Ultra Cruel: The Ultra-Fine Wool Industry.

Ultra-Fine wool growing is an intensive animal industry in Australia. Specially-bred sheep are kept indoors in individual small pens 24 hours a day for four or five years. Nylon coats are worn by the 'shedded' sheep to further ensure that dust and dirt does not enter their fleece, and, like every other intensive animal industry, the behavioural and social needs of the sheep are completely ignored.

Concerns were raised with the Victorian Government Animal Welfare Advisory Committee resulting in a request for committee members to attend the facilities to observe the sheep. This was denied. A request from the Department of Primary Industries to install cameras in the facilities to monitor the behaviour of the sheep has also been denied.

R.SP.C.A. President Dr. Wirth said "This is the first time any industry under pressure has ever refused to be open about what is going on and allow proper examination of the facts."A welfare assessment of this intensive system is yet to be undertaken.

Suggestions that these animals are 'better off' living in such confinement%u2014as they are sheltered and have a daily food source%u2014is a desperate defence from those who know they are denying these animals every behavioural need that provides any enrichment in their lives, on the basis of profit.

The impacts of chronic stress caused by an inappropriate environment were obvious in a video taken by Animals Australia.

The confined sheep continually chewed  on the wooden slats and strands of wire which enclosed them. Repetitive body movements were also observed%u2014classic stereotypic behaviours, caused by a barren environment, combined with the inability to exercise, or to perform simple natural behaviours such as graze on grass.

We cannot allow this "battery sheep" Industry to flourish..

The sheep Code of Practice states that animals that are unable to adapt to the indoor confinement should be returned to grazing. Clearly from the evidence gathered, this is not occurring. If operators are not complying with the Code of Practice they can be prosecuted for cruelty under state animal welfare laws.

Therefore we the undersigned request the Victorian Government  to ensure that inspections of these facilities be undertaken and operators who are not complying be prosecuted for animal cruelty, and the sheep be  returned to a more natural environment where their social and behavioural needs can be met.