freckles

Okay, i cant help it as i am Dutch and always ready to save the world, but anyone living in or moving to Australia should be aware of this: www.savethesheep.com
Shit happens everywhere, i agree, but that doesnt mean that we have to ignore it and just put up with it!

janeyray

The animals are treated differently than they are here (UK). People claim to be 'animal lovers' but the way they take the sheep/cattle to markets In Perth is not nice to see. They are crammed into open style lorries and driven for miles withour water. It wasn't something I got use to. My daughter didn't like to see it either. I'm sure they aren't treated very well here wither but it's not on show for the public to see as it is in Australia.

After all they still sell puppies and kittens in shop windows with tempretures in the 30's. No matter how 'comfy' the animal 'seems' they shouldn't be seeling animals this way. Another 20 years and maybe they won't??

Quinkana

The trick is a razor sharp knife and a quick cut of the scrotum. The lamb jerks once and once for each testicle cut off. The alternative is an "Elastrator" which is a thick rubber band that fits over the testicles and scrotum and stops the blood supply. They eventially drop off but cause about 1% mortality - about the same as surgery.

Find the right joint in the tail with the edge of the knife, a quick downdward flick and the tail is off.

The trick with Muelsing - the removal of skin folds around the bum to reduce fly strike - is, again, a razor sharp set of shears. Generally, a single clip of 100m by 10 mm on each upper hind leg, a dab of antiseptic and its back to mum.

No one wants or likes to tail and Muelse sheep. But worse is maggot ridden fly blown sheep. I know - I've both Muelsed sheep and treated fly blown sheep including shooting those that are too maggoty to save.

Various anti-fly strike treatments have been tried and are used but none is very good. The industry has been working to breed sheep without wrinkly skin around the backside but it will take around another 10 years.

wombat42

l think they need it understand that it is only done because the alternative of being eaten alive by maggots is much worse.

MikeStanton

Aussie culture? Oxymoron.

wombat42

Thankyou for your intelligent contribution to the issue of animals rights.
Good to see your Oxford and Imperial degrees have been put to good use.

MikeStanton

Ah, a true obscenity.

Let's see now. Aborigines live in 3rd world conditions, dying of 3rd world diseases. Oz continues to treat asylum seekers appallingly.

And people bleat about sheep: they should get their fu**king priorities right.

jinxnkay

i read in the paper today that australian men have a problem with cats because its not seen as being macho to like them.
apparently this is why they think there are so many cases of cats being tortured and killed here.

Banksia

And, following their imperial masters, conspire with George Bush to bring democracy and death to Iraq.

TheCrone

While you were living in Australia, Mike, did you do anything whatsoever to alleviate Aboriginal conditions? Did you, perchance, become involved with protests against the treatment of asylum seekers?
If not, I suggest your post is simply meretricious, designed as a cynical (not-too-difficult) point-scoring exercise.

fireeater

No better than uk then

MikeStanton

Yes and yes.

pompeywill

Do they???
According to the British press the Australian immigration policy is the standard bearer to the rest of the world.
We would love a spare island to stick 'our' asylum seekers on.

Amazulu

I'd agree with that, Aussie has got it about right. If only the UK would implement Aussie immigration/Asylum policies. Michael Howard has proposed something similar & has been shouted down as being racist. Australia applies their policies & everyone is cool.

I think I'm going to vote for Michael Howard.

Quinkana

Anyone for lamb's testicle blood pudding garnished with maggots?