The practice of mulesing where skin is stripped the skin from the behind of a sheep put the Australian wool industry under the spotlight this year, as animal rights group successfully lobbied for a boycott of Australian wool. Now, mulesing could become a thing of the past, with a new biodegradable plastic clip.

Australian Wool Innovation says the clip is less painful to sheep than mulesing, and effectively prevents a long and painful death by fly-strike.

Nance Haxton reports.

NANCE HAXTON: Mulesing, or removing skin from a sheep's hindquarters, has been common practice in the Australian sheep industry since the 1930s.

Without it, the Australian wool industry estimates several million sheep a year would die of fly strike, where maggot infestation causes an agonizing death.

But with it, mulesing is costing the Australian industry millions of dollars, as campaigns by well-known animal activist groups such as People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals, gain credence internationally.

Australian Wool Innovation's General Manager of Research, Ian Rogan, says they may have finally discovered an alternative