It’s a dilemma raised last week at a mulesing update for industry run by Australian Wool Innovation in Sydney.

It is also a question that has resonance with those not willing to change their Merino genetics due to mulesing and potentially reduce wool cut in the process.

About 80 producers, breeders, scientists and politicians were invited to hear the latest developments with regard to mulesing technology however nothing more was declared about the latest FST-1 and FST-2 new technologies being developed by AWI.

It appears however, most left the update with renewed hope that real alternatives would be found.

Growers paying for the research will have to wait for AWI’s “Road to 2010” roadshow to hear the latest, it begins around the country on September 22.

“I understand growers frustrations as time is ticking, I have always been hopeful a range of options would be available in time and after last week I stick by that,” an upbeat Australian Wool Industries Secretariat president Peter Morgan said.

The Skintraction technology being developed by Cobbett technology continues to be the one of the most promising alternatives, according to Dr Morgan.

On-farms trials continue to show good efficacy results, according to a tight-lipped Cobbett's Peter St Vincent Welsh.

He will be releasing details about his injectable technology when the results are complete.

WoolProducers executive director Greg Weller said the question of why breed bare breech animals if the technology was going to be available, is a fair one.

“It is an individual woolgrower’s choice as to what to do and it seems the bare breech may be the only long term solution," he said.

"This was always going to be a very ambitious project.

"But, from the update the other day, I am increasingly confident of various answers.

"So those who don’t want to breed bare breech sheep won't have to.”

Dr Morgan said superfine woolgrowers had very little choice to change genetics towards bare breech animals.

Australian stud Merino Breeders president Will Roberts was not asked to the meeting but said each grower should be free to take their own path to 2010.

“We have instructed our members to continue to keep the welfare of their sheep as the paramount consideration," he said.

"Why breed for bare breech when silver bullets apparently exist is a fair question.

"But I suppose it will be good to have a range of answers.”