The South African woolgrower is a stockman with a keen appreciation of animal husbandry and how to care for his animals and the environment. Resource-based conservation is a high priority and the "clean green"  approach is a natural business ethic. Internal and external stock remedies are used sparingly and only when there is no alternative. The result is a healthy, well-adapted national flock that thrives in the natural environment.

The on-farm surgical process of mulesing to remove unwanted skin folds from the animal’s breech is not practised in South Africa. There are a number of reasons for this:

• The South African Merino has, over the years, been bred for less skin folds (a "smoother" body conformation), so that there is less wool growth in the animal’s breech area.
• The average flock size in South Africa is considerably smaller than in Australia. Labour is less costly and more readily available. Consequently, the South African woolgrower can give much more individual attention to his flock and take preventative steps to avoid flystrike.
• It is common practice amongst SA woolgrowers to shear the breech area of the sheep approximately halfway through the growth cycle to the fleece. This is called "crutching" and eliminates the moist, woolly environment where blowfly can flourish.
• Should it become apparent that there is evidence of flystrike in a flock, a quick, localised application of pesticide to the breech area to kill the blowfly is standard practice. These products are all registered in terms of appropriate legislation (Act 36 of 1947).
• The largest proportion of the South African wool clip is from harsh, low-rainfall areas (for example the Karoo), where blowfly is not as prevalent as in higher rainfall areas such as the coastal belt and the Highveld.