Cattle 1853 - Lewis Family Farm

194 CATTLE.
At eight years a change takes place which cannot be mistaken.
The process of absorption has again commenced in the central incisors
; it is slow in progress, and is never carried to the extent seen
in the milk teeth, but is sufficiently plain, and the two central teeth
are evidently smaller than their neighbors. A considerable change
has also taken place on the surface of the teeth ; the two dark marks
are rubbed into one in all but the corner teeth. -
At ten, the four central incisors are diminished in size, and the
mark is becoming smaller and
fainter. The cut represents the
mouth at this age.
At eleven, the six central
ones are smaller ; and at iwelve,
all of them are very considerably
diminished ; but not to the
same extent as in the young
beast. . The mark is now nearly
obliterated, except in the corner
teeth, and the inside edge
is worn down to the gum.
The beast is now getting old
the teeth continue to diminish,
and the animal, after fourteen
or sixteen years old, is often
not able to maintain full condi-
tion. He must then be partly
fed, yet there are many instan-
;
TEN YEARS.
ces in which favorite bulls last more than twenty years, and cows of
the same age who pasture with the rest of the dairy, and give a fair
quantity of milk. Some writers have asserted that a good cow will
continue good until that age ; but both in quantity and quality of
milk, as a general rule, a good cow will not continue to breed and
give milk until twenty years ojd.
This method of judging of the age of, cattle by the teeth is more
satisfactory than by the horns, and little imposition can be practised,
whether the animal be young,or old. From six to nine we can
only guess at the, age ; but we can form a shrewd guess, and can
scarcely be out more than a few months.
In the horn we are subject to imposition ; we are obliged to ask
questions as to the first calf; and, when the animal gets old, the
rings often present a confusion of which the best judges can make
nothing.
The grinders will rarely be examined to ascertain the age of a
beast. They are too difficult to be got at ; and the same dependence
cannot be placed upon them. The calf is generally born with
two molar teeth ; sometimes with three in each jaw, above and be-
.