164 AGE OF THE DOMESTIC ANIMALS. 



DETERMINATION OF AGE BY THE TEETH. 



With the young calf to be slaughtered for veal the absolute 

 age is usually less important than its condition of development 

 and its weight, but may be the cause of serious legal question and 

 require the most acute perception on the part of the expert to 

 decide and testify in controversies between the suspected butcher 

 and the rigid law. 



FIRST PERIOD — ERUPTION OF THE TEMPORARY TEETH. 



The calf is sometimes born with no incisors ; but usually 

 the pinchers and first intermediate teeth have pierced through 



Fig. 161. 

 Incisors of tlie calf, a, external face. 6, internal face. 



the gums. The second intermediate teeth appear about the 

 tenth day, and the corner teeth seven to ten days later, but may 

 appear as late as the thirtieth day. The incisors do not reach 

 the same level and complete the arch until the fifth or sixth 

 month. (Fig. 161.) 



SECOND PERIOD — WEARING OF THE TEMPORARY TEETH. 



The leveling of the milk-teeth is very variable, according 

 to the food on which the calf is fed. In calves fattened for the 

 butcher with milk the wearing is slow, while in those that are 

 put early to pasture and are fed on dried forage the leveling takes 

 place much more rapidly. The pinchers are worn at their ante- 



