A lamb bred by a family in Stockport has sold for a whopping £367,500 at auction.
It’s thought to be the most expensive sheep in the world.
Pedigree Texel ram lamb Double Diamond was sold at the Scottish National Texel Sale in Lanark on Thursday after being bred by Charlie Boden and family from their Sportsmans flock at Mellor Hall farm.
The price quickly escalated from an opening bid of £10,500 and the animal was bought by a three-way partnership between three farmers.
Jeff Aiken, flock manager at Procters Farm, one of the buyers, said: “The Texel for a start is the best breed in the UK and the pedigree side of it is getting bigger.
“If you want the best you have to try and buy the best.
“It’s an exceptional animal and the best Texel sheep I’ve ever seen. Hopefully he’ll do a good job on all three flocks.”
He stressed the price is a ‘one-off’ and said he did not want it to give the wrong impression of the farming industry.
“There’s a small percentage of pedigree buyers that can club together and pay big money, but at the end of the day the commercial farmers are just as important if not more important – they are putting food on our tables,” he said.
“I’m in the fortunate position that I can spend that sort of money.”
