Age Counting

Age of the Goat

The teeth can be used as an aid in determining the approximate age of a goat, especially up to the age of four.

Goats have eight incisors (cutting or biting teeth) on the lower front jaw. These are sharp and small in animals less than one year. They meet a hard pad (dental pad) in the upper jaw. At about one year, the center teeth will drop out and they are replaced by two permanent teeth.

Twenty-four molars (chewing or grinding teeth) are found in the back, six on each side of the upper and lower jaws. At about the age of two, two or more large front teeth appear, one on each side of the yearling teeth. The three or four year old has six permanent teeth, two more than the two year old. At four or five years of age, the animals have a complete set of eight permanent teeth in front. After this point, the age is judged by the amount of wear on the front teeth. As the animal ages, the teeth spread and drop out. It becomes difficult for her to eat properly, so care should be taken to make sure she eats sufficient amounts of food.

Don’t forget that goats don’t have upper teeth in the front (but they do have sharp ones in the rear)!