Occupation: Animal Breeders

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.

45-2021.00 | 21 tasks | 6 job titles
Reported Job Titles (6)
  • Animal Technician
  • Artificial Insemination Technician (AI Technician)
  • Artificial Inseminator
  • Breeder
  • Dog Breeder
  • Large Herd Specialist
Core Tasks (9)
  • 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.
  • Build hutches, pens, and fenced yards.
  • Record animal characteristics such as weights, growth patterns, and diets.
  • Brand, tattoo, or tag animals to allow animal identification.
Supplemental Tasks (12)
  • 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.
  • Bathe and groom animals.
  • Exercise animals to keep them in healthy condition.
  • Adjust controls to maintain specific building temperatures required for animals' health and safety.
  • Maintain logs of semen specimens used and animals bred.
  • Inject prepared animal semen into female animals for breeding purposes, by inserting nozzle of syringe into vagina and depressing syringe plunger.
  • Clip or shear hair on animals.
  • Package and label semen to be used for artificial insemination, recording information such as the date, source, quality, and concentration.
  • Exhibit animals at shows.
  • Measure specified amounts of semen into calibrated syringes, and insert syringes into inseminating guns.
  • Examine semen microscopically to assess and record density and motility of gametes, and dilute semen with prescribed diluents, according to formulas.