New pet of the Chinese super rich

Duolang sheep – dubbed the "Treasure of Xinjiang" with only around 1,000 left in the world – has become the latest pet of the super-rich in China.

Duolang sheep

Its extraordinary features – a curved nose, long floppy ears and twin tails – have made the animal very special for the "taiko" who want something different from the others to show off their status.

The sheep, bred in Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region, can be sold for up to 14mil yuan (RM7mil) each! RM 7million for a sheep!!
Also known as Maigaiti by the locals, it is a crossbreed between a local sheep species and a fat-rumped one introduced from Afghanistan.

The more curved the face, the better

Duolang breeder Liu Fenghua said the price of the sheep depends on its pedigree.

The darker the fleece, the bigger the ears, the better. The more curved the face, the better, like an eagle's beak, he said.

"The best ones have a dark body and white tail," said Liu, adding that he fed his Duolang with dates and walnuts, along with other grains.

Duolang is easy to raise. A mature animal weighs around 150kg, and its meat can be eaten.

It is highly resistant to disease and can adapt to different environments. Moreover, their meat is juicy and does not have the usual smell of mutton.

Liu said he bought a pair of Duolang for 25,000 yuan (RM12,450) in 2009, and was offered 10 times the original price for them a year later.

"The price keeps rising," he said, adding even Duolang semen can fetch up to 300,000 yuan (RM149,400) per dose.

China's sudden wealth has produced bubbles in all sorts of commodities, from tea to fine wine to jade.

Tibetan Mastiff

Last year, a Tibetan Mastiff puppy became the world's most expensive dog when it was sold for nearly £1mil (RM5mil) in Qinghai.