Museling is a controversial practice by some of the wool industry, which involves removing puckered and wrinkled skin from around the genitals of young sheep, without any pain relief.
The purpose of muzzling is to prevent infections caused by flies that lay eggs in the skin of sheep. However, this practice is considered inhumane and cruel by many animal advocates and animal welfare groups. Sheep experience severe pain during the procedure, and are often held in uncomfortable positions for long periods of time.
In addition to the pain and suffering caused to sheep, muzzling can also have negative effects on the quality of the wool produced. Scars and wounds created by the procedure can lead to wool loss, as can stress and anxiety associated with the procedure.
Some brands and companies including Fjork Merino have taken steps to end muzzling. Some like Fjork have chosen to purchase wool only from producers who do not use museling.
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