An Argentine dentist is making dentures for cows, extending the animals' lives and allowing the bovines to stay out in their pastures until, well, the cows come home.
After spending 15 hours a day chewing, by the time they reach eight years of age cows have teeth that have been worn down to the point in which they can no longer eat properly. They are then considered unproductive and are sent to the slaughterhouse.
So Argentine dentist Osvaldo Errobidart invented a low-cost way of helping cows chew and remain productive longer. The teeth are made from stainless steel and fixed into place with a pair of household pliers in just 30 seconds.
He has been welding cow teeth prostheses for 20 years, and now some farmers in Buenos Aires are trying out his invention, according to a story by TV station KENS5. So far, some cows are still chewing their cuds three years past their expiration date when they would have been sent to market, KENS5 reported.
"The ranchers now know they have to check the teeth of each animal every year," Dr. Errobidart told the TV station. "Before they hardly ever opened the mouth of the animal, and now they are starting to realize that their profits pass through there. Because the cow can eat if it has its teeth; it is main capital of a productive animal."
Veterinarians have warned that prostheses could introduce bacteria and infections into the animals' mouth, but other experts say the cows have built up immunity on the farms and will not be harmed.
Copyright © 2010 DrBicuspid.com
