"Animal breeder" is a broad term, says Don Dufault. He works with a company
that helps farmers breed better cattle.
"It's like saying you're a computer person," he says. "You can be a lab
technician. You can be working with the animals. You could be working at the
nutritional end of things, or the mechanical side of things, to keep the equipment
going. You could be a geneticist."
The people at Dufault's company tend to have a college education in the
animal sciences.
Many animal breeders work in agriculture. Their goal is dairy cows that
produce more milk. Or beef cows that produce more beef. Or swine that produce
more pork.
Animal breeders also work with non-agricultural species. Cat and dog breeders
produce attractive and well-tempered animals that win ribbons at shows and
sell for high prices. Horse breeders raise award-winning horses, charging
up to $1 million in stud fees for thoroughbreds.
The goal of animal breeders is genetic excellence. Some care for animals
from insemination through birth.
Others specialize in genetic research, developing selection programs or
working for genetics companies. These genetics companies have artificial insemination
(AI) technicians that work with farmers to improve herds. AI technicians use
frozen sperm to inseminate animals.
Animal breeders need to be very knowledgeable about the animals they're
working with. Knowledge of animals' breeding history is especially important.
That's because many genetic traits skip one or more generations. Knowing what
attributes are likely to be dominant as a result of a particular pairing is
the essence of animal breeding.
Most animal breeders are hobbyists. They breed animals for the sheer love
of it. Of the small percentage who make a living at it, most work for a genetics
company.
The National Association of Animal Breeders (NAAB) has a couple dozen members.
Members are genetics companies specializing in breeding cattle. Genetics research
has a long history with cattle, unlike with other species such as dogs and
cats.
"In the cattle end of things, we've got a 50-year history or more of science
being involved in the genetic evaluation process. In these other species,
it's just not there," says Jere Mitchell. He is the NAAB technical director.
Mitchell says there are few opportunities for aspiring animal breeders
in the cattle industry. This is especially true regarding dairy cows, because
every year fewer and fewer cows produce the same total volume of milk. He
predicts some growth when it comes to beef cattle, however.
"The amount of AI used in beef cattle is very low and it could go much
higher," Mitchell says. He cites five to seven percent for beef cattle versus
70 percent for dairy cattle. "So, there's a lot of growth potential there."
One of the few professional animal breeders out there is Eldin Leighton
of Virginia. He's director of canine genetics for a provider of guide dogs
for blind people.
Leighton is a geneticist who started out as a professor. His consulting
work on the side led to his current position. He now helps produce 330 trained
dogs a year. He develops and manages breeding programs to produce ideal guide
dogs. They need to be healthy and the right size, but also have the right
temperament.
"The dogs have to have an ability to respond to unusual situations when
they're working as guides and not get flustered," Leighton says. "A really
good guide dog can meet all these challenges and do it with a zest for their
work."