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Career Advice on How to Become An Animal Breeder

General Career Information

We humans sure do know how to stick our noses into things.  Sometimes the results are good, and sometimes the results are less than stellar.  Now you might be thinking that most animals, when left to their own devices, will breed. Why do we need humans monkeying about in their affairs?  This is a pretty valid and logical point.  However, the facts of the matter are that animal breeders work largely in farming, attempting to produce an even larger mega-pig or mega-cow.  These are people that have the job of trying to figure out how to breed a bigger more profitable animal.

Often animal breeders work breeding dogs or cats for sale as pets.  Some lucky souls have the pleasure of working with animals such as horses and cows that are often bred using artificial insemination.  Performing artificial insemination on barnyard animals isn’t going to sound like a good time, at least for most of us.  Yet, this is a career that one can pursue if inclined.  Yes, that is right someone has to get in there and get that job done.  And you think you have an unpleasant job!

 

Career Facts:

Animal breeders also work to keep records. Their job consists of noting animal size and weight. Depending upon the nature of the work, they may also help with other aspects of animal care such as basic animal care, such as watering and feeding of animals.  Breeders may also contribute to maintaining the health of the animal as well.

 

Career Opportunities and Job Outlook- Below Average:

The job prospects for animal breeders will be below the national average.  Animals apparently finally started to figure out how it was done on their own.  The rate of growth is expected to be around four percent between now and 2016.
 
Job Outlook is Not Good
 

A Day in The Life:

As an animal breeder, you will have a fun filled day of trying to build a better beast, quite literally.  If artificially inseminating a horse, cow, pig or other barn yard captive sounds like an appealing “day at the office” then put on your durable high-top, easily washed boots and go for it!
 

Average Salary:

One would think that all of this inseminating would pay pretty well, but, alas, it doesn’t.  The average animal breeder can expect to earn around $13 an hour.  But it’s really a love of animals that draw people to this career.
 

Career Training and Qualifications:

One important qualification is a willingness to tell people you meet what you do for a living.  Often animal breeders will have bachelors or even graduate degrees in animal science.  A degree in animal science, not surprisingly, includes genetics and animal physiology.  Hiring animal breeders with degrees in animal science is a good idea.  This usually insures that the animal breeder will not try to mate a chicken with a horse, for example, thus saving money and time in the long run.
 

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