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Livestock and Poultry Production
Tyson Foods, Cargill, Smithfield Foods
Animal Breeders
Animal breeders choose which animals should mate, track lineage and traits, and time breeding around heat cycles so they can produce the offspring they want. The job is hands-on and can include cleaning pens, checking for illness, and helping with minor injuries, but the tradeoff is that the pay is only moderate for the amount of physical work and responsibility involved. It is also a small field, so advancement often means moving into herd management or breeding supervision rather than staying in one place.
Also known as Livestock BreederAnimal Breeding TechnicianBreeding TechnicianHerd BreederReproduction Technician
Median Salary
$52,000
Mean $56,150
U.S. Workforce
~2K
1.2K openings per year
10-Year Growth
+2.4%
7.9K to 8.1K
Entry Education
High school diploma or equivalent
+ None experience
What This Role Looks Like in Practice
Animal Breeders sits in the Science category. In practical terms, this role combines day-to-day execution, cross-team coordination, and consistent decision-making under real business constraints.
U.S. employment is currently about ~2K workers, with a median annual pay of $52,000 and roughly 1.2K openings each year. Based on BLS projections, total employment is expected to grow from 7.9 K in 2024 to 8.1K in 2034.
Most hiring paths start with High school diploma or equivalent, and employers typically expect none of related experience. Many careers in this track begin around Animal Care Attendant and can progress toward Breeding Supervisor. High-value skills usually include Critical Thinking, Animal Breeding Records, Pedigree Tracking & Spreadsheet Logs, and Estrus Detection & Breeding Scheduling, paired with soft skills such as Active Learning, Active Listening, and Speaking.
Core Responsibilities
- Keep detailed notes on each animal’s weight, growth, feeding routine, and breeding history.
- Choose which animals should breed, and match them with the right semen or mate based on lineage and desired traits.
- Watch animals for signs that they are ready to breed and time insemination or mating for the best window.
- Check animals regularly for sickness or injury, treat small problems when possible, and call a veterinarian when the issue is serious.
Keep exploring: more Science careers or browse all job titles.
A Day in the Life
01 Keep detailed notes on each animal’s weight, growth, feeding routine, and breeding history.
02 Choose which animals should breed, and match them with the right semen or mate based on lineage and desired traits.
03 Watch animals for signs that they are ready to breed and time insemination or mating for the best window.
04 Check animals regularly for sickness or injury, treat small problems when possible, and call a veterinarian when the issue is serious.
05 Feed and water animals, clean and disinfect stalls, pens, cages, huts, and yards, and keep living areas sanitary.
06 Build or repair pens, fencing, and hutches, and mark animals with tags, tattoos, or brands so they can be identified.
Industries That Hire
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Equine Breeding and Racing
Godolphin, WinStar Farm, Coolmore
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Animal Genetics and Reproductive Services
Select Sires, ABS Global, STgenetics
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Research and Laboratory Animal Breeding
Charles River Laboratories, Jackson Laboratory, Taconic Biosciences
Pros and Cons
Advantages
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You can get started with a high school diploma and no prior work experience, and the training is short.
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The pay is not huge, but the median of $52,000 and mean of $56,150 are solid for a job that does not require a degree.
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The work is varied: one day may involve recordkeeping and selection decisions, while another day is spent checking animals and fixing pens.
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There are about 1.2 thousand annual openings, so the role does have a steady trickle of demand.
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People who build strong breeding and herd-management skills can move into supervisory work or specialize in genetics and reproduction.
Challenges
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The occupation is small, with only about 1,730 current jobs, so opportunities can be limited by location and by the size of local farms or breeding operations.
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Growth is weak at just 2.4% from 2024 to 2034, which means the field is unlikely to add a lot of new jobs.
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The work is physically demanding and often dirty, with constant feeding, cleaning, lifting, and moving animals or equipment.
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Breeding decisions are time-sensitive, and illnesses or injuries can force you to respond quickly, including outside normal hours.
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The career ceiling can be modest unless you move into management, because many roles are tied to specialized farm or breeding operations that do not have many layers of promotion.
Career Progression
Animal Care Attendant
0-2 years
$28K-$34K
Starts with feeding, cleaning, and basic animal handling while learning how a breeding operation runs.
Breeding Assistant
2-5 years
$35K-$46K
Helps track records, watch heat cycles, and support breeding and animal-health work.
Animal Breeder THIS ROLE
5-10 years
$47K-$61K
Makes breeding choices, monitors animals closely, and keeps lineage and health records up to date.
Breeding Supervisor
10+ years
$62K-$78K
Oversees breeding plans, coordinates staff, and manages results across a herd, flock, or kennel.
Education Paths
High school diploma or equivalent
This is the main entry path, held by 85.74% of workers in this role.
Post-secondary certificate in agriculture or animal science
A smaller path into the field, used by 5.74% of workers.
Some college courses in animal science or agriculture
Another alternative route, reported by 4.46% of workers.
Short-term on-the-job training or farm apprenticeship
This hands-on path matches the job’s short training period and is common on working farms and breeding operations, even though it is not a formal degree route.
Key Skills
Technical
Critical Thinking 65%
Animal Breeding Records, Pedigree Tracking & Spreadsheet Logs 63%
Estrus Detection & Breeding Scheduling 62%
Animal Health Monitoring & Biosecurity 60%
Science & Animal Genetics Basics 60%
Complex Problem Solving 60%
Soft Skills
Active LearningActive ListeningSpeakingAttention to DetailPatienceTeamwork Job Outlook and Trends
+2.4%
Projected growth (2024-2034)
1.2K
Annual job openings
Employment is projected to rise from 7.9K to 8.1 K over the next decade, representing 2.4% growth. Around 1.2 K openings per year include both newly created roles and replacement hiring from turnover.
Remote availability is currently Rare. Demand remains strongest where employers need practical domain knowledge plus modern workflow and data skills.