Scott No: 1679-1684
Serial number: T63
Values in set: 6
Date of issue: May 9, 1081
Denomination: 93 fen
Designer: Huang Li
Size of stamps: 40*30mm
Perforation: 11*11.5
Sheet composition: 50 (5*10)
Printing process: Photogravure
Printing House: Beijing Postage Stamp Printing Works

T63 "Animal Husbandry — Cattle" special stamps were issued on May 5, 1981. The set consists of 6 stamps, printed by photogravure, designed by Huang Li, and printed by the Beijing Stamp Factory. Stamp size 40 mm × 30 mm, perforation gauge 11 × 11.5, 50 stamps per sheet.

Theme of the Set

Cattle are one of the traditional Six Domestic Animals and occupy an important position in China's farming and livestock production. This set selects six improved cattle breeds from different regions and for different uses in China, covering native draft cattle, a plateau-specific breed, a bred dairy breed, and improved dual-purpose meat-and-dairy breeds. It displays the diversity of China's cattle breed resources, records the development appearance of animal husbandry at the time as it gradually transformed from traditional draft use toward comprehensive dairy and meat utilization, and popularizes knowledge of improved livestock breeds.

Stamp Designs and Historical Background

Qinchuan Yellow Cattle

The main subject is the Qinchuan yellow cattle, a famous local improved yellow cattle breed in China, mainly produced in the Guanzhong Plain of Shaanxi. Tall and sturdy in build with full muscles, it was long used as a farming draft animal and can also be used for meat; it adapts to the northern plains farming environment and is the most representative native yellow cattle breed of the Central Plains region.

Binhu Water Buffalo

The main subject is the Binhu water buffalo, mostly distributed in the lake-and-waterway areas along the middle and lower reaches of the Yangtze River. It is uniformly dark brown, with long, curved horns and strong limbs; it is a good swimmer, gentle in temperament, and skilled at paddy-field plowing. It is an indispensable draft livestock for rice farming in the south.

Yak

The main subject is the yak, inhabiting the high-cold regions of the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau. It is covered with dense long hair, resistant to cold and hypoxia, and adapted to the harsh plateau environment. It is both a draft animal for plateau herdsmen and a source of milk, meat, hair, and other materials; it is a rare livestock breed unique to the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau.

Chinese Black-and-White Dairy Cow

The main subject is the Chinese black-and-white dairy cow, an improved dairy breed formed through long-term crossbreeding and selection. It is black-and-white, slender in build, and outstanding in milk production. It was the core breed of China's dairy industry development at the time, supporting urban fresh milk supply.

Grassland Red Cattle

The main subject is the grassland red cattle, bred in the northern grassland pastoral areas. It is uniformly reddish-brown, compact and sturdy in build, and combines meat and dairy performance; it is resistant to cold and to roughage feeding and suited to the grazing environment of the Inner Mongolia grasslands. It is an independently bred improved dual-purpose meat-and-dairy breed.

Simmental Crossbreed Cattle

The main subject is the Simmental crossbreed cattle, bred by crossing introduced Simmental cattle with local cattle. Large in build and fast-growing, it is dual-purpose for meat and dairy, representing China's livestock breeding achievements in introducing improved breeds and carrying out crossbreeding improvement.

Artistic Design Features

The set adopts a realistic animal painting style. Each cow is placed individually on a simple colored base, with clean, elegant backgrounds highlighting the cattle's bodily characteristics, fur texture, and differences in breed appearance. The forms are accurate and rigorous, the anatomical structure realistic, and the colors fit each breed's true coat color, with strong science-popularization value. The six stamps successively display cattle breeds of different ecological regions, with clear contrasts among southern, northern, plateau, and plains breeds. It is a classic special stamp set on livestock animals in New China.