Guides
What to check before you buy
See the animal in person and in daylight before paying anything. Check that it stands and walks evenly, that its eyes and nose are clear, that it is eating, and that its teeth match the age you were told. Ask for a vaccination record. If the seller resists an in-person viewing, stop there.
Religious guidance on this page is described, not ruled on. Confirm it with a qualified scholar.
This is practical buyer guidance, not veterinary advice. For a health assessment, ask a qualified veterinarian.
Why must I see it in person?
Photos show appearance; they do not show how an animal moves, breathes or feeds. Almost every problem worth catching is visible in two minutes with the animal standing in front of you and invisible in any photograph. A seller who will not arrange a viewing before payment is asking you to take on the entire risk, which is not a deal any buyer should accept.
What should I look at?
Watch it walk a few steps — an even gait, no favouring a leg. Look at the eyes and nose: clear, not running. Look at the coat and the skin underneath for bare patches. Check the hooves are trimmed and not cracked. Watch it eat if you can. None of this makes you a vet; all of it catches the obvious.
How do I check the age?
Age is judged from the teeth, and in Pakistan animals are commonly described by how many permanent incisors they have shown — “do dant”, “chaar dant” and so on. Ask the seller to open the mouth and count with you. This matters beyond condition: for Qurbani, age is a requirement rather than a preference, so confirm it yourself rather than taking the number from the ad.
What should I ask the seller?
What has it been fed, and for how long? Has it been vaccinated, and against what — is there a record? How long have they had it? Why are they selling? Straight answers to ordinary questions are themselves information. Evasiveness about ownership history is the single most useful warning sign you will get.
How is age commonly described in Pakistan?
From the teeth. Buyers and sellers talk in “do dant”, “chaar dant” and so on — the number of permanent incisors that have come through — because that is how age is judged at the mandi. Ask the seller to open the mouth and count with you. For Qurbani, age is a requirement rather than a preference, so confirm it yourself. This page describes the market language; it is not a veterinary ageing course.
Is the same checklist used for birds, pets and fish?
The sequence is the same: see it alive, in person, before paying. What you look at changes. Birds and poultry — alertness, droppings, breathing. Pets — movement, eyes, skin, how it lets itself be handled. Fish — water, movement, visible injury. Photos still cannot replace that viewing, and a seller who will only ship without a viewing is asking you to take the whole risk.
Key facts
| What | Detail | Source |
|---|---|---|
| When to inspect | In person, in daylight, before any money moves | Buyer guidance on this page |
| Age in the market | Described by permanent incisors — “do dant”, “chaar dant” | Common Pakistani livestock practice |
| What photos miss | Gait, breathing, feeding and how the animal stands | Buyer guidance on this page |
| This page is not | Veterinary advice. For a health assessment, take a qualified veterinarian | Qasvah editorial |
Qasvah editorial · Last updated
Common questions
Can I bring someone with me?
Should I pay a deposit to hold an animal?
What if the animal does not match the ad?
Should I ask for a health certificate?
How do I check goat or cattle age by teeth?
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