Youngling or adult boar, which is better? Determining the age of a boar

Every hunter should be able to determine the species, sex and age of an animal. In a well-organized farm, a fine for hunting an animal of the wrong sex, species or age can cost the hunter significantly more than the cost of hunting a permitted animal.

At first glance, it may seem that it is impossible to make a mistake in identifying the species. However, this is not the case. Not to mention the absolutely anecdotal cases when elk and deer were killed instead livestock(cows and horses), it is not easy to distinguish female fallow deer, sika and European deer in the thickets without much experience. And instead of an elk, after shedding its antlers, it’s easy to make a mistake and shoot at a cow. However, it is still easier with deer-like animals than with wild boars. Therefore, it seems necessary to tell hunters about field determination of the age and sex of wild boars. This knowledge is also absolutely necessary for huntsmen and game wardens of hunting farms for correct execution livestock management plans. Signs that help identify an animal can be divided into two groups. Some of them can be assessed and comprehended before the beast is hunted. These are the size of the tracks and the appearance of the animals. Others can only be determined after extraction: the exact dimensions of individual parts, the degree of wear on the fangs, their shape and size.

In Western European countries with a high culture of hunting, all wild boars are divided into age classes by age. This is due to the fact that 3, 4 and 5 year old wild boars are anatomically similar, as are 6, 7 and 8 year old animals.

Definition of age classes

As already mentioned, it is relatively difficult to determine the age of wild boars in the field. This requires observation and considerable experience. Usually, before the animal itself, we encounter its traces. They, depending on the properties of the soil and vegetation, can be expressed with to varying degrees details. However, they are individual for each animal.

Moreover, they also have common features, allowing you to determine the age, sex and approximate weight of the animal.

The individuality of the mark increases with the age of the animal, practically reflecting its history and biographical features. Unfortunately, most hunters are not used to paying attention to individual characteristics traces of animals, limited only to an assessment of age and, occasionally, gender. However, it seems obvious that the ability to see and remember the individual characteristics of wild boar tracks is very useful for any hunter and, I think, is absolutely necessary for a professional huntsman. You need to not just look at animal tracks, but learn to see their elements.

Boars are artiodactyl animals, so their tracks consist of prints of two middle fingers (third and fourth), which end in pointed hooves.

In addition to them, fingerprints and convex crumbs of fingers remain on the ground. Their overall print is measured to determine the length and width of the mark. On the tracks of one-year-old and older animals, the lateral (second and fifth) toes are usually imprinted. Animals' fingers are counted, like those of humans, from the inside out, that is, from the thumb to the little finger.

In addition to width and length, each footprint has a number of other features. Adult boars always different shapes hooves They differ in width and angles at the apexes.

As a rule, male boars have a greater angle of hoof tops than females. Moreover, almost always the edges of the hooves of adult animals have defects in the form of chips and cracks. The space between the third and fourth toe hoof prints may be of equal width along the entire length of the print or (as is more common) widen towards the front at different angles. Usually the hooves on the middle toes also have different lengths. The nails are also very rarely located symmetrically. Each footprint of an individual animal has its own distance from the axis of the track (the direction of movement of the animal) and its own angle in relation to it. In other words, each animal places its legs wide or narrow and turns them differently in relation to the direction of movement. The heavier the boar, the wider it places its legs while moving.

If we consider that each animal has four legs, it becomes clear that individual characteristics There are quite a lot of wild boars in the tracks. In addition, depending on the length of the animal’s body and the height of its legs, the length of its step changes. For successful hunting, it is necessary that practical workers (gamekeepers and game wardens) be able to identify their wild boars by their tracks. This is a completely real task.

The age of wild boars, like most other animals, can be determined by the degree of wear on their teeth. Of course, they can only be explored by obtaining them or immobilizing the animal for a while. Pshibilsky provides a diagram of sections of the upper canines for male wild boars of different ages. As the cleaver ages, its upper fangs become longer and more twisted, and the area of ​​the grind on them increases in proportion to age. The famous German game expert Brandt discovered the connection between the shape of the lower canines and age. To use his recommendations, you need to boil the fangs from the jaw. After this, it is necessary to measure the diameter of the fang at the base and at the beginning of the grind. The ratio of the first to the second (this ratio is called the Brandt number) in underyearlings is about two, in the oldest cleavers it is one. In other words, in an old cleaver the thickness of the fang is the same from the root to the grind, while in the fingerlings at the top the thickness is almost half as much. Let us describe the main age characteristics of wild boars.

Fingerlings

These are piglets that are no more than a year old. At this age, males and females are indistinguishable from each other either in size or color. But they differ quite significantly from animals of other ages. First of all, up to six months they are striped, and by the beginning of autumn they become gray or grayish-brown. This is due to the underfur that appears on the skin by this time. By this time, the tassel at the tip of the tail becomes noticeable. It is clear that young of the year from late broods and the autumn molt finish later.

It is for this reason that by the time the hunt opened in middle lane(usually November) there are broods with striped fingerlings.

Their head has a characteristic child's shape: a short snout, small ears covered with short bristles. Light spots are visible on the head. The tail of fingerlings is short and thin, barely reaching the middle of the shin. The front and rear housings are approximately the same height. The average weight of newborn piglets is about one kilogram. By the end of the fourth month it reaches 25 kilograms, the fifth - 30, the sixth - 40.

Of course, these are only approximate values. If piglets suffer from helminthiasis, then by six months they can weigh less than thirty kilograms. With aviary maintenance and abundant, regular and proper nutrition their mass may be fifteen percent higher.

By the beginning of winter, the body length of yearlings is 100-110 cm, the height at the withers is 55-67 cm, the body girth is 72-91 cm. The size of individual hoof prints and the nature of the tracks (tracks) of yearling piglets depends on age. In early spring There are marks a little more than two centimeters in size, on which there are no prints of the lateral fingers. As piglets grow and gain weight, their hooves become noticeably larger and their marks become deeper. By the end of summer, there are always fingerprints of fingerlings on the tracks of fingerlings.

However, in winter, the growth of fingerlings stops, and by spring their weight decreases. This is due to low temperature environment and negative energy balance.

Winter weight loss is typical for all age groups of wild boars.

Gilts

These are young animals aged from one to two years. In the spring after a long and cold winter their weight is in the range of 28-35 kilograms. If young animals overwintered with helminths, their weight was noticeably less - 20-23 kilograms. Their heads appear short and blunt due to the overgrown winter fur. In summer, one-year-old individuals grow rapidly, and by autumn their weight almost doubles. At the same time there appear external signs sexual dimorphism.

Males begin to overtake females in height and weight. The body length of males is in the range of 122-155 cm, and that of females is 118-148 cm. The difference in the height of the withers is even more noticeable. In males it is 72-95 cm, and in females 62-83 cm. Accordingly, the weights of males with adequate nutrition reach 52-82 kg, and females - 48-76 kg.

Childhood forms disappear completely.

The body becomes more powerful in the front. This is due to the development of unpaired processes of the vertebrae cervical region, to which the muscles that work when the boar digs are attached.

By the way, in connection with digging, in the front part of the muzzle of a wild boar (like all other pigs) there is a special “proboscis” bone, which is superfluous compared to other animals. The withers are especially pronounced in males.

By this time, the difference in the size of the hoof prints of the front and hind legs becomes more noticeable, which is due to the fact that the front part has become heavier. A swelling appears on the lips of males, behind which the tips of the lower fangs can be seen. The ears of gilts are larger than those of underyearlings and are covered with coarse hair. The tail reaches the hock joint and has a developed tassel at the end.

The prints of the front hooves of gilts in spring measure 5.5x4.0 cm, and the rear ones are slightly smaller - 5.2x4 cm. By December, the total length of the (boiled) lower canines is 116 mm, the Brandt number is 1.6.

Two-year-old boars

These are animals that have survived two winters. By the time the hunt opens, they are approximately two and a half years old. In practice, these are adult animals that take part in reproduction. Their weight compared to gilts increases by 20-30 kg, depending on feeding conditions. They have a powerful and short neck and head. The fold on the lips increases, the tops of the lower fangs and the rudiments of the upper ones are visible in it. The latter are visible only in summer. In winter they are not visible behind the overgrown fur.

The figure looks more massive compared to gilts, especially in the front part of the body. The powerful front legs appear short. In males, thanks to the growing stubble, the withers become very pronounced. average value the print of the front hooves is 7.5x6.0 cm, the print of the hind hooves is 7.0x5.0 cm.

The length of the lower canines is 127 mm. Brandt number is 1.5.

Middle-aged wild boars

Animals 3-5 years old have a powerful, blunt head.

The ears are large and covered with dark hair. A powerful snout, highly raised labial folds, in which the lower and upper fangs are clearly distinguishable. The withers in males are very clearly expressed. The body is massive and heavy. Visually, the legs appear shorter compared to two-year-olds. The tail is long with a large brush at the end. The genital organ of males is clearly visible even in winter fur.

Around this age, boars complete the formation of their skeleton. By this time, the body length of males is approaching two meters, in females it is 140-180 cm.

The height at the withers in males reaches a meter, in females slightly less. The print of the front hooves measures 9x7 cm, the rear hooves - 8x6.2 cm. Choppers of this age group have the following canine parameters: average length lower ones - 159 mm, Brandt number - 1.2.

Older boars

Animals aged six years and older are a strong, powerful animal. The length of the head and neck is approximately one third of the body. The ears are large, covered with long black bristles. The upper and lower canines are clearly visible. The tail is long with a tassel up to 25 cm long. At this age, sexual dimorphism is most noticeable - the difference between males and females. Males have incomparably higher withers, which appear especially high due to the grown stubble. The weight of individual seasoned loppers can approach 300 kg, and females weighing more than 150 kg are rare. In particularly large males, the length of the front hoof print exceeds 10 cm.

In wild boars of this age group, the average length of the lower canines is 223 mm. Brandt number - 1.01.

A yearling is a young boar that was born less than a year ago. Hunting for such animals is especially popular in Russia, as it is much easier and more effective. Juveniles are easier to catch since they do not have much experience in defense. Also, their wool and meat are the most valued on the market.

Young piglets are small in size. Most often, their color has lighter shades, and only after a year they begin to darken. They also have long legs, which is one of their characteristic features young boars. Males are slimmer in appearance than females and also have a full mane. In a flock of wild boars, except for the leader, everyone else is most often female. Young male boars most often walk alone. In order to start this type of hunting, you must have not only the necessary equipment, but also Special attention pay attention to special skills that are necessary during hunting.

Main stages of the hunt

You need to understand that hunting a young wild boar is quite difficult and sometimes dangerous. If the youngling is with its female, who is frightened by the shooting, then this may pose a risk to the hunter’s life. Therefore, in this matter it is necessary to be as precise and careful as possible. In order to start this type of hunting, you need to know certain steps that must be followed, only then can you hope for a successful process.

• First of all, it is necessary to go around all the lands where wild boars graze, especially looking at the places where the animals go to feed.
• After traces of animals are found, a corral is carried out.
• In this case, hunters (from six people) must position themselves on one side of the forest, in a place where there is a herd.
• At the same time, the beaters begin to actively make noise and at the same time they should be directed towards the shooters. At this moment, the boars will begin to move away from danger and will move towards the shooters.
• At this moment, the most important thing is not to lose skill and accurately hit the target, since otherwise, the game may run away or attack a person.
• If everything goes well, the hunter is left with his trophy.

Location: Tver region, Zapovednye estuaries.

In addition, on many farms there is a fine for shooting a pig, and the cleaver, with his characteristic caution, rarely goes out to the numbers, so it turns out that our animal is a wild boar for up to a year. And if we take into account the current prices for the production of ungulates, one elk “pulls” 6-8 wild boars, so after performing simple arithmetic operations, our company came to the conclusion that a dozen and a half, albeit less valuable trophies, are much nicer than the pair of elk that were originally “ included" in the "financial estimate" of our team.

The planned trip was not a weekend hunt, but five full hunting days; under certain circumstances, the trip could last a week, because in addition to wild boars, there was a desire to chase small game - a hare and a fox. So, in addition to a slug gun, they also needed a shotgun, but they were allowed to take only one thing - border and customs restrictions that were difficult to understand. The hunting area where the “big” hunt was to take place was already outside our new homeland, as they say now, in the near abroad. Considering our residence in the capital, we can say in the near future, since the distance to the hunting place was not at all critical, and taking into account the hunting conditions and the prices set, the extra hundred kilometers did not play a special role.

The difficulty, it turned out, was different. It was decided to go with smoothbore weapons. For someone without a rifled barrel, this decision It didn’t matter, others who were used to using a carbine on game hunts were a little upset. But it would seem to be a trifle, it doesn’t matter what kind of gun you’ll be on the show with, the main thing is that there is game. Taking a serious approach to the upcoming hunt, it turned out that this was not entirely true. Possible fines for a miss and a wounded person imposed a certain responsibility on the participants in the hunt for the accuracy of the shot. But sending a bullet, aiming correctly from a smooth-bore gun, is not a guarantee that it will definitely hit the target. Much depends not only on the characteristics of the gun, but also on the ammunition used, mainly on the design of the bullet used. And besides, the young wild boar is a small animal; in its winter tousled stubble it seems much larger than it really is, and a deviation of 20-30 cm - the usual spread of lead bullets, even with precise aiming, can leave the shooter without a trophy.

Therefore, before the trip, I, as having some experience in shooting, was instructed to select the appropriate cartridges for the upcoming hunting trip. The main requirement is clear, the most accurate shot. Of course, boar buckshot could solve all the problems, but the rules of driven hunts for ungulates require only a bullet cartridge.

Taking into account the above, the requirement for a bullet cartridge could be formulated according to the following points:1. Accuracy; 2. Sufficient stopping power; 3. Application in semi-automatic and double-barreled shotguns. Almost immediately, with some exceptions, cartridges with bullets were rejected domestic production, not only the lead components of the bullets looked too makeshift, but also the plastic stabilizers and containers, if present, and the difference in mass, and sometimes in size, was not expected accurate shooting and consistent hits.

Glavpatron - LLC "Cartridge Manufactory" offered cartridges with a 12-caliber bullet "Gualandi" (Italian company "Bashieri & Pellagri") weighing 32 g. Guaranteeing accuracy at 50 m of no more than 120 mm. Perhaps the results of the zeroing can be attributed to the characteristics of my gun or the skill of the shooter, but the spread of bullets turned out to be somewhat large. High accuracy was not possible with this bullet and using cartridges from other manufacturers. The light bullet 28.4 gr showed itself somewhat more reassuringly. BRENNEKE (brenneke) cartridge from Rottweil, but still I would like to have a slightly higher accuracy.

Azot Company, did not claim high accuracy of its bullets, but its “Tandem” and “Nitrogen” bullets fit within the stated 20 cm, which indicated the honesty of the manufacturer. As a backup option, I selected “Trio” cartridges, 3 lead balls (d=11.5mm) in a container (in 2 half-shells), covering a 50 m circle with a diameter of no more than 45 cm.

I really liked the dozen and a half cartridges given to me by the famous hunter writer Sergei Losev, equipped with a bullet designed by S.T. Mitichkina. There was only one drawback: after test shooting, there were only ten rounds left, which was clearly not enough for the upcoming hunt. It is a pity that this ammunition has not yet appeared on sale.

The well-known popular “POLEVA” bullets, Along with the most accurate shots, they suddenly gave such an inaccurate hit, which could only be explained by the low standard of production of these sub-caliber bullets.

We admired the technical characteristics of the cartridge with the ZENIT bullet, with a fantastic ballistic coefficient - 4.7; having a dispersion diameter at a distance of 100 m - 10 cm. There was only one thing that upset me: these cartridges were never on sale. But the very design of the arrow-shaped bullet gave rise to the idea of ​​looking for similar bullet cartridges.

The search was successful. Cartridges from SAUVESTRE, almost completely coincided with the declared characteristics. Having minor differences in weight and characteristics, primarily, the deformation of the bullet body when hitting an animal, the vertical deflection of the bullets was within 1-4 cm at a distance of up to 100 m from the aiming point, essentially a direct shot. The speed and energy of the bullet was more than enough not only for a young boar, but also for larger game. Depending on the weight and design, the speed and energy of the bullet were characterized by the manufacturer with the following parameters. See table (70 mm cartridge).

Cartridges loaded into a 76 mm case, such as “magnum” and “semi-magnum”, were superior in energy to a simple cartridge, depending on the firing distance from 30% to 70%.

This is how the company describes its new cartridge with a arrow-shaped bullet. The "BFS" ​​Sauvestre bullet is a two-piece arrow-bullet with a corrugated surface. A conceptually new bullet cartridge for shotguns, already used and appreciated by many hunters, was developed by the French engineer Jean-Claude Sauvestre.

The cartridge is intended for smooth-bore shotguns, both with and without choke constrictions. Its ballistic qualities come from the combination of a pointer with a very hard central core and an original container made of two ring halves that guarantee gas-tightness and flexible movement in the barrel. As soon as this part leaves the barrel, the ring halves will fall away from the bullet without disturbing its initial flight path. The BFS cartridge is safe to use and extremely comfortable to shoot.

Species: Sus scrofa = Boar, wild pig

FIELD SIGNS. DESCRIPTION

The boar is a large animal, somewhat awkward in build, with a massive body and relatively short legs. The muzzle is elongated, cone-shaped, ending in a bare flat cartilaginous “patch” on which the nostrils open. In autumn, winter and spring, the animal's body is covered with bristles, especially hard and long (12 - 13 cm) on the ridge, where it forms a mane. Under the bristles there is a thick and soft underfur. Thanks to the thick underfur, the skin is not wetted, so the boar willingly goes into the water (it swims well) in summer and winter; subcutaneous fat deposition protects it from cooling in the water. In the summer, after spring molt, the boar is almost deprived hairline, covered only with sparse short setae.

When moving, the boar relies not only on the 3rd and 4th fingers, but also on the 2nd and 5th. On soft ground, all 4 fingers move apart, increasing the supporting area.

The tail is short, 25 cm, not curled. When the animal is calm and rummaging in the soil, the tail, which is constantly in motion, is lowered down; while running, the boar holds its tail horizontally or raises it up.

Body length 125 - 175 cm, height at withers 80 - 100 cm, weight of adults and animals 150 - 270 kg. The cone-shaped, laterally compressed shape of the boar's body with stiff bristles facilitates easy movement in dense thickets. The ears are long and wide. The eyes are small, barely noticeable from the outside, located in deep sockets and protected by a tuft of bristly hair. The color of the boar is black, red-brown, sandy, silver-gray. The piglets are light brown, with bright longitudinal stripes on the back and sides. The skin of the boar is white.

The teeth are well developed, especially the canines. The canines of the upper jaw are relatively short, curved, with their ends directed to the sides and upwards. The triangular shaped canines of the lower jaw grow upward. They are especially dangerous in three-year-old loppers; at the 4th - 5th year of life they begin to bend back. In cleavers, the fangs reach a length of 10 cm; the fangs of pigs are much smaller. As the animal ages, the fangs wear down and break off.

DETERMINATION OF SEX AND AGE IN NATURAL CONDITIONS

By appearance Three age groups can be distinguished: piglets (yearlings), gilts (two-year-olds) and adults. It is especially easy to distinguish between piglets and adults; it is more difficult to distinguish between gilts, since a large gilt can be confused with a pig.

Piglets are smaller in size, lighter in color than adults (the light color lasts up to a year) and have longer legs. In gilts (in the 2nd year of life), the withers develop and stubble grows along the back. Adult animals are more massive than gilts, and the stubble on the back grows stronger. This difference is especially evident in cleavers.

IN field conditions It is quite possible to distinguish an adult male from a pig, and not only because cleavers have long, curved fangs (the fangs are hard to see at a distance in the twilight), but rather by their silhouette. Males are distinguished by a larger head, a massive front part of the body, they have more developed withers and a more luxuriant “mane” along the crest of the back. They look slimmer than females, perhaps due to the fact that their bodies are flattened laterally, while females have a barrel-shaped body.

In young individuals - piglets and gilts - sexual demorphism is poorly developed.

Piglets usually weigh 25 - 45 kg (the weight of the animal largely depends on feeding conditions and timing of reproduction), gilts - up to 65 - 70 kg (with good feed, sometimes more), adult animals: females from 120 to 180, males - from 140 up to 200 kg. The weight of the largest cleavers reaches 260 kg or more.

The most accessible definition of age is based on the development of the dental system and the degree of wear. There are two known works on determining the age of wild boar using this method: for the Western European wild boar (Kozlo, 1975) and for the Ussuri wild boar (Bromley, 1969). Below is a description of the dental system of wild boars of different age groups for the autumn-winter season, i.e. during the hunting period.

Piglets (7 - 11 months) - 36 teeth in total. By this age, usually the 3rd milk incisor is replaced by a permanent one, and the 1st and 2nd incisors are noticeably worn out. The replacement of baby fangs begins. The front roots are still milky, but are beginning to wear out. At the 3rd anterior root tooth, the chewing surface becomes cone-shaped. In the 1st large molar, by 10 - 11 months, the masticatory cusps are smoothed out.

Gilts (18 - 23 months) - 40 teeth in total. By this age, the replacement of milk teeth with permanent ones usually ends. The second molar is fully developed.

Two-year-old individuals have a total of 40 - 42 teeth. The 3rd molar begins to develop. The anterior roots are completely differentiated and have obliterated apices. The canines of males reach a length of up to 40 mm; in females they are noticeably shorter.

Three-year-old individuals - the number of teeth is 44. The incisors are weakly worn, the wear of the anterior molars increases. The 1st and 2nd posterior teeth begin to wear off.

Four-year-old individuals. All teeth show signs of wear, and most importantly, the 3rd posterior tooth begins to smooth out, where dentin lines appear.

Five-year-old individuals. The upper ones of the 1st and 2nd incisors are ground down internal sides. As a result of abrasion, the incisors are shortened. The surfaces of the anterior and posterior molars wear out greatly, with the 1st and 2nd molars wearing away the cusps and folds of enamel, the dentin takes on a star-shaped shape, this is especially typical for the 3rd large molar, although it still has cusps. In cleavers, transverse grooves are visible on the upper fangs, which correspond to the age of the animal (this sign does not appear in all individuals).

Six- and seven-year-old individuals. The incisors are highly sharpened and shortened. The molars are much more worn than in animals of previous ages. In anterior-rooted teeth, dentin appears in dark stripes; in posterior-rooted teeth, the minor folds begin to wear off and individual dentin stars are connected to each other by dark spots. The crown of the 1st large molar begins to wear off.

Eight-year-old individuals and older individuals. Teeth begin to decay and fall out. Especially often the 3rd incisors and 1st and 2nd anterior teeth break off. The fangs gradually become thinner. The crowns of all molars are worn away. In old individuals (10 years and older), the posterior teeth are worn down almost to the gums, and the folds of enamel disappear. .

By appearance, three age groups can be distinguished: piglets (yearlings), gilts (two-year-olds) and adults. It is especially easy to distinguish between piglets and adults; it is more difficult to distinguish between gilts, since a large gilt can be confused with a pig.

Piglets are smaller in size, lighter in color than adults (the light color lasts up to a year) and have longer legs. In gilts (in the 2nd year of life), the withers develop and stubble grows along the back. Adult animals are more massive than gilts, and the stubble on the back grows stronger. This difference is especially evident in cleavers.

In field conditions, it is quite possible to distinguish an adult male from a pig, and not only because loppers have long, curved fangs (the fangs are hard to see at a distance in the twilight), but rather by their silhouette. Males are distinguished by a larger head, a massive front part of the body, they have more developed withers and a more luxuriant “mane” along the crest of the back. They look slimmer than females, perhaps due to the fact that their bodies are flattened laterally, while females have a barrel-shaped body.

In young individuals - piglets and gilts - sexual demorphism is poorly developed.

Piglets usually weigh 25 - 45 kg (the weight of the animal largely depends on feeding conditions and timing of reproduction), gilts - up to 65 - 70 kg (with good feed, sometimes more), adult animals: females from 120 to 180, males - from 140 up to 200 kg. The weight of the largest cleavers reaches 260 kg or more.

The most accessible definition of age is based on the development of the dental system and the degree of wear. There are two known works on determining the age of wild boar using this method: for the Western European wild boar (Kozlo, 1975) and for the Ussuri wild boar (Bromley, 1969). Below is a description of the dental system of wild boars of different age groups for the autumn-winter season, i.e. during the hunting period.

Piglets (7 - 11 months) - 36 teeth in total. By this age, usually the 3rd milk cutter is replaced by a permanent one, and the 1st and 2nd incisors are noticeably erased. The replacement of baby fangs begins. The front roots are still milky, but are beginning to wear out. At the 3rd anterior root tooth, the chewing surface becomes cone-shaped. In the 1st large molar, by 10-11 months, the masticatory cusps are smoothed out.

Gilts (18 - 23 months) - 40 teeth in total. By this age, the replacement of milk teeth with permanent ones usually ends. Second major molar tooth fully developed.

Two-year-old individuals - a total of 40 - 42 teeth. The 3rd molar begins to develop tooth. The anterior roots are completely differentiated and have obliterated apices. The canines of males reach a length of up to 40 mm; in females they are noticeably shorter.

Three-year-old individuals have 44 teeth. The incisors are slightly worn, the wear of the anterior ones increases. The 1st and 2nd posterior teeth begin to wear off.

Four-year-old individuals. All teeth show signs of wear, and most importantly, the 3rd posterior tooth begins to smooth out, where dentin lines appear.

Five-year-old individuals. The upper inner sides of the 1st and 2nd incisors are ground down. As a result of abrasion, the incisors are shortened. The surfaces of the anterior and posterior molars wear out greatly, with the 1st and 2nd molars wearing away the cusps and folds of enamel, the dentin takes on a star-shaped shape, this is especially typical for the 3rd large molar, although it still has cusps. In cleavers, transverse grooves are visible on the upper fangs, which correspond to the age of the animal (this sign does not appear in all individuals).

Six- and seven-year-old individuals. The incisors are highly sharpened and shortened. The molars are much more worn than in animals of previous ages. In anterior-rooted teeth, dentin appears in dark stripes; in posterior-rooted teeth, the minor folds begin to wear off and individual dentin stars are connected to each other by dark spots. The crown of the 1st large molar begins to wear off.

Eight-year-old individuals and older individuals. Teeth begin to decay and fall out. Especially often the 3rd incisors and 1st and 2nd anterior teeth break off. The fangs gradually become thinner. The crowns of all molars are worn away. In old individuals (10 years and older), the posterior teeth are worn down almost to the gums, and the folds of enamel disappear.