Farm Animals

Sheep Dental Disease and Incisor Loss

Incisor loss in older sheep significantly reduces grazing efficiency and welfare, requiring early detection and management to avoid chronic nutritional suffering.

Key Facts

Sheep use incisors to graze short pasture; loss reduces intake of short swards
Periodontal disease and worn teeth cause progressive incisor loss from 5-6 years onwards
'Broken-mouthed' sheep with missing incisors struggle on short or tough pastures
Moving affected sheep to softer pasture or supplementary feeding maintains welfare
Culling decisions should be based on welfare status, not solely productivity

Welfare Considerations

Dental welfare in sheep is often overlooked but has significant impacts on nutrition and quality of life in older animals. Regular mouth checks and appropriate management improve outcomes.

What You Can Do

Include mouth checks in annual sheep health monitoring programmes
Provide broken-mouthed ewes with softer pasture or supplementary feed
Consult your vet about the welfare threshold for culling dentally compromised sheep