What Do Animal Breeders Do (including Their Typical Day At Work)

Job Description

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. They also feed and water animals, and clean and disinfect pens, cages, yards, and hutches.

Other tasks include:

• 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.
• Arrange for sale of animals and eggs to hospitals, research centers, pet shops, and food processing plants.
• Place vaccines in drinking water, inject vaccines, or dust air with vaccine powder to protect animals from diseases.
• Purchase and stock supplies of feed and medicines.
• Bathe and groom animals.

We asked Animal Breeders how satisfied they are with their job. Here is what they said.

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62% of them said they were satisfied with their job and 57% said they find that their job makes the world a better place or helps to make someone else’s life better.

Typical Day At Work

On a daily basis, Animal Breeders examine animals to detect symptoms of illness or injury. They feed and water animals, and clean and disinfect pens, cages, yards, and hutches.

A typical day for an Animal Breeder will also include:

• Exercise animals to keep them in healthy condition.
• Adjust controls to maintain specific building temperatures required for animals’ health and safety.
• Bathe and groom animals.
• Observe animals in heat to detect approach of estrus and exercise animals to induce or hasten estrus, if necessary.
• Arrange for sale of animals and eggs to hospitals, research centers, pet shops, and food processing plants.

We asked some Animal Breeders a few questions to find out what else does their work day look like. Here is what we found.

	Do you have telephone conversations everyday in this job?	61% said yes
	How important is it to work in a team in this job?	30% said very important
	Do you have group discussions everyday in this job?	44% said yes
	Do you talk or work with customers everyday in this job?	31% said yes
	Do you have to deal with angry customers everyday in this job?	4% said yes
	Do you have to make decisions everyday in this job?	68% said yes

Other responsibilities

Besides their typical day, Animal Breeders also purchase and stock supplies of feed and medicines. They may also prepare containers of semen for freezing and storage or shipment, placing them in dry ice or liquid nitrogen.

On a weekly to monthly basis, Animal Breeders Bathe and groom animals. They might also Exhibit animals at shows.

In addition, they Record animal characteristics such as weights, growth patterns, and diets.

Although specific duties may vary, many of them Brand, tattoo, or tag animals to allow animal identification.

To some Animal Breeders, it is also their responsibility to Clip or shear hair on animals.

Working life

Less than 40 hours per week

Regular schedule like a 9 to 5

In a typical work week as an Animal Breeder, you can expect to work less than 40 hours per week.

Is this right for me

People who are suitable for this job tends to like work activities that include practical, hands-on problems and solutions. They like working with plants, animals, and real-world materials like wood, tools, and machinery..

They also like working with ideas, and require an extensive amount of thinking. They like searching for facts and figuring out problems mentally.

You can read more about these career personality types here.

Explore other careers

http://www.bls.gov/OOH/farming-fishing-and-forestry/agricultural-workers.htm

http://www.bls.gov/OOH/personal-care-and-service/animal-care-and-service-workers.htm