The world's oldest sheep died in Australia after succumbing to a record-breaking heatwave that scorched much of the country's southeast, its owner said yesterday.

Despite her best efforts to nurse Lucky through the searing heat, owner Delrae Westgarth said the ewe died on Monday aged 23 years, six months and 28 days at the farm in Victoria state where she was born.

"We brought her into the shed where she was reared and put air conditioners on her, which kept her going a bit longer, but unfortunately she didn't make the 23 years and 7 months," said Westgarth.

Lucky was recognised by Guinness World Records as the world's oldest sheep in September 2007, then aged 21 years, five months.

u00a0