Northumberland sheep farming has a sustainable place in UK agriculture: the lamb produces valuable protein directly available for human consumption from an area which cannot be used to grow grain, vegetables or dairy products.”

And upland hill farming supports the human communities and conserves a unique flora and fauna which has evolved as a consequence of the extensive agricultural systems, they added.

Mr Dixon argues the results could apply to many Borders hill farms.

“The research is very relevant to the Borders. We’re only eight miles from the Bowmont and Kale valleys and farms there would have a similar range of figures,” he told us.

He added he had found out the NZ research had used two different calculating systems and that they had looked at lowland lamb, whereas most British lamb is produced in the uplands.