A breeder is a person who
selectively breeds carefully selected
mates
Mates is an English surname, and may refer to:
* Mates (born 1964), British newsreader and journalist
* Michael Mates (born 1934), British politician
* Frederick S. Mates, founded the Mates Investment Fund in 1967 that crashed in the bear market o ...
, normally of the same
breed
A breed is a specific group of domestic animals having homogeneous appearance (phenotype), homogeneous behavior, and/or other characteristics that distinguish it from other organisms of the same species. In literature, there exist several slig ...
to
sexually reproduce
Sexual reproduction is a type of reproduction that involves a complex life cycle in which a gamete ( haploid reproductive cells, such as a sperm or egg cell) with a single set of chromosomes combines with another gamete to produce a zygote tha ...
offspring with specific, consistently replicable qualities and characteristics. This might be as a
farmer
A farmer is a person engaged in agriculture, raising living organisms for food or raw materials. The term usually applies to people who do some combination of raising field crops, orchards, vineyards, poultry, or other livestock. A farmer mig ...
,
agriculturalist
An agriculturist, agriculturalist, agrologist, or agronomist (abbreviated as agr.), is a professional in the science, practice, and management of agriculture and agribusiness. It is a regulated profession in Canada, India, the Philippines, the U ...
, or
hobby
A hobby is considered to be a regular activity that is done for enjoyment, typically during one's leisure time. Hobbies include collecting themed items and objects, engaging in creative and artistic pursuits, playing Sport, sports, or pursu ...
ist, and can be practiced on a large or small scale, for food, fun, or profit.
About
A breeder can breed purebred pets such as cats or dogs, livestock such as cattle or horses, and may show their animals professionally in assorted forms of competitions In these specific instances, the breeder strives to meet standards in each animal set out by organizations. A breeder may also assist with breeding animals in the zoo. In other cases, a breeder can be referred to an animal scientist who has the capabilities of developing more efficient ways to produce the meat and other animal products humans eat.
Earnings as a breeder vary widely because of the various types of work involved in the job title. Even in breeding small domestic animals, the earning differ. It mostly depends on the type of animal being bred and whether or not the breeder has a reputation of breeding champions. The
US Bureau of Labor Statistics
The Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) is a unit of the United States Department of Labor. It is the principal fact-finding agency for the U.S. government in the broad field of labor economics and statistics and serves as a principal agency of t ...
reports that large animal breeders that work as veterinarians earned a median annual income of $61,029 in 2006. The other individuals employed in the field of animal science earned $47,800.
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Required education
To breed small and domestic animals, no formal training or credentials are required, though it is recommended they familiarize themselves with the desired and standard characteristics of the breed they work with. For those who are seeking to breed more exotic animals, such as those in a zoo, a bachelor's degree in veterinary science is needed. It is also recommended that an individual also goes onto graduate school and specializes in zoology. To breed agricultural animals, a 4-year degree in agricultural science is needed for most entry-level positions.[
]
See also
*Animal breeding
Animal breeding is a branch of animal science that addresses the evaluation (using best linear unbiased prediction and other methods) of the genetic value (estimated breeding value, EBV) of livestock. Selecting for breeding animals with superior EB ...
*Animal husbandry
Animal husbandry is the branch of agriculture concerned with animals that are raised for meat, fibre, milk, or other products. It includes day-to-day care, selective breeding, and the raising of livestock. Husbandry has a long history, starti ...
*Animal fancy
Animal fancy is a hobby involving the appreciation, promotion, or breeding of pet or domestic animals.
Fancy may include ownership, showing, animal sports and other competitions, and breeding. Hobbyists may simply collect specimens of the animal ...
*Breeding in the wild Breeding in the wild is the natural process of animal reproduction occurring in the natural habitat of a given species. This terminology is distinct from animal husbandry or breeding of species in captivity. Breeding locations are often chosen for ...
*Plant breeding
Plant breeding is the science of changing the traits of plants in order to produce desired characteristics. It has been used to improve the quality of nutrition in products for humans and animals. The goals of plant breeding are to produce cro ...
References
{{Breed
Animal husbandry occupations
Pets
Breeding