Farm Animal Breeding

The field of farm animal breeding examines the methods and techniques of breeding livestock like poultry, cattle and horses. Instruction often includes detailed coursework in animal behavior, animal health, livestock production and farm management. A farm animal breeding degree can prepare graduates for opening their own breeding farm and for employment in large livestock operations or agribusinesses.

Inside Farm Animal Breeding

Farm animal breeding is an exacting job that requires excellent attention to detail and precise record-keeping ability. A farm animal breeder is responsible for selecting and breeding animals based on their knowledge of genetics, genealogies and favorable characteristics. They must examine, treat and exhibit animals. Animal breeders must exercise animals, watch growth patterns and monitor animal diets.

Animal breeders require more specialized training than the majority of other agricultural laborers. While an animal science or animal husbandry program gives students a good theoretical understanding of the subject, job training provides students with the skills to use specialized equipment, such as animal pregnancy tests, semen collection kits and genealogy tracking databases.

An ideal candidate for farm animal breeding should be comfortable working in an environment that is unpredictable and potentially dirty. Prospective individuals must be capable of doing moderate to strenuous manual labor in some cases. According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), agricultural workers are expected to see little or no change from 2008-2018 (www.bls.gov). The BLS stated that the median annual income for an animal breeder was $31,340, in May 2010.

Learn More About Farm Animal Breeding

Farm animal breeding can be an exciting career choice, if you enjoy working with animals and are particularly detail-oriented. Completion of a degree program or on-the-job training could lead you to a wide variety of career titles. Several resources are available through the Education-Portal.com that could help you make education and career decisions about farm animal breeding.

Degree Options

While many animal breeders do not hold a degree, animal science and husbandry programs will set you apart and give you a solid theoretical foundation in this field. Training programs are available at undergraduate and graduate levels.

Distance Learning Options

While online options in animal husbandry or science are rare, some schools do offer hybrid programs or online courses. Below are a few examples of online options available if you are interested in farm animal breeding.

Career Options

Animal breeding is a specialized skill that is invaluable in many agricultural settings. There are a handful of careers, which value skills in animal breeding techniques.

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