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

Abstract

The incisor dentition of Scottish Blackface ewes fed whole turnips in winter between the ages of 6 months and 5½ years has been compared with the incisor dentition of comparable ewes fed silage and hay in winter over the same period. At 5½years the overall condition of the incisor dentition of both groups was surprisingly good although, with advancing age, forward drift of the crowns of the permanent incisors relative to the dental pad was certainly more marked in the turnip group. Nothing was found in the turnip group at the age of 5½ years in this experiment to compare with the loss of incisors and denudation of alveolar bone found at as early an age as 3½-4½ years in turnip-wintered ewes in other experiments referred to in this paper. The implications of the results are discussed.