02/10/2025
🐐🦙 How to Determine the Age of Goats & Sheep by Their Teeth! 🦷✨
Do you know you can determine the exact age of your goats and sheep without any records? Simply check their teeth! Here’s a simple guide every livestock farmer should know:
🔹 0 – 12 Months (Kids/Lambs): 8 small baby teeth on the lower jaw.
🔹 1 Year (Yearling, 2-toothed): Middle baby teeth replaced by 2 permanent incisors.
🔹 2–3 Years (4-toothed): Two more permanent teeth appear beside the central ones.
🔹 3–4 Years (6-toothed): Another pair of permanent teeth erupts = 6 total.
🔹 4–5 Years (Full mouth, 8-toothed): All incisors are permanent – strong “full mouth.”
🔹 7–8 Years (Solid mouth): Teeth show wear but are still functional.
🔹 10+ Years (Broken mouth/Gummer): Teeth start breaking or falling out, making grazing difficult.
✅ This knowledge is crucial for breeding, culling, and flock management.
👉 Younger animals = best for growth & breeding.
👉 Older ones = limited productivity or ready for sale.
So, next time you handle your flock, check their teeth—you’ll know their age with confidence in seconds!
