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In the United Kingdom, the first quads of a rare species of “black-nosed” lambs have been born.
Adorable pictures show the four young Valais Blacknose arriving at Whitehall Farm in Dumfriesshire, Scotland.
Boys Livramento and Larry, and girls Lotus and Lily, were born to their mother Grace three weeks ago and have since won the hearts of the farm.
Emily Duncan, who runs the farm with her husband, said: “As far as I know they are the first quads to be born in the UK, it’s very unusual.”
‘They’ve been getting a lot of attention! Until now there has only been one group born in Germany and another in Sweden.
Pictured above are three-week-old Valais Blacknose quadruplet lambs, the first quadruplets of this rare species to be born in the UK.
These rare sheep were born on this Dumfriesshire farm – the first time they have been born on UK soil
‘The Valais Blacknose sheep arrived in the UK in 2015 from Switzerland, from the Valaisarea area, hence its name.
“We got them at the end of that year, very early.”
Emily explains that it is not only the species’ color that makes them stand out, but also their friendly temperament.
She said: “The species are quite rare, so they look different, but they are also exceptionally friendly sheep, which is another reason why people love them so much.”
One of the Scottish couple’s adorable Swiss lambs, the first quads of the rare blacknose species to be born in the UK.
Black-nosed lambs come from the Valais, southwestern Switzerland. It is a dual purpose breed, bred for both meat and wool but it is so cute that it has become a very fashionable pet.
‘So much so that when one was eating lambs all the others cooed and nibbled at my feet.
‘Everyone follows me, it’s a bit exhausting! When the species came to us in 2015, people came from all over to see it.
There was even a busload from Hawaii!
Whitehall Farm is also home to a further 500 sheep, as well as Aberdeen angus and Belted Galloway cows, horses, chickens and dogs.
This comes after the Mail revealed how Black-nosed sheep are in high demand as pets.
The Valais blacknose breed, rarely seen outside its native Switzerland and often called the cutest sheep in the world, is worth up to £10,000 each – 40 times the value of an ordinary lamb.
These three are the latest additions to the herd at a farm in North Devon where lambing season is in full swing.
In Switzerland, which banned exports nine years ago, sheep are raised for wool as well as meat.
In the UK, where there are thought to be only a few thousand, they are kept as pets, for breeding and display.
In 2020, we reported that they typically sell for up to £7,000, but the most attractive rams can fetch £10,000.