Sheep are domesticated relatives of the wild mouflon mountain sheep. The first to tame these animals were the inhabitants of Asia Minor, Iran and the Caucasus. The animals turned out to be unpretentious to growing conditions, hardy to any climate and quickly adapted to a new place of residence. The special structure of the teeth of sheep and rams helped them survive even in the most difficult situations. Let us consider in more detail the anatomical features of their jaw.
The structure of the teeth of a ram and a sheep
The teeth of herbivores consist of a root and a crown, between which there is a neck. The crown is located above the gum and, depending on the function performed, has a different shape. The root is deepened in the tooth hole and is tightly connected to it. The substance of the tooth has three layers: the inner one is the core (pulp), the middle one is the bone substance (dentin), the upper one is the enamel.
It completely covers the crown and is the hardest tissue in the body of sheep. Outside, the enamel is covered with a thin shell that protects the teeth from the effects of various acids, but is erased during chewing.
Dentin is the backbone of every tooth. It has a solid structure and has no blood vessels. The pulp, on the contrary, is rich in blood vessels and nerve endings and consists of loose connective tissue.
Important! With proper nutrition, the teeth of lambs and rams last much longer and do not wear out, as a result of which animals are culled much later.
Quantity and types
An adult sheep or ram has 32 teeth, of which 6 large and 6 small molars in the upper jaw, 6 large, 6 small molars and 8 incisors in the lower jaw. Moreover, there are no incisors in the upper jaw, and their role is played by a roller made of thick skin.
All teeth are arranged in such a way that animals can most effectively pick grass and chew it.
Cutting, changing, erasing
Cutting, erasing and replacing with permanent teeth occur in sheep and rams at approximately the same age. The exceptions are individual breeds.
And this is done in the following order:
1–2 weeks the anterior toes erupt 3–4 weeks the middle internal and external incisors 3 months the first primary molars 9 months the second molars on the lower jaw 15–16 months the permanent toes fall out and grow 1 year the middle and internal incisors fall out 18 months the margins of the permanent teeth slightly are erased, third molars erupt 24 months incisors reach the same level, small molars are aligned 2,5 years internal and middle teeth begin to wear out up to 3 years external incisors are replaced 3,5 years milk teeth fall out and permanent teeth appear 4 years all permanent teeth reach the same level 4,5 5,5 years permanent edges begin to wear off 6 years they are already quite worn out XNUMX years a notch appears between the incisors and they, in turn, become a quadrangular shape.
Sheep have rectangular pupils. Mongooses, octopuses and goats also have such pupils.
How to determine the age of the teeth
Determining the age of a pet for a knowledgeable cattle breeder is not difficult. If an animal is purchased on a farm with individual records of sheep, then a special record is made there or marks with the year of birth are fixed on the ears. It can also be done according to the state of the oral cavity.
Pay attention to the type of teeth (dairy or permanent, and the former are smaller in size than the latter), number (adults should have 32), their state (whether worn, even, well closed or not, is there a gap between them or not, what is the length, etc.). Their appearance is also influenced by the individual characteristics of herbivores – pedigree, growing conditions, diet, etc.
When animals are culled due to old age
The life expectancy of sheep and rams is 10 to 15 years. But starting from the age of 7–8 years, their teeth are significantly erased and fall out. Animals cannot properly chew food, and they have to be culled due to old age.
According to experts, this procedure should be carried out after a thorough examination of each sheep and individually determine the duration of its stay and use. If the animal has any value for the owner, then it can be left for a while, transferring to softer and more gentle food.
Did you know? Long-livers among sheep are considered bighorn sheep, life expectancy which ranges from 22 to 24 years.
Thanks to the above tips, you can independently learn how to determine the age of pets. Of course, this will not happen immediately, but, having gained enough experience, it will become very easy to find out how old the pet is.
