t believe the clips are the answer to mulesing in their operation.
"Today is the first day we have seen the clips used and we are not impressed," Gus Coles said.
* Extract from a full story in The Land, NSW, September 4 edition.
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