Animal Breeders

Career summary

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#4/10/19 lh

Animal breeders raise livestock used to produce products such as milk, wool, and meat. They work to improve selected characteristics in animals. Examples may include a cow that produces more milk or a hog that fattens faster. Breeders also raise animals to develop new breeds or maintain standards of existing breeds.

Animal breeders research the parents of the animals before breeding to make sure the offspring will have the desired characteristics. Breeders keep records of which animals were bred and what their offspring were like. These records are an animal's pedigree.

Breeders spend a lot of time taking care of animals. They examine animals to make sure they are healthy. They may treat sick animals themselves or call a veterinarian. They feed and water their animals and clean their quarters. They also build hutches, pens, and fenced yards for their animals. Breeders who have large businesses may spend less time taking care of animals. Instead, they hire and supervise animal caretakers.

Breeders sell the animals they raise. They exhibit some animals at shows in order to attract buyers. They sell others through auctions, or directly to hospitals, research centers, and pet shops.

In addition to pedigree records, breeders maintain other types of records. They keep track of business expenses and income. Breeders may keep records of an animal's growth rate, what it is fed, and any medicine it receives.

Related careers

This career is part of the Agriculture, Food, and Natural Resources cluster of careers.

Related careers include:

• Animal Breeders
• Animal Caretakers
• Animal Trainers
• Farm and Ranch Workers
• Farmers and Farm Managers
• Landscapers and Groundskeepers
• Veterinary Assistants

Job duties

Task list

The following list of tasks is specific to animal breeders.

• Select animals to breed. Use knowledge of animals, genealogy, and traits.
• Build and maintain hutches, pens, and fenced yards. Adjust controls to maintain specific temperature in building.
• Purchase and stock supplies feed and medicines.
• Supervise animal caretakers.
• Feed, water, bathe, and exercise animals. Clean pens, cages, yards, and hutches.
• Record breeding data, including animals bred, weight, diet, and any medications.
• Brand, tag, dehorn, tattoo, or castrate animals when necessary. May clip or shear animals.
• Examine animals to detect symptoms of illness or injury.
• Treat minor injuries and ailments. Call veterinarian to treat animals with serious illnesses or injuries. May give vaccines.
• Arrange for sale of animals to hospitals, research centers, pet shops, and food processing plants.
• Exhibit animals at shows.
• Maintain financial records including expenses, sales, and account balances.
• Read articles, monitor market prices, and attend seminars to update knowledge.

Common work activities

Animal breeders perform the following tasks. These tasks are common to many careers.

• Identify objects, actions, and events
• Perform activities that use the whole body
• Document and record information
• Handle and move objects
• Get information needed to do the job
• Make decisions and solve problems
• Monitor events, materials, and surroundings
• Establish and maintain relationships
• Process information
• Judge the value of objects, services, or people
• Organize, plan, and prioritize work
• Evaluate information against standards
• Update and use job-related knowledge

Work requirements

Working conditions

In a typical work setting, animal breeders:

Interpersonal relationships

• Have a medium to low level of social contact. Breeders usually work alone, but also sometimes have contact with buyers or animal caretakers.
• Are responsible for the health and safety of their animals.
• Communicate with clients by phone and in person on a daily basis. They communicate by e-mail and letters and memos, but less often.
• May occasionally work as part of a team.

Physical work conditions

• Are often exposed to hazardous situations where they might be bitten or kicked by animals. There is some possibility of injury, but injuries are likely to be slight.
• Frequently work outdoors in kennel or corral areas. They occasionally work indoors in an office or animal shelter.
• Are sometimes exposed to animal noises that are uncomfortable or distracting.
• Are exposed to contaminants on a daily basis.
• Occasionally wear protective or safety gear.

Work performance

• Must be sure all work is done accurately to ensure the animals are well cared for and remain healthy.
• Make decisions that impact their business on a regular basis. Their decisions also strongly affect pets and customers.
• Decide nearly all their daily tasks and goals without talking to someone else first. Animal breeders usually work independently.
• Work in a moderately competitive business, and must meet strict weekly deadlines.
• May repeat the same physical or mental activities.

Hours/travel

• May work part time or full time.
• May travel from farm to farm and breed animals, if a large animal breeder.
• May travel to shows to display animals.

Physical demands

Animal breeders frequently:

• Stand for long periods of time.
• Repeat the same movements.

It is important for animal breeders to be able to:

• See details of objects that are less than a few feet away.
• See details of objects that are more than a few feet away.
• Use stomach and lower back muscles to support the body for long periods without getting tired.
• Speak clearly so listeners can understand.
• Use muscles to lift, push, pull, or carry heavy objects.
• Hold the arm and hand in one position or hold the hand steady while moving the arm.
• Use fingers to grasp, move, or assemble very small objects.
• Move two or more limbs together (for example, two arms, two legs, or one leg and one arm) while remaining in place.

It is not as important, but still necessary, for animal breeders to be able to:

• Use one or two hands to grasp, move, or assemble objects.
• Understand the speech of another person.
• Use muscles for extended periods without getting tired.
• Be physically active for long periods without getting tired or out of breath.
• Make quick, precise adjustments to machine controls.
• Bend, stretch, twist, or reach out.
• See differences between colors, shades, and brightness.
• Coordinate movement of several parts of the body, such as arms and legs, while the body is moving.
• Keep or regain the body's balance or stay upright when in an unstable position.
• Determine the distance between objects.
• Hear sounds and recognize the difference between them.
• Focus on one source of sound and ignore others.
• Choose quickly and correctly among various movements when responding to different signals.
• Move arms and legs quickly.

Skills and abilities

Animal breeders need to:

Communicate

• Understand spoken information.
• Listen to others and ask questions.

Reason and problem solve

• Analyze ideas and use logic to determine their strengths and weaknesses.
• Develop rules that group items in various ways.
• Use reasoning to discover answers to problems.
• Notice when something is wrong or is likely to go wrong.
• Understand new information or materials by studying and working with them.
• Combine several pieces of information and draw conclusions.
• Recognize the nature of a problem.
• Follow guidelines to arrange objects or actions in a certain order.
• Judge the costs and benefits of a possible action.

Use math and science

• Use scientific methods to solve problems.

Manage oneself, people, time, and things

• Check how well one is learning or doing something.

Education and training

Educational programs

The programs of study listed below will help you prepare for the occupation or career cluster you are exploring.

Programs of study directly related to this occupation

• Animal Husbandry and Production
• Animal Physiology
• Animal Sciences, General
• Dairy Science
• Fisheries Sciences and Management
• Poultry Science

Other programs of study to consider

• Agricultural Business and Management
• Agricultural Production Operations
• Animal Training
• Equestrian Studies
• Genetics
• Veterinary Medicine
• Veterinary Technology
• Wildlife Biology

Training

To work as an animal breeder, you typically need to:

• have a high school diploma or equivalent; and
• complete short-term, on-the-job training.

Education after high school

Formal training requirements for this job vary. Animal breeders who primarily breed pets (cats and dogs and other small animals) can enter this field by learning on the job. In some cases, college course work is helpful but not required.

Most breeders of livestock animals have at least a bachelor's degree in animal science. If your degree is in another area, you should take classes in animal science. Recommended courses are animal breeding, reproductive science, and genetics. Some professional-technical schools and two-year colleges offer associate degrees in animal breeding. Most people who do research in this area have a master's degree or higher.

Work experience

Growing up on a farm provides good work experience. It is also helpful if you join clubs such as 4-H or the National FFA Organization while in high school.

Working as an animal caretaker or trainer also can be good preparation.

On-the-job training

Even if you have a degree, most employers provide additional on-the-job training. Training may last up to one month.

Helpful high school courses

You should take a general high school curriculum that meets the state's graduation requirements . You will be required to take both math and science classes to graduate.

Helpful electives to take in high school that prepare you for this career include:

• Anatomy and Physiology
• Animal Science
• Computer Fundamentals
• Food and Nutrition

The courses listed above are meant to help you create your high school plan. If you have not already done so, talk to a school counselor or parent about the courses you are considering taking.

You should also check with a teacher or counselor to see if work-based learning opportunities are available in your school and community. These might include field trips, job shadowing, internships, and actual work experience. The goal of these activities is to help you connect your school experiences with real-life work.

Join some groups, try some hobbies, or volunteer with an organization that interests you. By participating in activities you can have fun, make new friends, and learn about yourself. Maybe one of them will help direct you to a future career. Here are examples of activities and groups  that may be available in your high school or community.

Things to know

Entry requirements vary by employer. Commercial livestock breeding firms require at least a bachelor's degree in animal science.

Employers look for breeders who are comfortable with and knowledgeable about animals. They look for applicants who have previous experience working with animals. Experience showing animals may be an asset.

Independent breeders must meet the standards and regulations of professional breeding societies. Requirements vary by society. Breeders who meet these requirements are allowed to advertise their animals as pure bred or pedigreed.

Costs to workers

Some animal breeders join professional associations which may charge membership fees and annual dues.

Licensing/certification

Some states require that certain types of animal breeders have a license.

Job listings

Listed below are links to job categories from the National Labor Exchange that relate to this career. Once you get a list of jobs, you can view information about individual jobs and find out how to apply. If your job search finds too many openings, or if you wish to search for jobs outside of Washington, you will need to refine your search.

• Animal Breeders 

To get a listing of current jobs from the WorkSource system, go to the WorkSource website .

Wages

Wages vary by the type of animal bred. Earnings for small animal breeders are limited. For instance, breeders who raise and sell pedigreed puppies may earn only a few hundred dollars per year after expenses. Some breeders supplement their incomes by managing boarding kennels or stables.

Large animal breeders who work for large operations generally earn more than those who work for small operations. Bigger farms can raise animals more efficiently and at a lower cost.

Animal breeders who work full time may receive benefits. Typical benefits include sick leave, paid vacation, and health insurance. 

Employment and outlook

Washington outlook

The table below provides information about the number of workers in this career in various regions. It also provides information about the expected growth rate and future job openings.

National employment

Major employers:

• Farms and ranches

National outlook

Demand for this occupation is growing slowly. The costs of starting an animal breeding business can be high. This limits the number of people who enter this occupation. Some job openings will be in large commercial farms that are trying to improve their animals.

Other resources

AgCareers.com 
Western USA Office
866.519.7445

American Association for Laboratory Animal Science 
9190 Crestwyn Hills Drive
Memphis, TN 38125
901.754.8620

American Farm Bureau Foundation for Agriculture 
600 Maryland Avenue SW
Washington, DC 20024

American Poultry Association 
PO Box 9
Lucasville, OH 45648

American Society of Animal Science 
PO Box 7410
Champaign, IL 61826-7410

Animal Breeding Careers 

Certified Horsemanship Association 
1795 Alysheba Way, Suite 7102
Lexington, KY 40509
859.259.3399

Council for Agricultural Science and Technology 
4420 West Lincoln Way
Ames, IA 50014
515.292.2125

National Association of Animal Breeders 
8413 Excelsior Drive, Suite 140
Madison, WI 53717
573.445.4406

Washington Business Week 
PO Box 1170
Renton, WA 98057
253.237.3545

References

Career cluster

• Agriculture, Food, and Natural Resources

Career path

• Realistic (Technical)

O*Net  occupation

• Animal Breeders (45-2021.00) 

O*Net job zone 

• Job Zone 3 - Medium preparation needed. Previous work-related skill, knowledge, or experience is required for these occupations.

DOT occupations

• Animal Breeder (410.161-010) 
• Canary Breeder (411.161-010) 
• Fur Farmer (410.161-014) 
• Hog-confinement-system Manager (410.161-022) 
• Livestock Rancher (410.161-018) 
• Poultry Breeder (411.161-014) 
• Reptile Farmer (413.161-014) 

Holland occupational clusters

• Realistic/Investigative/Conventional
• Realistic/Investigative/Enterprising

COPSystem

• Outdoor