New rare breeds animal stamps

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published 27 May 2014

The Isle of Man Post Office has released a sheet of stamps featuring rare-breed farm animals to celebrate a centenary's work by the Southern District Agricultural Society on the island and to promote the work being done there by the Rare Breeds Survival Trust (www.rbst.org.uk).

Painted by Jeremy Paul, the charming images of Manx Loaghtan and Cotswold sheep, Northern Dairy Shorthorn and Irish Moiled cattle, plus a Gloucester Old Spot pig and an Exmoor pony, were the idea of Manx farmer Paul Davis, who says the island setting makes an ideal sanctuary for the rarest breeds because it's protected from disease epidemics on mainland Britain.

The sheets cost from £2.28 (www.iompost.com).

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