Career Details
Career Details
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Career Details
45-2021.00 - Animal Breeders
45-2021.00 - 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.
Key Facts

Bright Outlook
Career Details
Green Job
Career Details
Current Employment
7,000
Estimate
Forecasted Employment
6,900
Estimate
Change in Employment
-100.0
Estimate
Change in Employment %
-1.6%
Estimate
Tasks

Tasks
The tasks listed below can be performed to prepare you for a career in this field.
Core
- Feed and water animals, and clean and disinfect pens, cages, yards, and hutches.
- Examine animals to detect symptoms of illness or injury.
- Select animals to be bred, and semen specimens to be used, according to knowledge of animals, genealogies, traits, and desired offspring characteristics.
- Treat minor injuries and ailments and contact veterinarians to obtain treatment for animals with serious illnesses or injuries.
- Observe animals in heat to detect approach of estrus and exercise animals to induce or hasten estrus, if necessary.
- Record animal characteristics such as weights, growth patterns, and diets.
- Build hutches, pens, and fenced yards.
- Brand, tattoo, or tag animals to allow animal identification.
- Purchase and stock supplies of feed and medicines.
Supplemental
- Place vaccines in drinking water, inject vaccines, or dust air with vaccine powder to protect animals from diseases.
- Exhibit animals at shows.
- Clip or shear hair on animals.
- Attach rubber collecting sheaths to genitals of tethered bull and stimulate animal's organ to induce ejaculation.
- Package and label semen to be used for artificial insemination, recording information such as the date, source, quality, and concentration.
- Prepare containers of semen for freezing and storage or shipment, placing them in dry ice or liquid nitrogen.
- Maintain logs of semen specimens used and animals bred.
- Arrange for sale of animals and eggs to hospitals, research centers, pet shops, and food processing plants.
- Measure specified amounts of semen into calibrated syringes, and insert syringes into inseminating guns.
- Inject prepared animal semen into female animals for breeding purposes, by inserting nozzle of syringe into vagina and depressing syringe plunger.
- Adjust controls to maintain specific building temperatures required for animals' health and safety.
- Examine semen microscopically to assess and record density and motility of gametes, and dilute semen with prescribed diluents, according to formulas.
- Perform procedures such as animal dehorning or castration.
- Bathe and groom animals.
- Exercise animals to keep them in healthy condition.
All data sourced from US Department of Labor, Employment & Training Administration O*Net Database.
Knowledge

Knowledge
The items listed below are organized into sections that contain knowledge useful for pursuing a career in this field. Each section also contains a "Percentage of Importance" statistic that shows how relevant an item is to the occupation.
All data sourced from US Department of Labor, Employment & Training Administration O*Net Database.
Tools

Tools
The tools listed below include machines, equipment, tools, and software that is useful for individuals who are interested in this career.
All data sourced from US Department of Labor, Employment & Training Administration O*Net Database.
Technology

Technology
The technologies listed below include machines, equipment, tools, and software that is useful for individuals who are interested in this career.
All data sourced from US Department of Labor, Employment & Training Administration O*Net Database.
Certifications

Certifications
FastForward at Virginia's Community Colleges is a short-term training program for high-demand industries, like healthcare, information technology, and skilled trades and infrastructure, helping Virginians get the jobs and salaries they need. Our goal is to get you trained, help you earn your certification, and get you into a career that can support you and your family. Explore the latest training program offerings by visiting FastForward
The certifications listed below are useful to pursue if you are interested in a career in this field.
All data sourced from US Department of Labor, Employment & Training Administration O*Net Database.
Licensing

Licensing
The licensing information below is organized into sections and is useful for pursuing if you are interested in a career in this field.
No specific licensing information is listed for this occupation in the area you have selected.
All data sourced from US Department of Labor, Employment & Training Administration O*Net Database.
Related Programs

Programs related to this career, offered by participating institution(s), are listed below.
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