2024 Author: Howard Calhoun | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-17 10:16
In order for cows to get all the necessary substances from food, they must chew food thoroughly, and this requires strong and he althy teeth. And how many teeth does a cow have and do they change? Formally, it is considered that a cow has 32 teeth: 24 molars and 8 incisors located on the lower jaw.
Age change
Teeth formation begins in utero. At birth, the first four teeth are already in the mouth of the young. After 1-2 weeks, they grow four more teeth. At the age of 4-6 months, the first molars appear in the calf. Complete change of molars to permanent teeth occurs at the age of two years. And how many teeth does a cow have and how painful is their change? During the shift, young animals do not experience any discomfort, pain, as this period is greatly extended.
At the age of 4-5 years, the process of grinding the cow's teeth begins. The photo shows how powerful and large formations are in the animal's oral cavity. The grinding process occurs under the influence of constant chewinghay, grass and other fodder. At the age of ten, the animal has peculiar stumps.
By the age of 14-15, the cow is almost completely missing the upper front teeth - they are worn down to a uniform plate. It allows you to grind grass and other plant foods.
Oral cavity
The oral cavity of a cow is represented by lips, tongue, cheeks, gums, palate, teeth, salivary glands, pharynx and tonsils. During a meal, vegetation and other food enter the oral cavity, where chewing takes place. Features of the structure of the teeth of a cow allow you to grind the grass. The food itself is captured by the tongue and lips.
The upper jaw is wider than the lower jaw, allowing cattle to chew freely on either side. The tongue of cows is hard, it performs the function of “turning over” food in the oral cavity.
The structure of the jaws
How many teeth does a cow have and how are they arranged? Animals have 32 teeth. They form two arcades - below and above. The teeth on the right and left sides are always symmetrical. Cows do not have tusks. The jaw is made up of incisors, premolars, molars and gums.
Cows have the following types of teeth:
- Incisors. Their purpose is to cut grass. In cattle, they are located on the lower jaw in front. The first pair of incisors are hooks. The middle incisors are located on the right and left. Behind them are the edges. Chewing animals have no upper incisors. In the place where they are supposed to be, there is a pad or plate,formed by the gum and tightly connected to the periosteum of the incisor teeth. Because of this structural feature, the plate is rigid and dense. It acts as a grater.
- Cows do not have fangs, but there are edges - these are modified fangs that have become incisors.
- Molars, premolars. They are used for chewing food. This type of teeth is not located immediately behind the incisors, but behind the toothless edge formed by the gum. Cows have three pairs of premolars and molars on each arch. There are 24 such teeth in total.
The size of the incisors is not the same. The largest are the first two. The smallest are the edges. The incisors are flattened with rounded edges. In young animals, the crowns on the side of the lips overlap slightly.
Gradually, with age, as they wear out, they take their intended place. The lower lip begins to sag slightly, the lower jaw to protrude forward. The upper lip is convex, slightly inward. The jaws are very mobile.
The number of teeth in a cow at a young and old age is different. The young grow milk teeth. They are fragile, with thin enamel, which is quickly erased. By the age of one and a half years, there is no enamel on the inside. This period coincides with the change of teeth. Molars have a stronger surface.
Tooth structure
When wondering how many teeth a cow has, not many people realize that they have the same number of teeth as a person, and the structure is not much different. The basis of the tooth is dentin, similar to bone tissue, but much stronger. Approximately 70% of fabricare minerals. The basis is calcium phosphate, which is why a deficiency of this element should not be allowed. Otherwise, the lack of elements negatively affects the state of bone tissue, the strength of enamel, dentin. The organic part of dentin is collagen.
Dentine covered with enamel. It is the strongest tissue in the body. It is subjected to enormous stress, as animals constantly chew something. The fabric contains calcium carbonate, calcium phosphate, and various s alts. Partially, the enamel takes trace elements from saliva, and the other part from food.
Besides enamel, dentine is formed by cement. The base of the tooth enters the alveolus, which forms the periosteum - the periodontium. It connects with cementum, gum with different types of connective tissue.
The part of the tooth that is covered with enamel is called the crown. It forms a functional surface: in molars - chewing, and in incisors - cutting. The pulp in the mouth is soft tissue.
At the very top of the tooth root there is a hole that is connected to the internal cavity of the tooth, the pulp. Vessels and nerve endings pass through the canal.
Premolars, molars on the lower jaw have two roots, and on the top - three. The narrowing point where the root passes into the crown is called the neck.
Determination of age
Knowing how many teeth a cow has, photos of which are presented in this article, you can easily determine the age of the animal. His assessment is done by the condition of the teeth. From the age of four, teeth begin togrind down, change one's appearance. Usually, the following data is used to determine age:
- Year - the enamel of milk teeth worn off from the inside.
- Two years - teeth fall out.
- 2.5 years old – molars of middle incisors are visible.
- 4 years - edges grow.
- 5 years - the top layer of enamel is erased. Gaps appear.
- 6 years - modified incisors, the shape becomes wider.
- 7 years – no enamel on middle incisors.
- 10 years old - no enamel edges, molars small, square shape.
- 12 years old - rounded toes, no enamel. The gaps are large.
From 12-13 years old, it is difficult to determine the age of a cow, since the teeth are heavily worn off, there is practically nothing left in the central part.
Conclusion
Proper diet is a guarantee of he althy teeth throughout the life of the animal. Do not forget that even cows have dental pathologies: teeth grinding, teething, tooth loss, jaw disease. All this can be avoided if you properly feed the cow, monitor her he alth.
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