Animal Breeder

Working Schedule

• Animal Breeders may work full- or part-time jobs, depending on the employer’s needs. Some may be assigned to shifts, requiring night or weekend work hours. Travel may be necessary. 

Typical Duties

• Meet with animal owners to discuss their needs and objectives for breeding
• Develop and oversee ethical breeding programs 
• Consider the appropriate type of breeding, such as pure breeding, crossbreeding, or line breeding
• Assess parent animals to determine which have the desired traits
• Review parent pedigrees (i.e., genetic backgrounds) to avoid problems
• Keep tabs on reproductive cycles to schedule optimal mating schedules
• Arrange situations and environments for natural breeding opportunities
• Use assisted reproductive technologies, as needed 
• Deliver or assist with the delivery of newborn animals 
• Maintain documentation of all pairings and subsequent offspring 
• Keep selected offspring as future breeders, to continue and enhance the passage of desired traits
• Take care of animals and tend to their dietary, health, and environmental needs
• Clean animal living quarters and sanitize items
• Ensure timely vaccinations and medical care are provided by veterinarians
• Enter animal shows and competitions  
• Advertise animals for sale; screen potential buyers to ensure a good match
• Promote the business or program via marketing (branding, ads, etc.) and in-person networking
• Sell animals; acquire the appropriate documentation and paperwork for breeds with certain traits; enter animals into competitions
• Stay up-to-date on trends, consumer preferences, techniques, and technologies
• Engage in professional organization activities to learn and make connections
• Order supplies, such as animal food, collars, bedding, medical items, etc.

Additional Responsibilities

• Specialize in a particular animal type or activity, such as breeding dogs for service programs, breeding cats for shows, breeding dairy cattle for better milk production, or breeding horses for ranch use
• Some breeders work with exotic animals like birds, fish, small mammals, or reptiles Provide customer service in person or via phone and email; answer questions, provide tips, and offer recommendations 
• Arrange for safe transportation and sturdy exhibit enclosures
• Understand and comply with state, federal, and other guidelines related to ethical standards
• Maintain budgets, deposit funds, keep tax records
• Order and receive supply shipments. Carry out retail operation tasks, such as ringing up sales and filing invoices and receipts

Animal Breeders work to improve the health, quality, productivity, and desirable characteristics of domesticated animals through carefully planned breeding programs. They may work with cattle, horses, pigs, sheep, goats, poultry, dogs, cats, and other animals, depending on their specialization. Their goal is to produce healthy offspring with traits suited for farming, companionship, work, sport, or other purposes.

A typical day may begin with checking on the animals, making sure they have enough food and water, and examining their overall health. They observe animals for signs of illness, injury, reproductive readiness, and other physical or behavioral changes. They also maintain records of each animal's ancestry, medical history, reproductive performance, and genetic traits.

Much of their work involves selecting animals for breeding based on characteristics such as size, strength, temperament, fertility, appearance, disease resistance, and productivity. They may study pedigrees, genetic information, and breeding histories to determine which animals are most suitable for producing healthy offspring with desirable characteristics.

Throughout the day, Animal Breeders may monitor mating activities, assist with artificial insemination, track pregnancy progress, and help care for pregnant animals and newborn offspring. Depending on the species, they may work with veterinarians and reproductive specialists to conduct health examinations, fertility testing, ultrasounds, or other reproductive procedures.

They also manage breeding schedules, maintain clean and safe animal housing, oversee feeding programs, and monitor the growth and development of young animals. When offspring are born, they check for signs of healthy development and make sure newborns receive proper nutrition and care.

Soft Skills

• Adaptable
• Attention to detail
• Commitment
• Communications 
• Compassion
• Coordination
• Detail-oriented
• Independent
• Integrity
• Monitoring
• Multitasking
• Objectivity 
• Organized
• Patience
• Physical fitness
• Self-motivated
• Sound judgment 
• Trustworthiness 

Technical Skills

• Animal breeding principles and risks
• Animal husbandry 
• Basic animal genetics 
• Data collection and analysis programs and methods
• First aid and personal protective equipment
• Pedigree and registration software such as ZooEasy
• Safe animal handling
• Sanitation and disinfecting procedures
• Veterinary care

• Cattle Breeder: Selects and breeds beef or dairy cattle to improve traits such as meat quality, milk production, growth rate, fertility, disease resistance, and temperament.
• Horse Breeder: Produces horses for racing, riding, competition, work, or recreation. They evaluate bloodlines, physical structure, movement, athletic ability, and temperament when selecting breeding pairs.
• Swine Breeder: Breeds pigs to improve growth rates, litter size, feed efficiency, meat quality, and disease resistance. They monitor reproductive cycles and manage breeding programs on pig farms.
• Sheep and Goat Breeder: Selects sheep and goats for desirable traits such as meat production, milk yield, wool or fiber quality, fertility, and adaptability to different environments.
• Poultry Breeder: Breeds chickens, turkeys, ducks, and other domestic birds to improve egg production, meat quality, growth, fertility, and disease resistance.
• Dog Breeder: Selects and breeds dogs to maintain or improve specific physical characteristics, temperament, health, and working abilities. Responsible breeders conduct health screenings and genetic testing to reduce the risk of inherited conditions.
• Cat Breeder: Breeds domestic cats to maintain particular breed characteristics, coat patterns, physical features, and temperaments while prioritizing genetic health and responsible breeding practices.
• Aquaculture Breeder: Breeds fish, shrimp, shellfish, and other aquatic species for commercial production, conservation, or the aquarium trade. They manage spawning, select breeding stock, and monitor the health and development of offspring.

• Animal production facilities
• Aquariums
• Equestrian centers and stables
• Farms and ranches
• Pet stores 
• Research centers and universities
• Self-employed workers    
• Zoos

Animal breeders are expected to provide the animals they’re responsible for with a good quality of life. That means providing adequate food, water, shelter, and veterinary care, as well as opportunities for exercise and socialization. 

They must be extremely knowledgeable about the breeds, pedigrees, and genetic traits of the animals they breed. In addition, breeders should be careful to select healthy, compatible parents able to produce offspring that meet the desired standards. It’s vital that breeders comply with ethical practices and communicate honestly with potential buyers. 

Genetic technologies are a hot trend in the world of animal breeding, enabling breeders to select specific traits and achieve results such as disease-resistant pigs. 

One technique is marker-assisted selection, which uses molecular markers to identify specific genes or traits in animals. As the Biomedical Journal of Scientific & Technical Research puts it, “Genetic engineering involves the incorporation of DNA markers for selection (marker-assisted selection, MAS), to increase the efficiency of the so-called ‘traditional’ methods of breeding based on phenotypic information.”

Tied to this is genomic selection, a technique that relies on DNA sequencing programs to analyze an animal’s genome to predict its breeding value at a young age. Another trend is precision livestock farming, which uses sensors, data analytics, and automation to collect data and help breeders make informed decisions. 

To use these advanced techniques and technologies, you may need to complete a college degree. But the demand for trained workers is there! 

“The global animal genetics market size…is expected to reach 9.66 billion in 2027,” writes Emergen Research. “However, high cost of animal testing, dearth of well-trained professionals, and low awareness of advanced animal genetic tools and importance of animal testing are some key factors expected to hamper market growth to a certain extent during the forecast period.” 

Animal Breeders often grew up around animals. They may have lived on a farm or in a rural area, exposed to lots of different types of animals, such as dogs, horses, pigs, or cows. 

Some simply had a ton of pets as a child; others participated in 4-H, Future Farmers of America, National High School Rodeo Association, or other animal-related activities during their school years. 

Most are passionate about caring for animals, have empathy and compassion, and understand the practical aspects of running or working for a breeding business.