This newborn lamb – dubbed ‘the cutest sheep in the world’ – is already worth a bit of money. Thanks to their rarity and adorable appearance, they are in great demand as pets.

Chris Slee and Tom Hooper raise this breed – originally from Switzerland – in Devon and they can sell for up to £ 10,000 for an incredible ram.

Their distinctive black faces with black knees, curled horns and long white fur have earned them a reputation as the cutest sheep in the world.

There are only a few thousand of them in the UK and Switzerland that prohibit their export so any increase must be purely from breeding.

Their distinctive black faces with black knees, curled horns and long white fur earned them a reputation as the sweetest sheep in the world.

There are only a few thousand of them in the UK and Switzerland that prohibit their export so any increase must be purely from breeding

Blacknose Valais are rarely seen outside of Switzerland, where they are often referred to as the cutest sheep in the world.

The country, which banned exports six years ago, raises sheep for wool and meat. In England, where it is thought that there are only a few thousand and they are kept as pets, for breeding and for display.

Mr Slee and Mr Hooper have been raising Valais blacknose in Halsbury Barton, near Bideford, since 2016, when they invested in several embryos from Scotland.

Blacknose Valais are rarely seen outside of Switzerland, where they are often referred to as the cutest sheep in the world

The country, which banned exports six years ago, raises sheep for wool and meat. In England, where it is thought there are only a few thousand and they are kept as pets, for breeding and for display

Mr Slee and Mr Hooper have been raising Valais blacknose in Halsbury Barton, near Bideford, since 2016, when they invested in several embryos from Scotland.

Mr Hooper, a former City economist, previously said of the breed: ‘It’s a fairly straightforward case of supply and demand.

‘Supply is limited because Switzerland has prevented further exports so what we have in the country, which is only a few thousand, cannot be added to by imports and it is not a very quick process to naturally add to the herd by breeding.

“On the other hand, there’s a lot of demand – they look good and are pretty tame, so make the ideal pet for those with a little land who want a pretty, but expensive, lawn mower.”

Mr Slee, whose family has farmed in north Devon for more than a century, previously added: ‘Prices are a bit crazy but seem to be going up for good quality stock.

Mr Hooper, a former City economist, previously said of the breed: ‘It’s a pretty straightforward case of supply and demand’

Mr Slee, whose family has farmed in north Devon for more than a century, previously added: ‘Prices are a bit crazy but appear to be going up for good quality stock’

He added: ‘We were drawn to them a few years ago after going to the Holsworthy market and seeing sheep pass through the ring for thousands of pounds’

“ We were attracted to them a few years ago after going to the Holsworthy market and seeing sheep go through the ring for thousands of pounds.

‘I can’t believe it – Holsworthy is a small town in north Devon and I’ve raised sheep all my life and have never seen anything like it.

‘On my family farm, we have about 400 commercial sheep and my sister and I breed and show Jacob’s sheep. But we were always being told by the Government to diversify, so Tom and I took a bet and bought some of these Valais.

“ So far so good but calving time can be a little more stressful as this little sheep is worth 30 or 40 times the value of a normal sheep. ”