London: A sheep has sold for a staggering £231,000 (over Rs 1.83 crores) - the price of a small family home in Britain.


The sheep, named Deveronvale Perfection, broke the seven-year-old British record of around £134,000 for a Texel ram and the world record for a sheep in Australia in the 1980s.


The sheep was sold on Thursday at the Scottish National Texel Sale at Lankark Market.


The sheep could make its new owner, a Scottish breeder from Cairness, a good return and go on to be worth millions after selling its semen and progeny around the world.


Tophill Joe, the country's previously most expensive ram, is thought to have earned his owners more than £1 million in five years.


Chief Executive of the Texel Sheep Society, John Yates, said the industry was shocked by the high price.


"The staggering amount surprised many. A lot of people see these animals as lamb chops, but these flocks are at the top of the genetic pile. This was the elite animal that stood out," he said.


"Most people would see it as a ridiculous price for a sheep but, for a sheep breeder, it is an investment," he added.