50 



Dentition as indicative of the Age 



Six broad teeth well up may generally be taken to indicate 

 that the sheep is two years and three months (Fig. 48), but in 

 many animals they are not present until two years and a half. 

 On the other hand, they are not uncommonly cut at twenty-two 

 months old, a fact which was recorded by the writer more than 

 thirty years ago, and since then they have been met with at 

 twenty months. 



In any instance of such exceptional dentition being found in 

 sheep entered in the class not exceeding two years, it will be 

 necessary to inspect the molars. If the three anterior molars 

 and the sixth molar present evidence of having been only 

 recently cut, and especially if one or more of the temporary 



Fig. 49. — Incisors of Hheep at three years old, shoioing recently cut 



corner teeth. 



molars remain, the cutting of the third pair of broad teeth will 

 not justify disqualification. Should, however, the molar teeth 

 exhibit a uniform character, all their surfaces being quite level, 

 it may be concluded that the sheep is over two years of age. 



Dentition in sheep is completed by the eruption of the 

 corner permanent incisors, which are usually cut at the age of 

 three years, as shown in the above drawing. 



In some cases the corner teeth are not well up till the 

 animal is nearly four years old, so that there is a possibility of 

 a mistake being made as to the age to the extent of a year, 

 by an examiner who contents himself with an inspection of the 

 corner incisors. No difficulty, however, would be experienced 

 in deciding whether the corner incisors represent three years or 

 tour years, if the state of the other incisors is taken into account. 

 At four years of age the six broad teeth will show marks of 



