Hostname: page-component-586b7cd67f-vdxz6 Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-11-25T06:13:47.406Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false

Jaws of adult culled ewes

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  27 March 2009

Carol Richardson
Affiliation:
Central Veterinary Laboratory, Weybridge, Surrey
M. Richards
Affiliation:
Central Veterinary Laboratory, Weybridge, Surrey
S. Terlecki
Affiliation:
Central Veterinary Laboratory, Weybridge, Surrey
W. M. Miller
Affiliation:
Central Veterinary Laboratory, Weybridge, Surrey

Summary

The jaws of 481 adult culled ewes were examined visually and radiographically for dental abnormality and changes in skeletal structure; the findings were correlated with ante-mortem body condition score and breed. Only two ewes had normal buccal morphology; the remainder of the sample showed a range of abnormalities which included loose and missing teeth, gingival hypertrophy, food-filled gingival pockets, ridging and shearing of the occlusal surfaces. There was a general loss of bone structure. Dental abnormality was not strongly correlated with breed but showed a significant relationship with radiographic assessment of bone density. Body condition did not appear to be adversely affected by dental disease. Skull dimensions and dental pad position were strongly associated with breed. The state of the incisor teeth alone was a poor indicator of cheek tooth condition.

Type
Research Article
Copyright
Copyright © Cambridge University Press 1979

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

References

Armstrong, M. C. (1960). Paradontal disease of sheep in South Canterbury. New Zealand Journal of Agriculture 100, 429, 431.Google Scholar
Benzie, D. & Cresswell, E. (1962). Studies of the dentition of sheep. II. Radiographic illustrations of stages in the development and shedding of the permanent dentition of the Scottish Blackface sheep. Research in Veterinary Science 3, 231235.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Boyde, A. (1972). Scanning electron microscope studies of bone. In The Biochemistry and Physiology of Bone, vol. 1. Structure, 2nd edn. (ed. Bourne, G. H.). New York: Academic Press.Google Scholar
Cresswell, E. & Benzie, D. (1964). Studies on the dentition of sheep. V. A comparison between the incisor dentition of ewes fed whole turnips and of ewes fed hay and silage in winter. Research in Veterinary Science 5, 488490.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Duckworth, J., Benzie, D., Cresswell, E., Hill, R., Daigarno, A. C, Robinson, J. F. & Robson, H. W. (1961). Dental mal-occlusion and rickets in sheep. Research in Veterinary Science 2, 375380.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Duckworth, J., Hill, R., Benzie, D., Dalgarno, A. C. & Robinson, J. F. (1962). Studies of the dentition of sheep. I. Clinical observations from investigations into the shedding ofpermanent incisor teeth byhill sheep. Research in Veterinary Science 3, 117.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Gunn, R.G. (1970). A note on the effect of broken mouth onthe performance of Scottish Blackface hill ewes. Animal Production 12, 517520.Google Scholar
Herrtage, M. E., Saunders, R. W. & Terlecki, S. (1974). Physical examination of cull ewes at point of slaughter. Veterinary Record 95, 257260.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Mackinnon, M. M. (1959). A pathological study ofan enzootic paradontal disease of mature sheep. New Zealand Veterinary Journal 7, 1826.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Martinson, E.O.Hamdan, M. A (1975). Calcu-lation of the polychoric estimate of correlation in contingency tables. Applied Statistics 24, 272278.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Mcroberts, M. R., Hill, R. & Dalgarno, A. C. (1965). The effects of diets deficient in phosphorus, phos- phorus andvitamin D, or calcium, on the skeleton and teeth of the growing sheep. II. Journal of Agricultural Science, Cambridge 65, 1114.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Miller, W. C. & Robertson, E. D. S. (1959). Practical Animal Husbandry, 7th edn. Chapter on dentition and ageing, pp. 379421. Edinburgh: Oliver and Boyd.Google Scholar
Nisbet, D. I., Butler, E. J., Robertson, J. M. & Bannatyne, C. C. (1968). Osteodystrophic diseases of sheep. III.Dental mal-occlusion in young sheep, Journal ofComparative Pathology 78, 7377.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Nisbet, D. I., Butler, E.J., Robertson, J. M. & Bannatyne, C. C. (1970). Osteodystrophic diseases of sheep. IV. Osteomalacia and osteoporosis in lactating ewes on West Scotland hill farms. Journal of Comparative Pathology 80, 535542.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Northey, R. D., Hawley, J. G. & Suckling, G. W. (1975). The tooth topad relationship insheep – some mechanical considerations. New Zealand Journal of Agricultural Research 18, 133138.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Porter, W. L., Scott, R.S. & Manktelow, B. W. (1970). The occurrence ofparadontal disease in sheep in relation to superphosphate topdressing, stocking rate, andother related factors. New Zealand Veterinary Journal 18, 2127.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Shanks, P. L. & Donald, L. G. (1955). An unusual mouth condition in sheep. Veterinary Record 67, 312313.Google Scholar
Shaw, I. (1979). Clinical observations on the molar dentition of sheep. Veterinary Record (inthe Press).Google Scholar
Sykes, A. R., Field, A. C. &Gunn, R. G. (1974). Effects of age andstate of incisor dentition on the chemical composition ofthe skeleton of sheep grazing hill pastures. Journal of Agricultural Science, Cambridge 83, 145150.CrossRefGoogle Scholar