Age determination in sheep or lamb carcasses can be estimated by examining which joints?

• A. Mutton joints
• B. Horn rings
• C. Top teeth
• D. Bottom teeth

Answer: (A)

Age determination from sheep carcasses is based on how the joints change with maturity. As a sheep gets older, the joints show more pronounced ossification of the cartilage and firmer, thicker joint surfaces, whereas in lambs the joints are less ossified and the cartilage is softer and smoother. These visible differences at the joints provide a quick, practical clue to whether the carcass is from a lamb or a mature sheep, which is why examining the joints is used for this purpose.

Other signs like horn rings or tooth wear offer age clues in different contexts, or require looking at teeth rather than joints, which is a different method than the one emphasized here.