Variability of tooth eruption in cattle.

Absolute and relative ages of incisor and canine eruption were recorded in 152 Holstein-Friesian and 154 Limousine X Hungarian Fleckvieh cows kept under commercial circumstances. While significant difference was found only between the emergence of the first incisor relative to the canine, a broader comparison of several breeds as published by a variety of authors put the findings within the right context. Results of a discriminant analysis suggested that the absolute ages of tooth eruption are heavily influenced by the environment. Typological inferences may be made studying tooth eruption ages relative to each other. In archaeozoology, aging based on modern toothwear analogies may be biased by these two inseparable effects.