THE FARM

Te Aroha News, Volume VII, Issue 453, 12 March 1890, Page 4

THE FARM

Dentition and Age of Sheep and Cattle. (From the ‘‘New Zealand Farmer.” It appears that much irritation lias been caused amongst British live stock exhibitors at the late Smithfield Club Show, owing to the disqualification of some exhibits in accordance with some new regulations as to dentition in relation to of the animals entered for competition. Some of the best animals in the cattle as well as in the sheep and pig classes were disqualified under these new rules, and this was the cause of some energetic protests at tho annual meeting of the Smithfield Club. Some interesting testimony was given to tho fact that dentition is not a reliable guide in determining with accuracy the age of cattle, sheep, and pigs. MrJohn Treadwell said lie knew positively that the dentition of sheep was not an infallible rule for deciding their age. They found shearling sheep putting up all sorts of mouths —putting four and six teeth up at tho same time. If they would do that, what would they nob do? With regard to cattle, they saw that the most of the disqualifications were in the cross-bred classes. This early maturity was got by forcing, and did they think that if they forced meat they would not also force teeth ? In the list of those whose cattle had been disqualified, be found the names of gentlemen who were altogether above suspicion, such as their friend Mr Bruce, for there was no man's honour stood higher than his. In regard to pigs, English judges always liked to see their teeth, bub they should give the defendant an opportunity of proving his case. Another member stated that he was prepared to prove that some sheep in the Oxford classes which were nob disqualified were actually older than those which were disqualified.

The Earl of Coventry, President of the Club, in summing up the discussion, assured all present that the suggestions and complaints which had been lodged would have the best considertion of the Stock Prizes committee and the Council generally. The new rule had not been hastily adopted by the Council. It was only adopted after much deliberation, and after carefully considering the best veterinary advice that the Council could get. It appeared to him, however, that the working of the rule had not been satisfactory. He would even go a little further, and say that perhaps justice had nob been done altogether in many cases ; bub the committee would give tho matter their best consideration, and endeavour as far as possible to remove any causo of complaint that might exist. Referring to this matter a Home contemporary observes that if the executive of the Smithfield Club think the teeth a trustier indication of the age of an animal than a birth certificate, or what ought to be equally good, the declaration of the breeder, they must be prepared to make the classes accordingly, and, instead of going by years, say 2-tooth class, 4-tooth class, 6-toobh class, or full-toothed class, as the case may be. “ But (the writer goes on to say) the thing is absurd and unworkable. Breeders would nob be bound by the vagaries of dentition a single year ; since animals of the same age even will often showmonths of diflerenee in the time of cutting their teeth ; and it is also perfectly well known that early maturity and early dentition go together. Seeing, then, that there is no regularity in dentition, why base calculations of age on it? The sooner the Executive recognise and admit that there is no certainty as to age, except in a birth certificate, the better it will be for the Smithfield Club. And there ought to be no difficulty in instituting a system of birth certificates, if the declaration of the breeder 6 not enough. Bub it is passing strange, if, when a man is prepared to take oath, and say that his animal, to his knowledge, was born on such and such date, some charlatan is to step in and say, ‘ That’s a story, whether the animal was born on the date you say or not, for its teeth prove it to be aged so and so.’ Dentition can never do more than approximately indicate the age of an animal, and nothing more should be expected of it.”