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'Bare-bum' sheep seen as solution to mulesing. 21/03/2005. ABC News Online
This is the print version of story Bare Bum Sheep
Last Update: Monday, March 21, 2005. 4:31pm (AEDT)
'Bare-bum' sheep seen as solution to mulesing
Scientists are hoping to identify the gene or genes which resulted in "bare-bum" sheep on an Eyre Peninsula merino stud, with hopes it can be replicated across the industry.
The genetic mutation resulted in a ram that was completely bare in the crutch and hind leg area.
Professor Phil Hynd from the University of Adelaide says he has no doubts that genetics is the answer to the ethical dilemma of mulesing sheep.
"We want to get away from chemical use as much as possible in the sheep industry," he said.
"The chemical mulesing that we're developing at Adelaide University with Australian Wool Innovation is, as I see it, a stop-gap measure.
"When mulesing's banned in 2009, we need something to replace it."
Professor Hynd says the aim now is to identify the bare-bum gene and to see if it is present in other sheep flocks.
"Genetic solutions are always slow, even with markers, but we would hope that if this is a dominant gene or at least a small cluster of genes that we can identify, we should be able to start making big impacts on the industry over a 10 to 15 year period," he said.
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