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Animal Breeders
Select and breed animals according to their genealogy, characteristics, and offspring. May require knowledge of artificial insemination techniques and equipment use. May involve keeping records on heats, birth intervals, or pedigree.
Other titles employers use
Animal Technician · Artificial Insemination Technician (AI Technician) · Artificial Inseminator · Breeder · Dog Breeder · Large Herd Specialist · Cat Breeder · Dairy Husbandry Worker
Inside the work
What you would actually do.
6 responsibilities that define the role, before job titles and workplaces change the details.
- Feed and water animals, and clean and disinfect pens, cages, yards, and hutches.
- Observe animals in heat to detect approach of estrus and exercise animals to induce or hasten estrus, if necessary.
- Treat minor injuries and ailments and contact veterinarians to obtain treatment for animals with serious illnesses or injuries.
- Purchase and stock supplies of feed and medicines.
- Select animals to be bred, and semen specimens to be used, according to knowledge of animals, genealogies, traits, and desired offspring characteristics.
- Examine animals to detect symptoms of illness or injury.
Who it suits
Would this work hold your attention?
This career often appeals to people drawn to practical, organizing and analytical work.
- Practical
- Building, repairing, using tools, or working outdoors
- Organizing
- Creating order, checking details, and keeping work accurate
- Analytical
- Investigating questions, testing ideas, and solving problems
Skills and strengths
What you would get good at.
Compare the skills the work relies on, the subjects behind it, and the abilities that make it easier to learn.
Core skills
- Critical Thinking
- Active Listening
- Speaking
- Science
- Active Learning
- Monitoring
Subjects to know
- Customer and Personal Service
- Sales and Marketing
- Administration and Management
- Biology
- Mathematics
Useful strengths
- Near Vision
- Problem Sensitivity
- Deductive Reasoning
- Category Flexibility
- Oral Comprehension
Working day
Picture yourself doing it.
These measures show how much of the day involves people, movement, conversation, and hands-on work.
| Measure | Out of 5 | What that means here |
|---|---|---|
| Close to other people | 2.3 | Largely your own space |
| On your feet | 3.5 | Up and down through the day |
| Talking face to face | 3.1 | Occasional |
| Working with your hands | 2.9 | Little of the day |
Preparation
How people prepare for this work.
Employers usually ask for a high school diploma. Other routes may also lead into the field.
- High school or less 86%
- A certificate or some college 10%
- A four-year degree 3%
Tools of the work
Technology you may use.
- Graphics or photo imaging software
- Document management software
- Data base user interface and query software
- Electronic mail software
- Desktop publishing software
- Spreadsheet software
- Office suite software
- Operating system software
Opportunity near you
See where this work is growing.
Choose a state to compare the size of the field, annual openings, and expected hiring change.
- People doing this work
- 650
- Job openings each year
- 100
- Expected hiring change, 2022–2032
- 10.2%
Compare every available state
| State | People doing it | Job openings each year | Expected change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Texas | 650 | 100 | 10.2% |
| Iowa | 560 | 80 | 1.8% |
| Pennsylvania | 510 | 80 | 4.1% |
| North Carolina | 490 | 70 | 6.5% |
| Nebraska | 350 | 50 | 9.4% |
| New York | 340 | 0 | 6.3% |
| Oklahoma | 240 | 40 | 4.3% |
| Minnesota | 220 | 30 | 10.0% |
| Michigan | 210 | 30 | 10.5% |
| Wisconsin | 200 | 30 | 5.3% |
| Ohio | 190 | 30 | −9.5% |
| Arizona | 160 | 20 | 14.3% |
| Tennessee | 160 | 20 | 6.7% |
| Washington | 140 | 20 | — |
| South Dakota | 100 | 20 | — |
| New Hampshire | 30 | 0 | 50.0% |
| Wyoming | 30 | 10 | — |
| Alabama | 20 | 0 | — |
| Idaho | 20 | 0 | — |
| New Jersey | 10 | 0 | — |
Career to college
Build a path toward this work.
Start with a related major, then compare colleges where students complete that field.
Where to study
Colleges with strong activity in these fields.
Start with program size, admission, and likely cost. Open a college for the full picture.
University of Kentucky
- Degrees each year
- 59
- Admit rate
- 92%
- Annual cost after aid
- $16,000
University of Massachusetts-Amherst
- Degrees each year
- 48
- Admit rate
- 58%
- Annual cost after aid
- $13,000
Clemson University
- Degrees each year
- 42
- Admit rate
- 38%
- Annual cost after aid
- $19,000
North Dakota State University-Main Campus
- Degrees each year
- 36
- Admit rate
- 96%
- Annual cost after aid
- $12,000
University of California-Davis
- Degrees each year
- 35
- Admit rate
- 42%
- Annual cost after aid
- $12,000
Mississippi State University
- Degrees each year
- 32
- Admit rate
- 76%
- Annual cost after aid
- $19,000
Purdue University-Main Campus
- Degrees each year
- 29
- Admit rate
- 50%
- Annual cost after aid
- $9,000
Eastern Kentucky University
- Degrees each year
- 28
- Admit rate
- 78%
- Annual cost after aid
- $10,000
Compare every college offering agricultural production operations