Description:
Breed animals, including cattle, goats, horses, sheep, swine, poultry, dogs, cats, or pet birds. Select and breed animals according to their genealogy, characteristics, and offspring. May require a knowledge of artificial insemination techniques and equipment use. May involve keeping records on heats, birth intervals, or pedigree.
Tasks
- Feed and water animals, and clean and disinfect pens, cages, yards, and hutches.
- Examine animals in order to detect symptoms of illness or injury.
- Place vaccines in drinking water, inject vaccines, or dust air with vaccine powder, in order to protect animals from diseases.
- 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 in order to obtain treatment for animals with serious illnesses or injuries.
- Observe animals in heat in order 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.
- Exhibit animals at shows.
- Build hutches, pens, and fenced yards.
- Clip or shear hair on animals.
Knowledge
- Administration and Management
- Knowledge of business and management principles involved in strategic planning, resource allocation, human resources modeling, leadership technique, production methods, and coordination of people and resources.
- Sales and Marketing
- Knowledge of principles and methods for showing, promoting, and selling products or services. This includes marketing strategy and tactics, product demonstration, sales techniques, and sales control systems.
- Customer and Personal Service
- Knowledge of principles and processes for providing customer and personal services. This includes customer needs assessment, meeting quality standards for services, and evaluation of customer satisfaction.
- English Language
- Knowledge of the structure and content of the English language including the meaning and spelling of words, rules of composition, and grammar.
- Biology
- Knowledge of plant and animal organisms, their tissues, cells, functions, interdependencies, and interactions with each other and the environment.
- Production and Processing
- Knowledge of raw materials, production processes, quality control, costs, and other techniques for maximizing the effective manufacture and distribution of goods.
- Computers and Electronics
- Knowledge of circuit boards, processors, chips, electronic equipment, and computer hardware and software, including applications and programming.
- Clerical
- Knowledge of administrative and clerical procedures and systems such as word processing, managing files and records, stenography and transcription, designing forms, and other office procedures and terminology.
- Medicine and Dentistry
- Knowledge of the information and techniques needed to diagnose and treat human injuries, diseases, and deformities. This includes symptoms, treatment alternatives, drug properties and interactions, and preventive health-care measures.
- Mathematics
- Knowledge of arithmetic, algebra, geometry, calculus, statistics, and their applications.
Skills
- Active Learning
- Understanding the implications of new information for both current and future problem-solving and decision-making.
- Active Listening
- Giving full attention to what other people are saying, taking time to understand the points being made, asking questions as appropriate, and not interrupting at inappropriate times.
- Reading Comprehension
- Understanding written sentences and paragraphs in work related documents.
- Monitoring
- Monitoring/Assessing performance of yourself, other individuals, or organizations to make improvements or take corrective action.
- Judgment and Decision Making
- Considering the relative costs and benefits of potential actions to choose the most appropriate one.
- Speaking
- Talking to others to convey information effectively.
- Instructing
- Teaching others how to do something.
- Critical Thinking
- Using logic and reasoning to identify the strengths and weaknesses of alternative solutions, conclusions or approaches to problems.
- Time Management
- Managing one's own time and the time of others.
- Equipment Maintenance
- Performing routine maintenance on equipment and determining when and what kind of maintenance is needed.
Abilities
- Near Vision
- The ability to see details at close range (within a few feet of the observer).
- Problem Sensitivity
- The ability to tell when something is wrong or is likely to go wrong. It does not involve solving the problem, only recognizing there is a problem.
- Speech Clarity
- The ability to speak clearly so others can understand you.
- Arm-Hand Steadiness
- The ability to keep your hand and arm steady while moving your arm or while holding your arm and hand in one position.
- Category Flexibility
- The ability to generate or use different sets of rules for combining or grouping things in different ways.
- Information Ordering
- The ability to arrange things or actions in a certain order or pattern according to a specific rule or set of rules (e.g., patterns of numbers, letters, words, pictures, mathematical operations).
- Deductive Reasoning
- The ability to apply general rules to specific problems to produce answers that make sense.
- Oral Expression
- The ability to communicate information and ideas in speaking so others will understand.
- Written Comprehension
- The ability to read and understand information and ideas presented in writing.
- Manual Dexterity
- The ability to quickly move your hand, your hand together with your arm, or your two hands to grasp, manipulate, or assemble objects.
Work Activities
- Getting Information
- Observing, receiving, and otherwise obtaining information from all relevant sources.
- Monitor Processes, Materials, or Surroundings
- Monitoring and reviewing information from materials, events, or the environment, to detect or assess problems.
- Identifying Objects, Actions, and Events
- Identifying information by categorizing, estimating, recognizing differences or similarities, and detecting changes in circumstances or events.
- Inspecting Equipment, Structures, or Material
- Inspecting equipment, structures, or materials to identify the cause of errors or other problems or defects.
- Performing General Physical Activities
- Performing physical activities that require considerable use of your arms and legs and moving your whole body, such as climbing, lifting, balancing, walking, stooping, and handling of materials.
- Handling and Moving Objects
- Using hands and arms in handling, installing, positioning, and moving materials, and manipulating things.
- Making Decisions and Solving Problems
- Analyzing information and evaluating results to choose the best solution and solve problems.
- Judging the Qualities of Things, Services, or People
- Assessing the value, importance, or quality of things or people.
- Selling or Influencing Others
- Convincing others to buy merchandise/goods or to otherwise change their minds or actions.
- Organizing, Planning, and Prioritizing Work
- Developing specific goals and plans to prioritize, organize, and accomplish your work.
Work Context
- Structured versus Unstructured Work
- To what extent is this job structured for the worker, rather than allowing the worker to determine tasks, priorities, and goals?
- Freedom to Make Decisions
- How much decision making freedom, without supervision, does the job offer?
- Outdoors, Exposed to Weather
- How often does this job require working outdoors, exposed to all weather conditions?
- Telephone
- How often do you have telephone conversations in this job?
- Exposed to Contaminants
- How often does this job require working exposed to contaminants (such as pollutants, gases, dust or odors)?
- Face-to-Face Discussions
- How often do you have to have face-to-face discussions with individuals or teams in this job?
- Frequency of Decision Making
- How frequently is the worker required to make decisions that affect other people, the financial resources, and/or the image and reputation of the organization?
- Impact of Decisions on Co-workers or Company Results
- How do the decisions an employee makes impact the results of co-workers, clients or the company?
- Outdoors, Under Cover
- How often does this job require working outdoors, under cover (e.g., structure with roof but no walls)?
- Spend Time Using Your Hands to Handle, Control, or Feel Objects, Tools, or Controls
- How much does this job require using your hands to handle, control, or feel objects, tools or controls?
Interests
- Realistic
- Realistic occupations frequently involve work activities that include practical, hands-on problems and solutions. They often deal with plants, animals, and real-world materials like wood, tools, and machinery. Many of the occupations require working outside, and do not involve a lot of paperwork or working closely with others.
- Investigative
- Investigative occupations frequently involve working with ideas, and require an extensive amount of thinking. These occupations can involve searching for facts and figuring out problems mentally.
- Enterprising
- Enterprising occupations frequently involve starting up and carrying out projects. These occupations can involve leading people and making many decisions. Sometimes they require risk taking and often deal with business.
- Conventional
- Conventional occupations frequently involve following set procedures and routines. These occupations can include working with data and details more than with ideas. Usually there is a clear line of authority to follow.
- Artistic
- Artistic occupations frequently involve working with forms, designs and patterns. They often require self-expression and the work can be done without following a clear set of rules.
- Social
- Social occupations frequently involve working with, communicating with, and teaching people. These occupations often involve helping or providing service to others.
Work Style
- Dependability
- Job requires being reliable, responsible, and dependable, and fulfilling obligations.
- Integrity
- Job requires being honest and ethical.
- Attention to Detail
- Job requires being careful about detail and thorough in completing work tasks.
- Independence
- Job requires developing one's own ways of doing things, guiding oneself with little or no supervision, and depending on oneself to get things done.
- Initiative
- Job requires a willingness to take on responsibilities and challenges.
- Self Control
- Job requires maintaining composure, keeping emotions in check, controlling anger, and avoiding aggressive behavior, even in very difficult situations.
- Adaptability/Flexibility
- Job requires being open to change (positive or negative) and to considerable variety in the workplace.
- Concern for Others
- Job requires being sensitive to others' needs and feelings and being understanding and helpful on the job.
- Achievement/Effort
- Job requires establishing and maintaining personally challenging achievement goals and exerting effort toward mastering tasks.
- Innovation
- Job requires creativity and alternative thinking to develop new ideas for and answers to work-related problems.
Work Value
- Independence
- Occupations that satisfy this work value allow employs to work on their own and make decisions. Corresponding needs are Creativity, Responsibility and Autonomy.
- Working Conditions
- Occupations that satisfy this work value offer job security and good working conditions. Corresponding needs are Activity, Compensation, Independence, Security, Variety and Working Conditions.
- Achievement
- Occupations that satisfy this work value are results oriented and allow employees to use their strongest abilities, giving them a feeling of accomplishment. Corresponding needs are Ability Utilization and Achievement.
- Support
- Occupations that satisfy this work value offer supportive management that stands behind employees. Corresponding needs are Company Policies, Supervision: Human Relations and Supervision: Technical.
- Recognition
- Occupations that satisfy this work value offer advancement, potential for leadership, and are often considered prestigious. Corresponding needs are Advancement, Authority, Recognition and Social Status.
- Relationships
- Occupations that satisfy this work value allow employees to provide service to others and work with co-workers in a friendly non-competitive environment. Corresponding needs are Co-workers, Moral Values and Social Service.
Related Occupations
Common Lay Titles
- Animal Technician
- Artificial Insemination Technician (AI Technician)
- Artificial Inseminator
- Breeder
- Breeding Manager
- Broodmare Foreman
- Canary Breeder
- Cat Breeder
- Cattery Operator
- Chicken Fancier
- Dairy Husbandry Worker
- Dog Breeder
- Equine Breeder
- Fur Farmer
- Hog Confinement System Manager
- Horse Breeder
- Horse Trainer
- Kennel Keeper
- Kennel Operator
- Livestock Breeder
- Livestock Rancher
- Pigeon Fancier
- Poultry Breeder
- Poultry Husbandry Worker
- Rabbit Fancier
- Rat Culturist
- Reptile Farmer
- Stallion Manager