Guernsey Cow subject of Channel Island's stamp
The famous Guernsey cow, found on this beautiful island in the Channel Islands, is the subject of Guernsey Post’s miniature sheet stamp, which has been produced for this year’s World Stamp Show in New York.
One of the most famous breeds in the world, the Guernsey Cow is affectionately known as the ‘Golden Guernsey’ due to the rich colour of its milk and hide. Guernseys are renowned within the dairy farming industry across the world as being a high-yielder of golden coloured milk whilst maintaining a docile and friendly temperament.
Guernseys were first imported to the United States by two schooner captains in the 1830s and 1840s. Impressed by the quality of the breed’s dairy products, Captain Prince brought the first Guernseys back to his home in Boston. Three Alderney Cows were brought to New York and Captain Prince’s two heifers and bull from Guernsey became the basis of the American Guernsey herd. Large imports were made about 1850 and then again from 1870 to 1880.
Said Bridget Yabsley, acting head of philatelic at Guernsey Post: - “The Guernsey Cow is an iconic breed admired worldwide and, given its historical links to America which can be traced back to the early part of the 19th century, the Guernsey seemed like the perfect choice to grace our stamp for the New York Expo.
“We’re absolutely thrilled with the finished product which has really captured the Guernsey’s docile nature,” she added.
Often white-and-fawn coloured or “broken coloured” in different shades from yellow to brown to red, the Guernsey can also be solid in colour. The muzzle is cream and the feet are amber in colour. Although the Guernsey has lovely short, arching horns, there is a polled variety in North America. At 54 inches tall or more, the desirable minimum weight is 1,200 pounds for cows.
Today in Guernsey there are approximately 1,500 milking cows at any one time with 1,200 others – mainly heifers - being reared as replacements for the existing population. The 18 working dairy farms produce milk to meet Guernsey’s liquid milk requirements. The local herds produce around 8 million litres of milk per annum - 6.6 million litres of which is consumed locally as liquid milk – with the remainder being used to produce cheese, butter, cream and ice cream.
The stamp is available to purchase from
Guernsey Post’s stand (113), from 28th May -
June 4th at the World Stamp Show in New York, by visiting www.guernseystamps.com or by contacting philatelic customer
services on +44 (0) 1481 716486.