Meet Holly, one of the cutest lambs in the world!

She was born on the Moorparks Farm in Devon earlier this month.

Holly is a Swiss Valais Blacknose, a rare breed in the UK. With their pretty black and white coats and friendly natures, they have earned themselves the title of ‘the cutest sheep in the world’ – and we can see why.

Holly’s owners, Erik and Michele Robinson, run a smallholding and two holiday cottages near Winkleigh, mid-Devon, and are thrilled to welcome her to their flock. Erik explains how they came across this breed, rare even in its home country where exports of the sheep are restricted.

He said: “We had been looking after a few of these sheep for friends a couple of years ago and I fell in love with them. We really missed them when our friends took their sheep home to be put them with a ram. They are so friendly, they fitted in so well with our Greyface Dartmoor sheep which are also friendly. So, I set about searching for our first Swiss Valais. I had to drive Cumbria to collect Gloria and Gracie, but they are so worth it.

“Gloria, Holly’s mum, is one of two Swiss Valais we bought last year. Earlier this year we hired a ram for the girls, unfortunately Gracie wasn’t in lamb. We have two more Valais which are in lamb, one is expecting twins in January and the other is expecting a single in February.”

Erik adds: “The first Swiss Valais Blacknose sheep was imported into the UK in 2014 so they are relatively new. They have been called the cutest sheep in the world — as lambs they really are!”

The name Holly was chosen from entries in a competition ran on Moorparks’ Facebook page. Erik explains: “Each year all Valais are given a name starting with a certain letter, this year is ‘H’, so we asked for suggestions of names starting with H. Eight people chose Holly, so we got one of our sheep to choose the winner!”