Incisor Disorders of Merino Sheep (Ovis aries)
Alexandra Holt, Fritha Langford, Ankush Prashar, Helen Rogers
TL;DR
This study examines dental issues in Merino sheep, revealing common plaque and wear patterns, as well as rare anomalies like fused teeth.
Contribution
The paper documents the first cases of geminated and fused incisors in sheep, expanding knowledge of dental anomalies in this species.
Findings
Plaque scores indicated significant plaque accumulation on incisors, with higher scores on buccal surfaces.
Dental wear assessments showed enamel loss and pulp exposure in 13% of 10-month-olds and 33% of 20-month-olds.
Amelogenesis imperfecta was recorded in 5% of younger and 37% of older sheep, indicating age-related dental development issues.
Abstract
This study documents dental anomalies in 2414 Merino ewe sheep (Ovis aries) from 7 Australian Merino Sire Evaluation Association sites observed during routine husbandry. Teeth were photographed and evaluated using visual scoring protocols to assess plaque accumulation, enamel wear, and other anomalies across all incisors. Plaque scoring revealed a median plaque score of 3 (IQR ± 1) on buccal surfaces and 2 (IQR ± 2) on lingual surfaces, indicating substantial plaque accumulation across incisors. Two cases of geminated incisors and one case of fused central incisors were identified, representing the first documented cases in sheep and expanding existing knowledge of dental anomalies in sheep. Dental wear assessments showed that 13% of 10-month-old ewes and 33% of 20-month-old ewes had significant enamel loss or pulp exposure, with an average of 2 teeth per affected ewe displaying pulp…
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Taxonomy
TopicsT-cell and Retrovirus Studies · Vector-Borne Animal Diseases · Neurological diseases and metabolism