60 THE NATURE OF SHEEP 



where they prove profitable for two or three more years. In England 

 and Scotland ewes which are too old to be kept in the hills where 

 feed is rather scarce, are often moved into the lowlands where there 

 is an abundance ; here they thrive and produce two or three crops 

 of lusty lambs, and are finally fattened for market. 



Sheep normally inclined to develop slowly do not, as a rule, 

 begin to break down until well along in years. Thus the Merino 

 breeds are perhaps longer lived than the mutton breeds. Un- 

 doubtedly, longevity of life has its* advantage, but the usefulness of 

 a breed cannot be determined on this alone. 



FIG. 29. Old sheep; prominent Shropshire prize winners when in their prime. They 

 were each eleven years old when photographed. Their lean necks and general lack of flesh 

 were due to advanced age and not to poor care. 



Indications of Age. (1) Teeth. One of the* best indications 

 of the age of a sheep is the teeth. The temporary or lamb teeth 

 are small ; the permanent teeth are broader and longer. If a lamb 

 develops normally, the two temporary teeth in the middle of the 

 front part of the lower jaw are replaced by permanent teeth at 

 about twelve months of age. Therefore, when a sheep shows two 

 broad teeth with small teeth on either side, it is an indication that 

 the animal is a yearling; if there are four broad teeth, that it is 

 two years old; if there are six, that it is three years old. At four 

 or five years of age all of the eight temporary teeth in the front 

 part of the jaw are likely to be replaced by permanent teeth and it is 

 impossible to determine the age with any degree of accuracy. 



It should be borne in mind that the teeth indicate the degree of 



