Find a national wildlife refuge near you and click on the refuge name to learn what you can see and do there. Read about the habitat and animals you might see, then plan a trip with family or friends.

Visit a wildlife refuge near you.

Research volunteer opportunities at local animal shelters, nonprofits, veterinary offices, zoos, etc. and get first-hand experience working with animals. 

Volunteer to help animals.  

Use College Confidential to explore the best schools for animal science. Optimize your college search and set yourself up for future success!

Explore the best schools for animal science.

Watch the trailer for "Changing Season," a documentary about a daughter taking over her father's farm. If it inspires you, seek out and watch the full-length documentary!

See the inner workings of a family farm.

The ability to see details at close range (within a few feet of the observer).

The ability to generate or use different sets of rules for combining or grouping things in different ways.

The ability to apply general rules to specific problems to produce answers that make sense.

The ability to tell when something is wrong or is likely to go wrong. It does not involve solving the problem, only recognizing that there is a problem.

The ability to keep your hand and arm steady while moving your arm or while holding your arm and hand in one position.

The ability to see details at a distance.

The ability to make precisely coordinated movements of the fingers of one or both hands to grasp, manipulate, or assemble very small objects.

The ability to combine pieces of information to form general rules or conclusions (includes finding a relationship among seemingly unrelated events).

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).

The ability to coordinate two or more limbs (for example, two arms, two legs, or one leg and one arm) while sitting, standing, or lying down. It does not involve performing the activities while the whole body is in motion.

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.

Work involves designing, building, or repairing of equipment, materials, or structures, engaging in physical activity, or working outdoors. Realistic occupations are often associated with engineering, mechanics and electronics, construction, woodworking, transportation, machine operation, agriculture, animal services, physical or manual labor, athletics, or protective services.

Realistic

Work involves following procedures and regulations to organize information or data, typically in a business setting. Conventional occupations are often associated with office work, accounting, mathematics/statistics, information technology, finance, or human resources.

Conventional

Work involves studying and researching non-living objects, living organisms, disease or other forms of impairment, or human behavior. Investigative occupations are often associated with physical, life, medical, or social sciences, and can be found in the fields of humanities, mathematics/statistics, information technology, or health care service.

Investigative

Work involves helping, teaching, advising, assisting, or providing service to others. Social occupations are often associated with social, health care, personal service, teaching/education, or religious activities.

Social

Work involves managing, negotiating, marketing, or selling, typically in a business setting, or leading or advising people in political and legal situations. Enterprising occupations are often associated with business initiatives, sales, marketing/advertising, finance, management/administration, professional advising, public speaking, politics, or law.

Enterprising

Work involves creating original visual artwork, performances, written works, food, or music for a variety of media, or applying artistic principles to the design of various objects and materials. Artistic occupations are often associated with visual arts, applied arts and design, performing arts, music, creative writing, media, or culinary art.

Artistic

Job Zone Two: Some Preparation Needed

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.

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.

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.

Knowledge of plant and animal organisms, their tissues, cells, functions, interdependencies, and interactions with each other and the environment.

Knowledge of arithmetic, algebra, geometry, calculus, statistics, and their applications.

Knowledge of administrative and office procedures and systems such as word processing, managing files and records, stenography and transcription, designing forms, and workplace terminology.

Knowledge of raw materials, production processes, quality control, costs, and other techniques for maximizing the effective manufacture and distribution of goods.

Knowledge of the structure and content of the English language including the meaning and spelling of words, and rules of composition and grammar.

Knowledge of economic and accounting principles and practices, the financial markets, banking, and the analysis and reporting of financial data.

Knowledge of machines and tools, including their designs, uses, repair, and maintenance.

Using logic and reasoning to identify the strengths and weaknesses of alternative solutions, conclusions, or approaches to problems.

Understanding the implications of new information for both current and future problem-solving and decision-making.

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.

Identifying complex problems and reviewing related information to develop and evaluate options and implement solutions.

Considering the relative costs and benefits of potential actions to choose the most appropriate one.

Monitoring/Assessing performance of yourself, other individuals, or organizations to make improvements or take corrective action.

Using scientific rules and methods to solve problems.

Talking to others to convey information effectively.

Watching gauges, dials, or other indicators to make sure a machine is working properly.

Understanding written sentences and paragraphs in work-related documents.

Farming, Fishing, and Forestry Occupations

Agricultural Workers

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.

Record animal characteristics such as weights, growth patterns, and diets.

Brand, tattoo, or tag animals to allow animal identification.

Arrange for sale of animals and eggs to hospitals, research centers, pet shops, and food processing plants.

Breedtrak

KinTraks

Microsoft Access

Reudink Software ZooEasy

Adobe Creative Cloud software

Adobe Illustrator

Adobe Photoshop

Email software

Microsoft Outlook

Questionmark Perception

VSN International GenStat

Microsoft Excel

Adobe Acrobat

Respondus

Adobe InDesign

Microsoft Office software

Microsoft SharePoint

Animal pregnancy testing kits

Dehorners

Ovulation prediction monitors

Semen collection kits

Branding equipment

Ear tagging equipment

Microchip scanners

Tattoo equipment

Animal blood collection syringes

Animal vaccination syringes

Artificial insemination syringes

Lethal injection equipment

Densimeters

Sperm counters

Horse breeding chutes

Lead radiology aprons

Mechanical laboratory incubators

Artificial vaginas

External ultrasound units

Livestock restraint treatment stalls

Identifying information by categorizing, estimating, recognizing differences or similarities, and detecting changes in circumstances or events.

Performing general physical activities includes doing activities that require considerable use of your arms and legs and moving your whole body, such as climbing, lifting, balancing, walking, stooping, and handling materials.

Entering, transcribing, recording, storing, or maintaining information in written or electronic/magnetic form.

Using hands and arms in handling, installing, positioning, and moving materials, and manipulating things.

Observing, receiving, and otherwise obtaining information from all relevant sources.

Analyzing information and evaluating results to choose the best solution and solve problems.

Developing constructive and cooperative working relationships with others, and maintaining them over time.

Monitoring and reviewing information from materials, events, or the environment, to detect or assess problems.

Assessing the value, importance, or quality of things or people.

Compiling, coding, categorizing, calculating, tabulating, auditing, or verifying information or data.

How much decision making freedom, without supervision, does the job offer?

A lot of freedom

How much freedom does the worker have in determining the tasks, priorities, or goals of the job?

Some freedom

How often does this job require working outdoors, exposed to all weather conditions?

Outdoors, Exposed to All Weather Conditions

Every day

Once a week or more but not every day

Never

How serious would the result usually be if the worker made a mistake that was not easily correctable?

Extremely serious

Serious

Not serious at all

How often does this job require working outdoors, under cover (like in an open shed)?

How often do you have telephone conversations in this job?

Once a month or more but not every week

Once a year or more but not every month

What results do your decisions usually have on other people or the image or reputation or financial resources of your employer?

Impact of Decisions on Co-workers or Company Results

Very important results

Important results

Moderate results

No results

More than half the time

About half the time

Less than half the time

How important is being very exact or highly accurate in performing this job?

Extremely important

Very important

Important

Fairly important

How much does this job require the worker to be in contact with others (face-to-face, by telephone, or otherwise) in order to perform it?

Animal Breeders

Overview

Career

What Animal Breeders Do

Other Job Titles Animal Breeders May Have

Tasks & Responsibilities May Include

Animal Breeders

Overview

Career

What Animal Breeders Do

Other Job Titles Animal Breeders May Have

Tasks & Responsibilities May Include

Education

Level of Education Attained by Animal Breeders

Majors Related to Career

Related Leaders