Sheep teeth: the number and structure of the jaw, how to determine the age from them

The first domesticated animal, along with the wolf, is a sheep. The ability to eat tough and withered grass, to which the teeth of sheep and rams are adapted, helped the first people to move from a nomadic pasture life to a settled one. During this time, accumulated vast experience in keeping and breeding such an unpretentious animal. The question of studying the structure of teeth, which is not only an indicator of he alth, but also the age of a sheep, remained important.

Teeth structure in sheep

The teeth of a ram, like all artiodactyls, are a noticeable part protruding from the gums. They consist of a crown, neck, root.The latter is immersed in the alveolar bone, which fixes it. Usually has a length of 6-10 mm. The neck from the root to the crown is less pronounced. Anterior incisors - in the form of an elongated triangle.

Tooth components:

Pulp is the central tissue in which nerve connections and blood vessels are concentrated.
Dentine - surrounds the pulp, base, core.
Enamel is the outer tissue, the strongest part, which receives the greatest load during chewing, and therefore is subject to destruction.

Of all the tissues in an animal's body, enamel is the hardest. The film that forms on the surface of the tooth, protecting it from acid exposure, disappears during the grinding of food.

Types and number of teeth

The ram chews grass with thirty-two teeth (dental formula I:0/3 C:0/1 P:3/3 M:3/3). Of these: 8 anterior incisors and 24 molars. The incisors are located only in the lower part of the jaw, and at the top there is a hard palatine plate.The long incisors are angled to provide the lowest grip on grass (this is unlike other ruminants).

Interestingly, in the German city of Bonn, sheep are used instead of lawn mowers, they are so perfect at plucking the grass. It is more convenient for sheep to chew grass with the wide surface of the back of the jaw, consisting of false-rooted teeth (premolars) and real molars, or molars. The central pair of mandibular incisors are called hooks. The adjoining pair is medium, followed by the corner ones, and closes the row of edges. There is a difference between incisors of the same row, or arcade. The volume and height of the arcade decrease from the hooks to the edges. A long gap that is not covered by teeth from the margins to the premolars is called the edentulous margin.

Eruption, change, erasure

As a rule, lambs are born without teeth, but some appear with the presence of one, sometimes three pairs of incisors.According to statistics, the hooks erupt after a week of a sheep's life. A month later, the lambs are gradually transferred to hay. Solid food wears down milk teeth, speeding up their replacement. Permanent incisors differ significantly from milk incisors in volume and size. But the three rear main ones remain unchanged.

Interesting! The well-known saying, “staring like a ram at a new gate,” is not associated with the stubbornness of sheep, but with the history of ancient Rome. Previously, warriors destroyed the gates of besieged fortresses with a battering ram. This strong, wall-piercing log was completed with a bronze tip topped with a ram's head.

Determining the age of an animal by teeth

The ears of animals are marked from the moment of birth, but if the tag is lost, the age can be determined by the dentition. The criteria are the shape and order of change of molars and incisors.

At the age of 4, the arcade update ends. It is dense, smooth, well closed. The hooks are wide, without signs of wear. By the age of five, the enamel becomes thinner, gaps appear. At 6-7 years of age, the gaps become wider, the incisors take the form of a chisel. At 7-8 years of age, tooth loss begins.

Determining the age of an animal is not difficult, it is important to consider the following points:

what kind of jaw has (the presence of dairy or permanent);
how much;
condition (erased or even, as they close, their length, the presence of cracks);
what color (milky white or yellow);
take into account individual characteristics (breed, nutrition, conditions).

The sequence of teeth growth period is as follows:

3 monthsappears 1 1st molar (milk) 9 months2nd molar visible below up to 1 yearmiddle and internal incisors are completely replaced after a year, up to a year and a halfprocess of replacing holds with permanent holds 18 months3rd molar erupts, permanent toe edges erased 24 monthsclearly visible Mandibular 1st premolar, incisors, molars lined up 2 years 5 monthsnot visible traces of abrasion of internal crowns up to 3 yearseveryone external incisors 3 years 5 monthstotal replacement of all milk teeth 4 yearsarcade levels 4 years 5 months

Age	Growth stages
5-12 days	hooks cut through
9-14 days	4 incisors grow (middle and outer)
2 months	edges come out, the length of the arcade of the incisors is not the same










	chewing grinds edges
5-6 years	wearing is visible, roots protrude from the gums
6-7 years	hooks become thinner, gaps are noticeable.The roots are mobile, turn yellow, begin to fall out, the shape changes to a quadrangular

Important! Proper nutrition helps sheep keep their teeth he althy, intact, and culling occurs later.

When sheep are culled out of old age

On average, sheep live up to 15 years. If a sheep loses its teeth, it means that it will not be able to fully eat. No matter how old she is, it is unprofitable for a farmer to support her. It is required to inspect each animal that has reached a critical age, and personally make a decision: cull or leave on soft feed.

Teeth and feed quality

From 5 months onwards, the quality of the feed begins to influence the degree of jaw wear. Grazing on old grass that has become tough accelerates the erasing of the toes.Juicy greens are more suitable for the tender age of the lambs. If the diet of rams contains mainly roughage, the incisors shorten too quickly, which can reach the gums.

Lack of friction, on the contrary, contributes to the increase of the lateral incisors, which injure the oral cavity. Warm swill becomes another reason for erasure - by the age of 6, sheep can lose some of their teeth.

This is interesting! Despite harsh living conditions, bighorn sheep live up to 24 years.