They are shy, nervous-natured creatures that become easily frozen with fear. Lambs undergo ear punching for identification, tail-docking, castration, dipping, spraying and mulesing. After these procedures, lambs may suffer shock, profuse bleeding, blood poisoning, tetanus, dislocated joints and arthritis. The Merino, is the most commonly used breed in Australia. It is bred specifically for its wrinkly skin and fine white wool.
Wrinkly skin means more wool per sheep and thus more money for the farmer.
This unnatural overload of wool causes animals to die of heat exhaustion during hot spells, and the wrinkles collect urine and moisture. The sheep will suffer agonising pain. To counter flystrike a procedure called mulesing is carried out most of the lambs and sheep. This to leave a smooth scar that won't harbour fly eggs. After mulesing, lambs can be seen writhing and scuttling sideways like crabs, trying to escape the pain.