Exploring Bioethics - NIH Office of Science Education - National ...

Sheared Wooly SheepThe sheep population in the United States isnearly 7 million. Farmers raise sheep for milk,meat, and wool. Animal farming has environmentalconsequences; the land is being used foranimal production instead of other purposes orinstead of remaining wild, and the sheep producea lot of waste. On the other hand, sheep are arenewable resource that can be raised in a sustainablemanner and produce natural fiber thatcan substitute for synthetic fibers. The multimillion-dollarsheep industry in the United Statesaccounts for 350,000 jobs.Sheep being sheared.Photo: Courtesy ©iStockphoto.com/esemelweOne sheep produces between about 1 and 14 kg (2 and 30 lbs.) of wool, or fleece, annually, depending onits breed. Wool is used in many products including clothing, upholstery, carpets, mattress filling, and thecovers of tennis balls.Copyright © 2009 Education Development Center, Inc. Exploring Bioethics.Permission granted for classroom use.To get the fleece, farmers shear the sheep. Shearing involves cutting or shaving the wool off. It does nothurt the animals, but it can be stressful to them and they can be cut or injured. Sheep are usually shearedonce a year, in the late spring or early summer. This helps keep them from overheating in the summerheat. Right after shearing, though, without their effective insulation, the animals need to eat more foodso that they can regulate their body temperature effectively, and they need protection from the cold. Ittakes up to six weeks for the fleece to start growing back.Synthetic materials and other animals’ fibers can also be used to make products such as clothing and upholstery.Production of synthetic fibers has its own environmental consequences, though. It may requirethe use of petroleum-based products, which are energy intensive to manufacture and produce certaintoxic industrial pollutants as waste. For some uses, synthetic materials have characteristics that are superiorto wool’s, but in other cases, wool’s are far superior.Is it ethically acceptable to raise and shear sheep for wool? Why or why not?Master 6.2 (Page 9 of 12)