# Determining a Goats Age?



## Tayet (Feb 9, 2012)

So I got the new goats and the lady at the animal rescue didn't know how old they are, she thought that Zero, the Pygmy buck, was a little bit over a year But he is a little bit smaller than my 8 month old Pygmy buckling Terry. SO I thought she was wrong? Unless he's just a runt and Terry's big for his age. Both of them are around almost two feet tall and I don't know how much they weigh, because I don't have a scale. 

Now Poppy, the La Mancha x, I have absouloutly no clue. This is the first time I've had a bigger breed (bigger then pygmy, Nigerian or mini la mancha) so I've no idea how old she is and neither did the rescue.

Is it possible to determine a goats age by their teeth? I know you can sorta do that with cows? If not, how DO you find out their age?


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## WillowGem (Aug 3, 2011)

Tayet, I found a link, with photos, that may help you determine their age.

http://www.arc.agric.za/home.asp?pid=3957


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## Tayet (Feb 9, 2012)

Thank you!


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## clearwtrbeach (May 10, 2012)

Here's another chart, it breaks it by year. http://goat-link.com/content/view/14/31/


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## Obaisshah (Nov 29, 2012)

Ya its true, the age of goats can be determined with their teeth. A goat is born with eight baby teeth in the lower front gum. When the goat approaches a year of age, the two center front baby teeth are replaced by two permanent teeth. Therefore, a goat with only two permanent teeth is called a two-toother and is considered at least one year old. 

The next two baby teeth, one on each side of the two permanent teeth, are replaced by two more permanent teeth. This goat is called a four-toother and is two years of age. At three years of age, the third set of two teeth, one on each side of the permanent teeth, is replaced by permanent teeth, and this goat is now a six-toother. From age four onward, the process for determining the goat's age becomes less precise and an exact age is difficult to determine. As the goat grows older, the teeth begin to buck out and spread. By the time the goat is ten years old, the teeth are generally pretty worn . . . Feeding with proper feed and supplements can help a lot in keeping the goat stay healthy for longer time.


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## HalfAChanceFarm (Dec 1, 2012)

Here is an animated view of the goats teeth and more! Hope this helps and is easy to understand. 
http://www.goatbiology.com/animations.html


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