What Does it Take to Be an Animal Breeder?

Animal Breeder Job Description 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.

Life As an Animal Breeder: What Do They Do?

• Adjust controls to maintain specific building temperatures required for animals’ health and safety.
• Maintain logs of semen specimens used and animals bred.
• Exhibit animals at shows.
• Place vaccines in drinking water, inject vaccines, or dust air with vaccine powder to protect animals from diseases.
• Inject prepared animal semen into female animals for breeding purposes, by inserting nozzle of syringe into vagina and depressing syringe plunger.
• Examine animals to detect symptoms of illness or injury.

Animal Breeder Required Skills

Below is a list of the skills most Animal Breeders say are important on the job.

Critical Thinking: Using logic and reasoning to identify the strengths and weaknesses of alternative solutions, conclusions or approaches to problems.

Complex Problem Solving: Identifying complex problems and reviewing related information to develop and evaluate options and implement solutions.

Active Listening: Giving full attention to what other people are saying, taking time to understand the points being made, asking questions as appropriate, and not interrupting at inappropriate times.

Speaking: Talking to others to convey information effectively.

Science: Using scientific rules and methods to solve problems.

Active Learning: Understanding the implications of new information for both current and future problem-solving and decision-making.

Types of Animal Breeder

• Rat Culturist
• Artificial Inseminator
• Fur Farmer
• Husbandry Technician
• Equine Manager

Animal Breeder Job Outlook

In 2016, there was an estimated number of 9,000 jobs in the United States for Animal Breeder. New jobs are being produced at a rate of 2.2% which is below the national average. The Bureau of Labor Statistics predicts 200 new jobs for Animal Breeder by 2026. Due to new job openings and attrition, there will be an average of 1,400 job openings in this field each year.

The states with the most job growth for Animal Breeder are Missouri, Texas, and Oregon. Watch out if you plan on working in North Carolina, Maryland, or Illinois. These states have the worst job growth for this type of profession.

Animal Breeder Salary

The typical yearly salary for Animal Breeders is somewhere between $25,220 and $67,180.

Animal Breeders who work in Ohio, Washington, or Missouri, make the highest salaries.

Below is a list of the median annual salaries for Animal Breeders in different U.S. states.

State	Annual Mean Salary
California	$39,360
Florida	$38,720
Iowa	$33,880
Kentucky	$43,880
Michigan	$33,100
Missouri	$49,500
New Jersey	$44,920
New York	$45,010
Ohio	$64,700
South Dakota	$38,230
Tennessee	$44,640
Texas	$40,000
Virginia	$48,230
Washington	$59,980
Wisconsin	$40,060

What Tools do Animal Breeders Use?

Although they’re not necessarily needed for all jobs, the following technologies are used by many Animal Breeders:

• Microsoft Excel
• Microsoft Word
• Microsoft Office
• Microsoft Outlook
• Microsoft Access
• Email software
• Microsoft Windows
• Adobe Systems Adobe Acrobat
• Microsoft SharePoint
• Adobe Systems Adobe Photoshop
• Adobe Systems Adobe Illustrator
• Adobe Systems Adobe InDesign
• Microsoft Internet Explorer
• Adobe Systems Adobe Creative Suite

Becoming an Animal Breeder

What education is needed to be an Animal Breeder?

How many years of work experience do I need?

Where Animal Breeders Work

Below are examples of industries where Animal Breeders work:

References:

• Bureau of Labor Statistics
• College Factual
• O*NET Online

Image Credit: {} via CC0 Public Domain

More about our data sources and methodologies.